Exodus 23 · Verse 3

Exodus 23:3

Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause.

Exodus 23:3, King James Version

Exodus 23:3 in other translations

BSB	And do not show favoritism to a poor man in his lawsuit.
WEB	You shall not favor a poor man in his cause.
ASV	neither shalt thou favor a poor man in his cause.
YLT	and a poor man thou dost not honour in his strife.
DARBY	Neither shalt thou favour a poor man in his cause.
BBE	But, on the other hand, do not be turned from what is right in order to give support to a poor man's cause.
Webster	Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause.

What does Exodus 23:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

3. countenance--adorn, embellish--thou shalt not varnish the cause even of a poor man to give it a better coloring than it merits.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 3 Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause - The word דל dal, which we translate poor man, is probably put here in opposition to רבים rabbim, the great, or noble men, in the preceding verse: if so, the meaning is, Thou shalt neither be influenced by the great to make an unrighteous decision, nor by the poverty or distress of the poor to give thy voice against the dictates of justice and truth. Hence the ancient maxim, Fiat Justitia, Ruat Coelum. "Let justice be done, though the heavens should be dissolved."

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Exodus 23:1-9

In the law of Moses are very plain marks of sound moral feeling, and of true political wisdom. Every thing in it is suited to the desired and avowed object, the worship of one only God, and the separation of Israel from the pagan world. Neither parties, friends, witnesses, nor common opinions, must move us to lessen great faults, to aggravate small ones, excuse offenders, accuse the innocent, or misrepresent any…

Read the full comment on Exodus 23:1-9 →

Exodus 23:3 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.

וְדָ֕לve.Daland a poor [person]H1800

לֹ֥אlo'notH3808

תֶהְדַּ֖רteh.Daryou must show partialityH1921

בְּרִיבֽוֹ\׃\ \סbe.ri.Voin case at law hisH7379

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

Cross references for Exodus 23:3

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.
James 3:17
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
Psalms 82:2-3
How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah. Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.
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.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Ps 82:2,3; Jas 3:17

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

Context

Exodus 23:2
Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment:
Exodus 23:3
Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause.
Exodus 23:4
If thou meet thine enemy’s ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.

Read all of Exodus 23

Exodus 23:3 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Ni al pobre distinguirás en su causa.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et tu ne favoriseras pas le pauvre dans son procès.
German Elberfelder 1871	Und den Armen sollst du in seinem Rechtsstreit nicht begünstigen. -
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Pauperis quoque non misereberis in judicio.