Albert Barnes Commentary Exodus 23
Albert Barnes Commentary
Exodus 23
Albert Barnes Commentary
Exodus 23
"Thou shalt not take up a false report: put not thy hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to turn aside after a multitude to wrest [justice]: neither shalt thou favor a poor man in his cause." — Exodus 23:1-3 (ASV)
These four commands, addressed to the conscience, are illustrations of the ninth commandment, mainly in reference to the giving of evidence in legal causes (compare to 1 Kings 21:10; Acts 6:11).
Exodus 23:2: This verse might be more strictly rendered, “You shall not follow the many to evil; neither shall you bear witness in a cause so as to incline after the many to pervert justice.”
Exodus 23:3: Countenance – Rather, show partiality to a man’s cause because he is poor .
"If thou meet thine enemy`s ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again. If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, thou shalt forbear to leave him, thou shalt surely release [it] with him." — Exodus 23:4-5 (ASV)
So far was the spirit of the law from encouraging personal revenge that it would not allow a man to neglect an opportunity of saving his enemy from loss (Exodus 23:5).
The sense appears to be: “If you see the donkey of your enemy lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from passing by him; you shall help him in loosening the girths of the donkey.”
"Thou shalt not wrest the justice [due] to thy poor in his cause. Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked. And thou shalt take no bribe: for a bribe blindeth them that have sight, and perverteth the words of the righteous. And a sojourner shalt thou not oppress: for ye know the heart of a sojourner, seeing ye were sojourners in the land of Egypt." — Exodus 23:6-9 (ASV)
Four precepts evidently addressed to those in authority as judges:
To do justice to the poor. Comparing Exodus 23:6, and Exodus 23:6 with Exodus 23:3, it was the judge's responsibility to defend the poor against the oppression of the rich, and the witness's responsibility to take care lest his feelings of natural pity should tempt him to falsify evidence.
To be cautious about inflicting capital punishment on one whose guilt was not clearly proved. A doubtful case was instead to be left to God Himself, who would not justify the wicked, nor allow him to go unpunished though he might be acquitted by an earthly tribunal (Exodus 23:7).
To take no bribe or present which might in any way pervert judgment (Exodus 23:8); compare Numbers 16:15; 1 Samuel 12:3; Acts 26:26.
To vindicate the rights of the stranger (Exodus 23:9) — rather, the foreigner (Exodus 20:10 note). This verse is a repetition of Exodus 22:21, but the precept is there addressed to the people at large, while it is here addressed to the judges in reference to their official duties. The caution was perpetually necessary. Compare Ezekiel 22:7; Malachi 3:5. The word translated 'heart' is more strictly 'soul,' and would be better represented here by feelings.
"And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the increase thereof: but the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie fallow; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beast of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, [and] with thy oliveyard. Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest; that thine ox and thine ass may have rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the sojourner, may be refreshed." — Exodus 23:10-12 (ASV)
This is the first mention of the Sabbatical year; the law for it is given at length in (Leviticus 25:2). Both the Sabbatical year and the weekly Sabbath are here spoken of exclusively in their relation to the poor, as bearing testimony to the equality of the people in their covenant with Yahweh. In the first of these institutions, the proprietor of the soil gave up his rights for the year to the whole community of living creatures, not excepting the animals; in the latter, the master gave up his claim for the day to the services of his servants and cattle.
May be refreshed (Exodus 23:12) - Literally, “may take breath.”
"And in all things that I have said unto you take ye heed: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth." — Exodus 23:13 (ASV)
Compare (Deuteronomy 4:9); (Joshua 22:5); (Ephesians 5:15).
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