KJV King James Version
And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.
VERSE STUDY • KJV
Exodus 23:8
And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.
Read it in 5 translations
BSB Berean Standard Bible
Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous.
WEB World English Bible
“You shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds those who have sight and perverts the words of the righteous.
ASV American Standard Version
And thou shalt take no bribe: for a bribe blindeth them that have sight, and perverteth the words of the righteous.
YLT Young’s Literal Translation
And a bribe thou dost not take; for the bribe bindeth the open -eyed, and perverteth the words of the righteous.
Surrounding context — Exodus 23
5 If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him.
6 Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause.
7 Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.
8 And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.
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.
10 And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof:
11 But the seventh [year] thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, [and] with thy oliveyard.
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Original-language word links
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Cross-references
Deuteronomy 16:19Thou 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.Proverbs 17:23A wicked [man] taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.Isaiah 5:23Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!Proverbs 15:27He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live.1 Samuel 8:3And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.Psalm 26:10In whose hands [is] mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes.Ecclesiastes 7:7Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.Deuteronomy 10:17For 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:Proverbs 17:8A gift [is as] a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.Proverbs 19:4Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbour.Ezekiel 22:12In 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 12:3Behold, 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.Amos 5:12For 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].Micah 7:3That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge [asketh] for a reward; and the great [man], he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up.Hosea 4:18Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers [with] shame do love, Give ye.Isaiah 1:13Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; [it is] iniquity, even the solemn meeting.
HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION
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