Exodus 23 · Verse 8

Exodus 23:8

And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.
Exodus 23:8, King James Version

Exodus 23:8 in other translations

BSBDo not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous.
WEB“You shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds those who have sight and perverts the words of the righteous.
ASVAnd thou shalt take no bribe: for a bribe blindeth them that have sight, and perverteth the words of the righteous.
YLT‘And a bribe thou dost not take; for the bribe bindeth the open- eyed, and perverteth the words of the righteous.
DARBYAnd thou shalt take no bribe; for the bribe blindeth those whose eyes are open, and perverteth the words of the righteous.
BBETake no rewards in a cause: for rewards make blind those who have eyes to see, and make the decisions of the upright false.
WebsterAnd thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.

What does Exodus 23:8 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 8 Thou shalt take no gift - A strong ordinance against selling justice, which has been the disgrace and ruin of every state where it has been practiced. In the excellent charter of British liberties called Magna Charta, there is one article expressly on this head: Nulli vendemus, nulli negabimus aut differemus, rectum aut justitiam - Art. xxxiii. "To none will we sell, to none will we deny or defer, right or justice." This was the more necessary in those early and corrupt times, as he who had most money, and gave the largest presents (called then oblata) to the king or queen, was sure to gain his cause in the king's court; whether he had right and justice on his side or not.

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 23:8 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.

וְשֹׁ֖חַדve.Sho.chadand a bribeH7810
לֹ֣אlo'notH3808
תִקָּ֑חti.Kachyou must takeH3947
כִּ֤יkiforH3588
הַשֹּׁ֙חַד֙ha.Sho.chad<the> bribeH7810
יְעַוֵּ֣רye.'a.Verit makes blindH5786
פִּקְחִ֔יםpik.Chimclear-sighted [people]H6493
וִֽיסַלֵּ֖ףvi.sa.Lefso it may pervertH5557
דִּבְרֵ֥יdiv.Rei[the] words ofH1697
צַדִּיקִֽים\׃tza.di.Kimrighteous [people]H6662

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

Cross references for Exodus 23:8

  • 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.

  • Isaiah 5:23

    Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!

  • Proverbs 17:23

    A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.

  • Proverbs 15:27

    He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live.

  • 1 Samuel 8:3

    And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.

  • Psalms 26:10

    In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes.

  • Ecclesiastes 7:7

    Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.

  • Deuteronomy 10:17

    For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward:

  • Amos 5:12

    For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right.

  • Ezekiel 22:12

    In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood; thou hast taken usury and increase, and thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by extortion, and hast forgotten me, saith the Lord God.

  • 1 Samuel 12:3

    Behold, here I am: witness against me before the Lord, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.

  • Proverbs 17:8

    A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
thou shalt take.
De 16:19; 1Sa 8:3; 12:3; Ps 26:10; Pr 15:27; 17:8,23; 19:4; Ec 7:7
Isa 1:13; 5:23; Eze 22:12; Ho 4:18; Am 5:12; Mic 7:3
the wise. Heb. the seeing.

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

Context

  • Exodus 23:7

    Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.

  • Exodus 23:8

    And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.

  • Exodus 23:9

    Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Read all of Exodus 23

Exodus 23:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		No recibirás presente; porque el presente ciega á los que ven, y pervierte las palabras justas.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et tu ne recevras pas de présent; car le présent aveugle ceux qui voient clair, et pervertit les paroles des justes.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und kein Geschenk sollst du nehmen; denn das Geschenk blendet die Sehenden und verkehrt die Worte der Gerechten.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Nec accipies munera, quæ etiam excæcant prudentes, et subvertunt verba justorum.