Deuteronomy 16:19

Thou shalt not wrest judgment, thou shalt not take note of faces,—nor shalt thou accept a bribe, for the bribe, blindeth the eyes of wise men, and perverteth the words of righteous men.

The Emphasised Bible by J. B. Rotherham

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

18Judges and officers, shalt thou appoint thee in all thy gates, which Yahweh thy God is giving unto thee, by thy tribes,—and they shall judge the people, with righteous judgment,

20What is right, what is right, shalt thou pursue,—that thou mayest live and possess the land, which, Yahweh thy God, is giving unto thee.

Read all of Deuteronomy 16

Cross References

Exodus 23:6Thou shalt not pervert the vindication of thy needy one in his quarrel.

Leviticus 19:15Ye shall not act perversely in giving judgment, Thou shalt neither respect the person of the poor, Nor prefer the person of the great,—In righteousness, shalt thou judge thy neighbour.

Deuteronomy 1:17Ye shall not take note of faces in judgment—so the small as the great, shall ye hear, ye shall not shrink from the face of any man, for judgment, unto God, belongeth,—but the thing which is too hard for you, shall ye bring near unto me, and I will hear it.

Deuteronomy 24:17Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the sojourner [or] the fatherless,—neither shalt thou take in pledge the garment of a widow;

Deuteronomy 27:25Cursed, be he that taketh a bribe to shed innocent blood. And all the people shall say—Amen.

1 Samuel 12:3Behold me! testify against me, before Yahweh, and before his Anointed—Whose, ox, have I taken? or whose, ass, have I taken? or whom have I oppressed? Whom have I crushed? or at whose, hands, have I taken a bribe, to cover up mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it unto you.

Matthew Henry on Deuteronomy 16:19-22

18 Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment. 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. 20 That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. 21 Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Deuteronomy 16:19