Exodus

Exodus 23:2–9

²You shall not follow the crowd in wrongdoing. When you testify in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd. ³And do not show favoritism to a poor man in his lawsuit.

⁴If you encounter your enemy’s stray ox or donkey, you must return it to him.

⁵If you see the donkey of one who hates you fallen under its load, do not leave it there; you must help him with it.

⁶You shall not deny justice to the poor in their lawsuits. ⁷Stay far away from a false accusation. Do not kill the innocent or the just, for I will not acquit the guilty.

⁸Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous.

⁹Do not oppress a foreign resident, since you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners; for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.

Read all of Exodus 23

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Exodus 23:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
You shall not	לֹֽא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
follow	תִהְיֶ֥ה	ṯih·yeh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
the crowd	רַבִּ֖ים	rab·bîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H7227 much, many, great
in wrongdoing	לְרָעֹ֑ת	lə·rā·‘ōṯ	Preposition-l; Noun - feminine plural	H7451 bad, evil
When you testify	תַעֲנֶ֣ה	ṯa·‘ă·neh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H6030 answer, respond
in	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
a lawsuit	רִ֗ב	riḇ	Noun - masculine singular	H7379 strife, dispute
do not	וְלֹא־	wə·lō-	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
pervert justice	לְהַטֹּֽת׃	lə·haṭ·ṭōṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H5186 stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend
by siding	לִנְטֹ֛ת	lin·ṭōṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H5186 stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend
with	אַחֲרֵ֥י	’a·ḥă·rê	Preposition	H310 behind
the crowd	רַבִּ֖ים	rab·bîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H7227 much, many, great

Exodus 23:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And do not	לֹ֥א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
show favoritism	תֶהְדַּ֖ר	ṯeh·dar	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H1921 swell (?), honour, adorn
to a poor man	וְדָ֕ל	wə·ḏāl	Conjunctive waw; Adjective - masculine singular construct	H1800 low, weak, poor, thin
in his lawsuit	בְּרִיבֽוֹ׃ס	bə·rî·ḇōw	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H7379 strife, dispute

Exodus 23:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
If	כִּ֣י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
you encounter	תִפְגַּ֞ע	ṯip̄·ga‘	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H6293 meet, encounter, reach
your enemy’s	אֹֽיִבְךָ֛	’ō·yiḇ·ḵā	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H341 be hostile to
stray	תֹּעֶ֑ה	tō·‘eh	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H8582 err
ox	שׁ֧וֹר	šō·wr	Noun - masculine singular construct	H7794 head of cattle
or	א֥וֹ	’ōw	Conjunction	H176 or
donkey	חֲמֹר֖וֹ	ḥă·mō·rōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H2543 heap
you must return it	הָשֵׁ֥ב	hā·šêḇ	Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute	H7725 turn back, return
to him	לֽוֹ׃ס	lōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular

Exodus 23:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
If	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
you see	תִרְאֶ֞ה	ṯir·’eh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H7200 see
the donkey	חֲמ֣וֹר	ḥă·mō·wr	Noun - masculine singular construct	H2543 heap
of one who hates you	שֹׂנַאֲךָ֗	śō·na·’ă·ḵā	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H8130 hate
fallen	רֹבֵץ֙	rō·ḇêṣ	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H7257 stretch oneself out, lie down, lie stretched out
under	תַּ֣חַת	ta·ḥaṯ	Preposition	H8478 the under part
its load	מַשָּׂא֔וֹ	maś·śā·’ōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H4853 load, burden, lifting, bearing, tribute
do not	וְחָדַלְתָּ֖	wə·ḥā·ḏal·tā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular	H2308 cease
leave	מֵעֲזֹ֣ב	mê·‘ă·zōḇ	Preposition-m; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H5800 leave, forsake, loose
it there	ל֑וֹ	lōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular
you must help him	עָזֹ֥ב	‘ā·zōḇ	Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute	H5800 leave, forsake, loose
with it	עִמּֽוֹ׃ס	‘im·mōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H5973 with

Exodus 23:6

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
You shall not	לֹ֥א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
deny	תַטֶּ֛ה	ṯaṭ·ṭeh	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H5186 stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend
justice	מִשְׁפַּ֥ט	miš·paṭ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H4941 judgment
to the poor	אֶבְיֹנְךָ֖	’eḇ·yō·nə·ḵā	Adjective - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H34 in want, needy, poor
in their lawsuits	בְּרִיבֽוֹ׃	bə·rî·ḇōw	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H7379 strife, dispute

Exodus 23:7

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Stay far away	תִּרְחָ֑ק	tir·ḥāq	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H7368 be, or become, far, distant
from a false	שֶׁ֖קֶר	še·qer	Noun - masculine singular	H8267 deception, disappointment, falsehood
accusation	מִדְּבַר־	mid·də·ḇar-	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H1697 speech, word
Do not	אַֽל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
kill	תַּהֲרֹ֔ג	ta·hă·rōḡ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H2026 kill, slay
the innocent	וְנָקִ֤י	wə·nā·qî	Conjunctive waw; Adjective - masculine singular	H5355 clean, free from, exempt
or the just	וְצַדִּיק֙	wə·ṣad·dîq	Conjunctive waw; Adjective - masculine singular	H6662 just, righteous
for	כִּ֥י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
I will not	לֹא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
acquit	אַצְדִּ֖יק	’aṣ·dîq	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular	H6663 be just, righteous
the guilty	רָשָֽׁע׃	rā·šā‘	Adjective - masculine singular	H7563 wicked, criminal

Exodus 23:8

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Do not	לֹ֣א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
accept	תִקָּ֑ח	ṯiq·qāḥ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H3947 take
a bribe	וְשֹׁ֖חַד	wə·šō·ḥaḏ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H7810 present
for	כִּ֤י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
a bribe	הַשֹּׁ֙חַד֙	haš·šō·ḥaḏ	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H7810 present
blinds	יְעַוֵּ֣ר	yə·‘aw·wêr	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5786 make blind, blind
those who see	פִּקְחִ֔ים	piq·ḥîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H6493 seeing
and twists	וִֽיסַלֵּ֖ף	wî·sal·lêp̄	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5557 twist, pervert, overturn
the words	דִּבְרֵ֥י	diḇ·rê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1697 speech, word
of the righteous	צַדִּיקִֽים׃	ṣad·dî·qîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H6662 just, righteous

Exodus 23:9

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Do not	לֹ֣א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
oppress	תִלְחָ֑ץ	ṯil·ḥāṣ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H3905 squeeze, press
a foreign resident	וְגֵ֖ר	wə·ḡêr	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H1616 sojourner
since you	וְאַתֶּ֗ם	wə·’at·tem	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - second person masculine plural	H859 thou
yourselves know	יְדַעְתֶּם֙	yə·ḏa‘·tem	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural	H3045 know
how it feels to be foreigners	הַגֵּ֔ר	hag·gêr	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H1616 sojourner
for	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
you were	הֱיִיתֶ֖ם	hĕ·yî·ṯem	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
foreigners	גֵרִ֥ים	ḡê·rîm	Noun - masculine plural	H1616 sojourner
in the land	בְּאֶ֥רֶץ	bə·’e·reṣ	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct	H776 earth, land
of Egypt	מִצְרָֽיִם׃	miṣ·rā·yim	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H4714 Egypt, Egyptians