Deuteronomy 1:17

In 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.

Bible in Basic English

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

16And at that time I gave orders to your judges, saying, Let all questions between your brothers come before you for hearing, and give decisions uprightly between a man and his brother or one from another nation who is with him.

18And at that time I gave you all the orders which you were to do.

Read all of Deuteronomy 1

Cross References

Exodus 18:22And let them be judges in the causes of the people at all times: and let them put before you all important questions, but in small things let them give decisions themselves: in this way, it will be less hard for you, and they will take the weight off you.

Exodus 23:2Do not be moved to do wrong by the general opinion, or give the support of your words to a wrong decision:

Leviticus 19:15Do no wrong in your judging: do not give thought to the position of the poor, or honour to the position of the great; but be a judge to your neighbour in righteousness.

Deuteronomy 16:19You are not to be moved in your judging by a man's position, you are not to take rewards; for rewards make the eyes of the wise man blind, and the decisions of the upright false.

Deuteronomy 24:17Be upright in judging the cause of the man from a strange country and of him who has no father; do not take a widow's clothing on account of a debt:

1 Samuel 12:3Here I am: give witness against me before the Lord and before the man on whom he has put the holy oil: whose ox or ass have I taken? to whom have I been untrue? who has been crushed down by me? from whose hand have I taken a price for the blinding of my eyes? I will give it all back to you.

Matthew Henry on Deuteronomy 1:10-19

The Charge to Magistrates. ( b. c. 1451.) 9 And I spake unto you at that time, saying, I am not able to bear you myself alone: 10 The Lord your God hath multiplied you, and, behold, ye are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude. 11 (The Lord God of your fathers make you a thousand times so many more as ye are, and bless you, as he hath promised you!) 12 How can I myself alone bear your cumbrance, and your burden, and your strife? 13 Take you wise men, and understanding, and known among your tribes, and I… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Deuteronomy 1:17