Exodus 23:8 · Bible study
Exodus 23:8 Commentary: Bribes Blind the Clear-Sighted
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore how bribery warps justice even for the wisest. Study Exodus 23:8 with commentary, cross-references, and historical context.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Bribery corrupts even the wisest judges and subverts the cause of the righteous.
- Key words: bribe (shochad), blind (avar), clear-sighted (pikkeach), pervert (salaph), righteous (tsaddiq).
- Main debate: Whether the prohibition applies only to judicial contexts or to all forms of gift-giving that distort judgment.
- Theological theme: God’s character of impartial justice must be reflected in human leadership.
- Best use: A foundational text for teaching on integrity, justice, and the dangers of financial corruption.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous.
WEB World English Bible 2000
“You shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds those who have sight and perverts the words of the righteous.
KJV King James Version 1769
And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And thou shalt take no bribe: for a bribe blindeth them that have sight, and perverteth the words of the righteous.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
`And a bribe thou dost not take; for the bribe bindeth the open- eyed , and perverteth the words of the righteous.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And thou shalt take no bribe; for the bribe blindeth those whose eyes are open, and perverteth the words of the righteous.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Neither shalt thou take bribes, which even blind the wise, and pervert the words of the just.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
No recibirás presente; porque el presente ciega á los que ven, y pervierte las palabras justas.
Não receberás suborno; porque o suborno cega aos que veem, e perverte as palavras justas.
Tu ne recevras point de présent; car les présents aveuglent ceux qui ont les yeux ouverts et corrompent les paroles des justes.
Du sollst nicht Geschenke nehmen; denn Geschenke machen die Sehenden blind und verkehren die Sachen der Gerechten.
Ook zult gij geen geschenk nemen; want het geschenk verblindt de zienden, en het verkeert de zaak der rechtvaardigen.
Non accettar presenti; perché il presente acceca quelli che ci veggon chiaro, e perverte le parole dei giusti.
Darów też brać nie będziesz, ponieważ dar zaślepia mądre, i wywraca słowa sprawiedliwych.
Даров не принимай, ибо дары слепыми делают зрячих и превращают дело правых.
不可 受 賄賂；因為 賄賂 能叫明眼人 變瞎了，又能顛倒 義人 的話。
Take no rewards in a cause: for rewards make blind those who have eyes to see, and make the decisions of the upright false.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Exodus 23:8
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse forbids judges from accepting bribes, because bribes corrupt even the most perceptive people. Calvin calls this the worst kind of theft, turning a court into a den of robbers. Gill explains that a gift blinds the “seeing”, those whose eyes and ears are open to a case. Cambridge notes that the Hebrew word shochad means a “bribe” distinctively, not a harmless present. Barnes says the caution was “perpetually necessary.” Clarke points to Magna Carta’s article against selling justice as a later echo of this principle. All affirm that bribery subverts the cause of the righteous, overturning what is just.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Judicial bribery: The immediate context (vv.1-9) addresses judges and witnesses, and the verse uses legal terms like 'case' (words).
- General corruption: The same Hebrew phrase appears in Proverbs 17:23 for any secret bribe, and the principle is applied broadly in the Prophets.
What is clear: Bribery corrupts justice and is forbidden for God's people.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Primary audience of the command | Most commentators see the original audience as judges or those with authority in legal settings (Barnes, Calvin, Cambridge). | Some apply the principle more broadly to any situation where a gift could pervert judgment, while others restrict it strictly to judicial bribery. |
| Meaning of 'blinds those who have sight' | All agree that bribery impairs the ability to judge rightly, even for perceptive people (Gill, Cambridge). | Some emphasize cognitive blinding (a mist over factual discernment), while others stress moral blinding (a corruption of character that chooses injustice). |
| Scope of 'perverts the words of the righteous' | All agree that bribery causes the righteous to lose their case (Keil & Delitzsch, Cambridge). | A few interpret 'words' as the righteous person's legal arguments, while others see it as their entire cause or the verdict they should receive. |
Historical & Cultural Context
This verse belongs to the Book of the Covenant (Exodus 20, 23), a collection of laws God gave Israel at Sinai. It is placed among precepts for judges (Exodus 23:1-9). The surrounding verses address false witness (v.1), following the crowd (v.2), impartiality toward rich and poor (v.3,6), and even care for an enemy’s animal (v.4-5). Against that backdrop, verse 8 targets the particular danger of bribery in legal settings.
In the ancient Near East, bribery was notorious. Cambridge cites a case from Cairo where the chief judge was implicated. The Hebrew word shochad refers specifically to a bribe or illicit gift, not a friendly present (Cambridge). God Himself is described as one who “doesn’t respect persons or take bribes” (Deuteronomy 10:17). Therefore Israel’s judges were to mirror His character. Later, Samuel could protest his integrity by asking, “Of whose hand have I taken a bribe to make me blind my eyes?” (1 Samuel 12:3). The same law is repeated in Deuteronomy 16:19: “You shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous.” Bribery was also condemned by the prophets (Isaiah 1:23, Micah 3:11).
Literarily, this verse functions as a capstone to the judicial section, reinforcing that justice must be blind in a different sense, unswayed by favors or money.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Exodus 23:8. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts, and the verse is repeated almost verbatim in Deuteronomy 16:19.
Reception History
From the early church through the Reformation, this verse was a standard proof-text against bribery in both church and state. Calvin used it to condemn corrupt judges, calling bribery the worst kind of theft. The principle influenced English legal reforms, including Magna Carta’s promise not to sell justice, which Clarke highlights. In Jewish tradition, the verse is cited in the Talmud as a foundational law for judges. Christian ethics classes often pair it with Proverbs 17:23 and 1 Samuel 12:3 to build a biblical case for impartial justice.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The prohibition: “You shall take no bribe.” The command is absolute, no exceptions, no small favors.
- The corruption: A bribe blinds “those who have sight” (the clear-sighted) and perverts the words of the righteous. Even the wise lose discernment.
- The call: God’s people, especially leaders, must embody His impartiality. Justice is not for sale.
Five-point outline
- Context: This law is for judges (Exodus 23:6-9), but its principle extends to all who exercise authority.
- The word “bribe”: The Hebrew shochad means a corrupting gift, not a legitimate present.
- The effect on the judge: Blinds the clear-sighted, gifts create a mental fog that distorts facts.
- The effect on the righteous: Their cause is overturned; they lose the justice they deserve.
- God’s alternative: A community where leaders fear God rather than desire gain (compare Exodus 18:21).
Illustration hooks
- A driver pulled over for speeding watches the officer’s face change when offered cash “to forget the ticket.”
- A hiring manager feels drawn toward the applicant who brought a gift, though another candidate is better qualified.
- A parent on a school board votes for a contractor who donated to a personal cause, ignoring a cheaper bid.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does this verse only apply to judges, or to any setting where a gift influences a decision?
- How do I recognize when a gift or favor has started to blind me to what is right?
- What are modern forms of bribery, free meals, donated trips, small favors, that I might overlook?
Leading a Discussion
This verse sits in a section of God’s law that protects the vulnerable and demands honest courts. Bribery twists judgment and ruins both the giver and the receiver. Use the questions below to reflect on what justice looks like in your own life.
Discussion questions
- Read Exodus 23:8 aloud. What stands out to you about how the verse describes the effect of a bribe?
- The Hebrew word for “bribe” (shochad) is distinct from a general gift. Why is that difference important?
- Barnes says this verse is addressed to judges. In what ways could the principle apply to ordinary Christians, at work, in church, or in the home?
- Verse 8 says a bribe blinds “those who have sight.” What does that say about the power of money or favors, even over experienced, wise people?
- How have you seen a “small gift” gradually affect someone’s judgment? What boundaries could prevent that drift?
- The surrounding verses (vv.1-9) cover false witness, following the crowd, and oppressing the poor. How does bribery connect to those other forms of injustice?
- God takes no bribe (Deuteronomy 10:17). How does this truth shape how you approach God, in prayer, in obedience, in seeking forgiveness?
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)
| Deuteronomy 10:17 | For Yahweh your God, he is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, the mighty, and the awesome, who doesn’t respect persons or take bribes. |
| Deuteronomy 16:19 | You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality. You shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous. |
| I Samuel 8:3 | His sons didn’t walk in his ways, but turned away after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice. |
| I Samuel 12:3 | Here I am. Witness against me before Yahweh and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Of whose hand have I taken a bribe to make me blind my eyes? I will restore it to you.” |
| Psalms 26:10 | in whose hands is wickedness; their right hand is full of bribes. |
| Proverbs 15:27 | He who is greedy for gain troubles his own house, but he who hates bribes will live. |
| Proverbs 17:8 | A bribe is a precious stone in the eyes of him who gives it; wherever he turns, he prospers. |
| Proverbs 17:23 | A wicked man receives a bribe in secret, to pervert the ways of justice. |
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
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights that this command issues a strong prohibition against selling justice, a practice that has disgraced and ruined states. He connects it to the Magna Charta's article that refuses to sell, deny, or delay justice, noting that in those early corrupt times the one with the largest gifts to the king was sure to win his case regardless of right.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes identifies four distinct commands here, all directed to judges rather than the general public: defend the poor, require clear proof before capital punishment, refuse bribes, and protect foreigners. He notes that the command about foreigners repeats an earlier one but now applies specifically to judges in their official role.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin calls bribe-taking by judges the worst kind of theft, because a judge's court is meant to be a safe refuge for the oppressed. When judges accept gifts, they turn their tribunal into a den of robbers and become worse than ordinary thieves, since they misuse the very authority that should protect the innocent.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible Schools note that the Hebrew word for "gift" in this passage actually means a "bribe," a practice that blinds even the clear-sighted and overturns the cause of the righteous. Bribery is consistently condemned throughout Scripture as incompatible with fair justice.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note stresses that even those known for wisdom and integrity are not immune to corruption from gifts. A bribe can blind the discerning and twist the speech of the upright, showing that no one is naturally above being swayed by improper inducements.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill insists the ban on gifts is absolute: no bribe, not even to decide a case correctly, because any gift blinds judges who should be fully attentive. The Hebrew word for "wise" literally means "seeing," yet a gift throws a mist before them, warping their judgment and overturning the righteous person's cause.
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 sees these civil laws as a system for training a people toward freedom, not primarily as criminal statutes. He notes that the code begins with emancipation regulations and that every major provision indirectly upholds the rights of personal liberty. Slavery itself is regulated rather than imposed, with the seventh-year release and the voluntary servant’s ear-boring reflecting a theocratic education in freedom.
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.