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Exodus 23:7

Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.

KJV

Mendacium fugies. Insontem et justum non occides : quia aversor impium.

Vulgate

ἀπὸ παντὸς ῥήματος ἀδίκου ἀποστήσῃ· ἀθῷον καὶ δίκαιον οὐκ ἀποκτενεῖς, καὶ οὐ δικαιώσεις τὸν ἀσεβῆ ἕνεκεν δώρων.

LXX

Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.

ASV

מִ/דְּבַר שֶׁ֖קֶר תִּרְחָ֑ק וְ/נָקִ֤י וְ/צַדִּיק֙ אַֽל תַּהֲרֹ֔ג כִּ֥י לֹא אַצְדִּ֖יק רָשָֽׁע

Hebrew

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In the original Hebrew

11 distinct Hebrew words appear in this verse.

אַל
'l
preposition · 720×
דְבַר
dbr
noun · 1449×
הַצְדִּ֣יק
htsdyq
verb · 41×
כִּֽי
ky
pronoun · 4439×
לֹ֣א
l'
proper_noun · 5171×
ם
m
verb · 167×
נָקִ֔י
nqy
adjective · 42×
צַדִּ֑יק
tsdyq
adjective · 199×
רְשָׁעִ֣ים
rsh'ym
adjective · 257×
שָֽׁקֶר
shqr
noun · 110×
תִּרְחַ֥ק
trchq
verb · 56×

Historic Christian voices

3 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.

§2261Scripture specifies the prohibition contained in the fifth commandment: "Do not slay the innocent and the righteous."61 The deliberate murder of an innocent person is gravely contrary to the dignity of the human being, to the golden rule, and to the holiness of the Creator. the law forbidding it is universally valid: it obliges each and everyone, always and everywhere.
Q. According to God's righteous judgment we deserve punishment both in this world and forever after: how then can we escape this punishment and return to God's favor? A. God requires that his justice be satisfied. Therefore the claims of his justice must be paid in full, either by ourselves or another.

Cross-references

  • 1Thess 5:22 — Abstain from all appearance of evil.
  • 1Thess 5:22 — Abstain from all appearance of evil.
  • 1Tim 6:10 — For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
  • Deut 1:16 — And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him.
  • Deut 19:16 — If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong;
  • Deut 27:25 — Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen.
  • Deut 27:25 — Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen.
  • Eph 4:25 — Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
  • Exod 23:1 — Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.
  • Exod 34:7 — Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s c
  • Exod 34:7 — Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s c
  • Lev 19:11 — Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.
  • Lev 19:16 — Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD.
  • Prov 4:15 — Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
  • Prov 17:15 — He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.
  • Ps 15:5 — He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
  • Ps 94:21 — They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.
  • Rom 1:18 — For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
  • Rom 2:5 — But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;