Exodus 23:2 · Bible study
Exodus 23:2 Commentary: Standing Against the Crowd
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore whether 'multitude' means majority or the powerful, and why this verse calls for moral courage in court and everyday life.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Do not join a crowd in wrongdoing, especially in legal testimony, and do not pervert justice by siding with a multitude.
- Key words: Rabbim (H7227), “many, great ones, multitude”; nátah (H5186), “to stretch, turn aside, pervert”.
- Main debate: Whether rabbim refers primarily to a numerical majority or to powerful nobles; the text likely warns against both forms of pressure.
- Theological theme: God’s justice requires individual integrity that overcomes group influence and social standing.
- Best use: Teaching about conscience, peer pressure in ethical decisions, and impartial judicial ethics.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
You shall not follow the crowd in wrongdoing. When you testify in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd.
WEB World English Bible 2000
“You shall not follow a crowd to do evil. You shall not testify in court to side with a multitude to pervert justice.
KJV King James Version 1769
Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment:
ASV American Standard Version 1901
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:
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
`Thou art not after many to evil, nor dost thou testify concerning a strife, to turn aside after many to cause others to turn aside;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Thou shalt not follow the multitude for evil; neither shalt thou answer in a cause, to go after the multitude to pervert [judgment].
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Thou shalt not follow the multitude to do evil: neither shalt thou yield in judgment, to the opinion of the most part, to stray from the truth.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
No seguirás á los muchos para mal hacer; ni responderás en litigio inclinándote á los más para hacer agravios;
Não seguirás aos muitos para mal fazer; nem responderás em litigio inclinando-te à maioria para fazer injustiças;
Tu ne suivras point la multitude pour faire le mal; et tu ne déposeras point dans un procès en te mettant du côté du grand nombre, pour violer la justice.
Du sollst nicht folgen der Menge zum Bösen und nicht also verantworten vor Gericht, daß du der Menge nach vom Rechten weichest.
Gij zult de menigte tot boze zaken niet volgen; en gij zult niet spreken in een twistige zaak, dat gij u neigt naar de menigte, om het recht te buigen.
Non andar dietro alla folla per fare il male; e non deporre in giudizio schierandoti dalla parte dei più per pervertire la giustizia.
Nie udawaj się za wielkością do złego, i nie mów tak za sprawą, cobyś się nakłonił za wielą ich ku podwróceniu sądu.
Не следуй за большинством на зло, и не решай тяжбы, отступая по большинству от правды;
不可 隨 眾 行惡；不可 在 爭訟的事 上隨 眾 偏行，作見證 屈枉正直；
Do not be moved to do wrong by the general opinion, or give the support of your words to a wrong decision:
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Exodus 23:2
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Exodus 23:2 forbids joining a crowd in wrongdoing, especially in legal testimony. Adam Clarke highlights the value of righteous singularity: “Be singular. Singularity, if in the right, can never be criminal.” John Gill notes that a judge must not be “influenced by names or numbers” but follow truth as it appears. Matthew Henry warns that “general usage will never excuse us in any ill practice.” Wesley adds that the broad road is no safer for being crowded. Even where the Hebrew term rabbim may allow a reference to powerful nobles, the core command remains the same: do not let the weight of numbers or status override conscience and justice. This verse upholds the duty of each person, judge, witness, or ordinary citizen, to resist group pressure and stand for what is right.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Numerical majority: The straightforward reading of 'multitude' and the emphasis on being singular in doing right (Clarke, Wesley).
- Powerful nobles: The meaning of <em>rabbim</em> in other OT passages (Job 32:9, Jer 41:1) and the context of judicial partiality toward the wealthy.
- Both combined: The verse covers both pressures, as argued by several commentators who see a double warning.
What is clear: The command prohibits allowing the influence of others—whether in number or rank—to lead you into injustice or evil.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of rabbim | The word prohibits following others into wrongdoing, especially in legal contexts. | Some commentators (e.g., Adam Clarke) argue it refers to powerful nobles; others read it as the numerical majority. The Hebrew allows both, and the verse likely covers both pressures. |
| Scope of the command | It applies to judicial testimony and perverting justice. | Some traditions, like Wesley and Henry, apply it broadly to any 'evil' done in company; others limit it primarily to courtroom settings. |
| Relation to Roman Catholic moral teaching | This verse supports the primacy of conscience over popular opinion. | Catholic moral theology often cites it in relation to 'following the crowd' as a sin of conformity; Protestant readings also emphasize individual responsibility before God. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Exodus 23:2 belongs to the Book of the Covenant (Exodus 21, 23), a collection of laws given at Sinai that governed Israel’s community life. The immediate context (verses 1, 9) deals with judicial integrity: false reports, malicious witnesses, bribery, and partiality. Ancient Israelite courts typically involved a panel of elders or judges deliberating a case. A majority vote could pressure a minority into yielding, and wealthier members of the community often carried disproportionate influence.
The Hebrew word rabbim can mean “many” in number, but it also appears in the Old Testament for “great ones” or “chiefs” (e.g., Job 32:9; Jeremiah 41:1). Some commentators, including Adam Clarke and the Geneva Bible, see this double meaning at work. The law warns against two kinds of pressure: the raw force of a mob and the subtle sway of the elite. Both threatened the ideal of impartial justice expressed in verses like Leviticus 19:15: “You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty.”
The surrounding commands about returning an enemy’s stray animal (vv. 4, 5) and not oppressing a foreigner (v. 9) show that this ethic extends beyond the courtroom into daily relationships. Following the crowd to do evil is not limited to judicial perversion; it includes any situation where people sin together simply because others are doing it. Genesis 19:4, 9 (the men of Sodom surrounding Lot’s house) and Exodus 32:1 (the people demanding a golden calf) are scriptural examples of mob action that this command aims to prevent.
Textual Notes
The Cambridge Bible notes that the text of this verse is “in parts suspicious,” but that the general sense has always been expressed clearly. No significant variants affect the meaning of the command. The consulted sources do not mention any alternative readings that change the interpretation.
Reception History
Throughout church history, Exodus 23:2 has been a key text for moral courage in the face of majority opinion. Early Christian writers used it to encourage believers to remain faithful even when the broader culture turned hostile. During the Reformation, it was cited to defend the right of individual conscience against ecclesiastical councils that might err. In modern times, it has been invoked in discussions about civil disobedience, jury nullification, and the ethics of social conformity. The verse appears regularly in sermons on peer pressure and justice, reminding readers that the crowd is not the measure of truth.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The command: Do not follow a multitude to do evil, whether in court, in the marketplace, or in private life.
- The pressure: Group pressure can come from sheer numbers or from the influence of the powerful, and both can bend a person away from justice.
- The counter: God calls for individual integrity rooted in His law, not in popular opinion or social standing.
Five-point outline
- True justice is not determined by a show of hands (Exodus 23:2).
- The same Hebrew word rabbim can mean “the many” or “the great”, both pose dangers (Clarke, Gill).
- Biblical examples: Lot stood alone against Sodom (Genesis 19:7); Moses and Aaron resisted the golden calf mob (Exodus 32).
- Partiality cuts both ways: we must not favor the rich or the poor (Exodus 23:3,6).
- This command applies wherever peer pressure tempts us to compromise, at work, on social media, or in church decisions.
Illustration hooks
- A workplace team pressures you to approve a report that cuts corners. You are the only one who objects. Exodus 23:2 gives you a foundation to stand on.
- On social media, a false narrative spreads quickly. Liking or sharing without thinking contributes to the harm. The command applies to online testimony as much as to a courtroom.
- In a church board meeting, the majority leans toward a decision that seems expedient but ethically questionable. This verse calls for courage to speak truth.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does this mean I can never agree with a majority, even when they are right?
- How do I discern when a group is heading toward evil rather than good?
- What if standing alone costs me friendships or my job?
Leading a Discussion
This week we confront one of the hardest commands in Scripture: do not go along with the crowd when the crowd is wrong. It is easy to follow when everyone else is doing it. But God calls us to a higher standard, individual conscience shaped by His Word.
Discussion questions
- Read Exodus 23:2 in two or three translations. What differences do you notice in how they render “multitude”?
- In your own words, what is the central command?
- Why do you think God includes this commandment here, surrounded by other rules about courts and witnesses?
- Can you think of a time in Scripture when a crowd pressured someone to do evil? How did that person respond? (Consider Genesis 19 or Exodus 32.)
- In what settings today are you most tempted to follow a crowd into something you know is wrong?
- How would you explain to a friend the difference between healthy consensus and sinful conformity?
- What promise or encouragement can you take from this verse when you have to stand alone?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 6:12 | God saw the earth, and saw that it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. |
| Genesis 7:1 | Yahweh said to Noah, “Come with all of your household into the ship, for I have seen your righteousness before me in this generation. |
| Genesis 19:4 | But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, all the people from every quarter. |
| Genesis 19:7 | He said, “Please, my brothers, don’t act so wickedly. |
| Genesis 19:9 | They said, “Stand back!” Then they said, “This one fellow came in to live as a foreigner, and he appoints himself a judge. Now we will deal worse with you than with them!” They pressed hard on the man Lot, and came near to break the door. |
| Exodus 23:6 | “You shall not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits. |
| Exodus 23:7 | “Keep far from a false charge, and don’t kill the innocent and righteous; for I will not justify the wicked. |
| Exodus 32:1 | When the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron, and said to him, “Come, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we don’t know what has become of him.” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that the Hebrew word for "multitude" can also mean the great or mighty. He therefore reads the command as a warning against following the example of rich or powerful people when they lead others into sin, especially when they conspire to condemn an innocent person.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes reads these commands as specific applications of the ninth commandment, focused on testimony in court. A person must not follow the crowd into evil or let sympathy for the poor sway a verdict. Both pressures distort justice, and the conscience is bound to resist them.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes that "speak" in this verse means answering in a legal setting, not casual conversation. The warning is against following a crowd to pervert justice, where "to do evil" literally means "into evil things" and "wrest" means to turn aside a person's right.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The note warns that in legal disputes or controversies, the majority opinion is not a safe guide. Even if many people take a side, you must not join them if doing so would suppress or overturn the truth. Truth stands on its own merits, not on popular vote.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill applies this command specifically to judges and courtrooms: even if the majority of fellow judges lean a certain way, each judge must follow his own conscience and the evidence, not the crowd's pull. Jewish practice had younger judges speak first so they would not be swayed by their elders.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
decline —depart, deviate from the straight path of rectitude.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch sees these laws as governing mutual obligations among Israelites, with the sabbatical year and Sabbath commands focused not on worship of the Lord but on care for the poor and rest for beasts and slaves. The instruction about an enemy's fallen donkey means giving up the natural human tendency to leave an enemy to his own difficulties.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange treats these laws not primarily as criminal statutes but as a training system for freedom. He notes they begin with emancipation regulations, and every main point indirectly reinforces the rights of personal liberty under the theocracy.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry catalogs the many sins packed into a single act of bearing false witness: lying, perjury, malice, theft, murder, all hidden under a pretense of justice. He sees it as one of the worst possible crimes because it combines so many evils and drags others into the same guilt.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley refuses to let popular opinion become a moral alibi. The crowd's numbers do not make wrong into right, because each person answers to God, not to fellow sinners. Going along with the many is no excuse, and it is a poor compliment to be willing to head to hell just for company.