Exo 23:6-9 | NETfull | STEP | “You must not turn away justice for your poor people in their lawsuits.

Exodus 23:6-9

6 “You must not turn away justice for your poor people in their lawsuits. 7 Keep your distance ^{▼▼ Or “stay away from,” or “have nothing to do with.”} from a false charge ^{▼▼ Heb “a false matter,” this expression in this context would have to be a case in law that was false or that could only be won by falsehood.} – do not kill the innocent and the righteous, ^{▼▼ The two clauses probably should be related: the getting involved in the false charge could lead to the death of an innocent person (so, e.g., Naboth in 1 Kgs 21:10–13).} for I will not justify the wicked. ^{▼▼ God will not declare right the one who is in the wrong. Society should also be consistent, but it cannot see the intents and motives, as God can.}

8 “You must not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see ^{▼▼ Heb “blinds the open-eyed.”} and subverts the words of the righteous.

9 “You must not oppress ^{▼▼ The verb means “to crush.” S. R. Driver notes that in this context this would probably mean with an unfair judgment in the courts (Exodus, 239).} a foreigner, since you know the life ^{▼▼ Heb “soul, life” – “you know what it feels like.”} of a foreigner, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.