Exodus 23:2

Do not join a group of people who are planning to do something evil. Do not testify the way the crowd wants you to, if that will prevent the judge from deciding the case justly/fairly.

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment:

In Context

1“Do not tell to others ◄false rumors/untrue reports► about other people. Do not help someone who is guilty by ◄testifying falsely/lying► about what happened.

3When a poor person is on trial, do not testify in his favor just because he is poor and you feel sorry for him.

Read all of Exodus 23

Cross References

Genesis 7:1Then Yahweh said to Noah, “I have seen that out of everyone who is now living, you alone always act righteously. So you and all your family go into the boat.

Genesis 19:7He said to them, “My friends, don’t do such an evil thing!

Exodus 32:1◄Moses/I► stayed on top of the mountain a long time. When the people realized that he/I was not returning quickly, they gathered near Aaron and said to him, “We do not know what has happened to that man Moses who brought us here out of Egypt. So quickly, make us ◄ an idol/a statue of a god► who will lead us!”

Numbers 14:1That night, all the Israeli people cried loudly.

Deuteronomy 16:19They must not judge unjustly. They must not favor one person more than another. The judges must not accept bribes, because if a judge accepts a bribe, even if he is wise and honest, it will be very difficult for him to judge fairly [IDM]; he will do what the person who gave him the bribe wants him to do and declare that the righteous/innocent people must be punished.

Joshua 24:15But if you do not want to serve/worship Yahweh, you should decide today what gods you will serve/worship. You should decide whether you will serve/worship the gods that your ancestors who lived on the other/east side of the Euphrates River served, or whether you will serve/worship the gods that the descendants of Amor, who previously lived in the land where you are now living, serve/worship. But as for me and my family [MTY], we will serve/worship Yahweh!”

Matthew Henry on Exodus 23:2-10

Judicial Laws. ( b. c. 1491.) 1 Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness. 2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment: 3 Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause. 4 If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again. 5 If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Exodus 23:2