Deuteronomy 1 · Verse 17

Deuteronomy 1:17

Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God’s: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.
Deuteronomy 1:17, King James Version

Deuteronomy 1:17 in other translations

BSBShow no partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be intimidated by anyone, for judgment belongs to God. And bring to me any case too difficult for you, and I will hear it.”
WEBYou shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not be afraid of the face of man, for the judgment is God’s. The case that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it.”
ASVYe shall not respect persons in judgment; ye shall hear the small and the great alike; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God’s: and the cause that is too hard for you ye shall bring unto me, and I will hear it.
YLTye do not discern faces in judgment; as the little so the great ye do hear; ye are not afraid of the face of any, for the judgment is God's, and the thing which is too hard for you, ye bring near unto me, and I have heard it;
DARBYYe shall not respect persons in judgment: ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man, for the judgment is God's; and the matter that is too hard for you shall ye bring to me, that I may hear it.
BBEIn judging, do not let a man's position have any weight with you; give hearing equally to small and great; have no fear of any man, for it is God who is judge: and any cause in which you are not able to give a decision, you are to put before me and I will give it a hearing.
WebsterYe shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God's: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring to me, and I will hear it.

What does Deuteronomy 1:17 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Deuteronomy 1:9-18

9-18. I spake unto you at that time, saying, I am not able to bear you myself alone--a little before their arrival in Horeb. Moses addresses that new generation as the representatives of their fathers, in whose sight and hearing all the transactions he recounts took place. A reference is here made to the suggestion of Jethro (Ex 18:18). In noticing his practical adoption of a plan by which the administration of…

Read the full comment on Deuteronomy 1:9-18 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 17 Ye shall not respect persons - Heb. faces. Let not the bold, daring countenance of the rich or mighty induce you to give an unrighteous decision; and let not the abject look of the poor man induce you either to favor him in an unrighteous cause, or to give judgment against him at the demand of the oppressor. Be uncorrupt and incorruptible, for the judgment is God's; ye minister in the place of God, act like Him.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Deuteronomy 1:9-18

Moses reminds the people of the happy constitution of their government, which might make them all safe and easy, if it was not their own fault. He owns the fulfilment of God's promise to Abraham, and prays for the further accomplishment of it. We are not straitened in the power and goodness of God; why should we be straitened in our own faith and hope? Good laws were given to the Israelites, and good men were to see…

Read the full comment on Deuteronomy 1:9-18 →

Deuteronomy 1:17 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

לֹֽא\־lo'-notH3808
תַכִּ֨ירוּta.Ki.ruyou will pay regard toH5234
פָנִ֜יםfa.NimfacesH6440
בַּמִּשְׁפָּ֗טba.mish.Patin <the> judgmentH4941
כַּקָּטֹ֤ןka.ka.Tonas the smallH6996
כַּגָּדֹל֙ka.ga.Dolas the greatH1419
תִּשְׁמָע֔וּןtish.ma.'Unyou will listen !H8085
לֹ֤אlo'notH3808
תָג֙וּרוּ֙ta.Gu.ruyou will be afraidH1481
מִפְּנֵי\־mi.pe.nei-of <the face of>H6440
אִ֔ישׁ'IshanyoneH376
כִּ֥יkiforH3588
הַמִּשְׁפָּ֖טha.mish.Patthe judgmentH4941
לֵאלֹהִ֣יםle.lo.Him[belongs] to GodH430
ה֑וּאHu'itH1931
וְהַדָּבָר֙ve.ha.da.Varand the matterH1697
אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.SherwhichH834
יִקְשֶׁ֣הyik.Shehit will be [too] hardH7185
מִכֶּ֔םmi.Kemfor you
תַּקְרִב֥וּןtak.ri.Vunyou will bring near !H7126
אֵלַ֖י'e.Laito meH413
וּשְׁמַעְתִּֽיו\׃u.she.ma'.Tivand I will hear itH8085

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Deuteronomy 1:17

  • Deuteronomy 16:19

    Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.

  • James 2:9

    But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

  • Exodus 18:26

    And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

  • Leviticus 19:15

    Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.

  • 2 Chronicles 19:6

    And said to the judges, Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgment.

  • Proverbs 24:23

    These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.

  • Exodus 18:22

    And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.

  • James 2:1-5

    My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? …

  • 1 Peter 1:17

    And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:

  • 1 Thessalonians 2:4

    But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.

  • 2 Samuel 14:14

    For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him.

  • Exodus 23:6-7

    Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause. Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
shall not.
10:17; 16:19; Le 19:15; 1Sa 16:7; 2Sa 14:14; Pr 24:23; Lu 20:21
Ac 10:34,35; Ro 2:11; Eph 6:9; Col 3:25; Jas 2:1,3,9; 1Pe 1:17
respect persons. Heb. acknowledge faces.That is, let not the bold, daring countenances of the rich or mighty induce you to give an unrighteous decision; and let not the abject look of the poor man induce you either to favour him in an unrighteous cause, or to give judgment against him at the demand of the oppressor.
ye shall hear.
Ex 23:3,6,7; 1Sa 12:3,4; Job 22:6-9; 29:11-17; 31:13-16; Ps 82:3,4
Pr 22:22,23; Jer 5:28,29; Am 5:11,12; Mic 2:1-3; 3:1-4; 7:3,4
Jas 2:2-4,5
ye shall not.
1Ki 21:8-14; Job 31:34; Pr 29:25; Jer 1:17; Mt 22:16; Mr 12:14
1Th 2:4
the judgment.
2Ch 19:6
the cause.
17:8-10; Ex 18:18,22,26

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Deuteronomy 1:16

    And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him.

  • Deuteronomy 1:17

    Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God’s: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.

  • Deuteronomy 1:18

    And I commanded you at that time all the things which ye should do.

Read all of Deuteronomy 1

Deuteronomy 1:17 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		No tengáis respeto de personas en el juicio: así al pequeño como al grande oiréis: no tendréis temor de ninguno, porque el juicio es de Dios: y la causa que os fuere difícil, la traeréis á mí, y yo la oiré.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Vous ne ferez point acception des personnes dans le jugement; vous entendrez aussi bien le petit que le grand; vous n’aurez peur d’aucun homme, car le jugement est de Dieu; et l’affaire qui sera trop difficile pour vous, vous me la présenterez, et je l’entendrai.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ihr sollt nicht die Person ansehen im Gericht; den Kleinen wie den Großen sollt ihr hören; ihr sollt euch vor niemand fürchten, denn das Gericht ist Gottes. Die Sache aber, die zu schwierig für euch ist, sollt ihr vor mich bringen, daß ich sie höre.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Nulla erit distantia personarum: ita parvum audietis ut magnum, nec accipietis cujusquam personam, quia Dei judicium est. Quod si difficile vobis visum aliquid fuerit, referte ad me, et ego audiam.