John Gill Commentary Proverbs 17:23

"A wicked man receiveth a bribe out of the bosom, To pervert the ways of justice." — Proverbs 17:23 (ASV)

A wicked [man] takes a gift out of the bosom
Of another, of a rich man, who takes it out from there, and offers it to him as a bribe. This he takes in the most secret manner, that it might not be seen by others; though the Arabic version renders it, "he that receives a gift in his own bosom commits iniquity"; it is true of both the giver and the receiver; the one gives out of his bosom, and the other takes if from there, and puts it into his own, and both are wicked. And the words are by some rendered, though it seems contrary to the accents, "a gift out of the bosom of the wicked he will take" ^F26 ; the unjust judge, who is bribed with it: to pervert the ways of judgment ;
to turn the course of justice, and hinder it from taking place; favouring a bad cause, and pronouncing a wrong sentence, which is wresting judgment.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F26: (xqy evr qyxm dxv) "munus de sinu impii accipiet", Baynus.