Commentators explain that this command goes far beyond simply not retaliating. To "not take vengeance" means refusing to repay a wrong. To "not bear any grudge" is even deeper—it means not even holding the memory of the offense against the person. Scholars point to ancient Jewish teachings that even mentioning a past wrong while doing a good deed for someone violates this principle. The law targets the root of bitterness in the heart, not just outward actions.