Exodus 23
Geneva Study Bible
Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.
Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.
Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment:
Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause {a} to decline after many to wrest judgment:

(a) Do that which is godly, though few favour it.

Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause.
Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause.
If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.
If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely {b} bring it back to him again.

(b) If we are bound to do good to our enemies beast, how much more to our enemy himself, Mt 5:44.

If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him.
If thou see the {c} ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him.

(c) If God commands us to help our enemy's donkey under his burden, will he suffer us to cast down our brethren with heavy burdens?

Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause.
Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause.
Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.
Keep thee far from a false matter; and the {d} innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.

(d) Whether you are the magistrate or are commanded by the magistrate.

And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.
And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.
Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the {e} heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

(e) For since he is a stranger, his heart is sorrowful enough.

And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof:
And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof:
But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard.
But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard.
Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed.
Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed.
And in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth.
And in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect: and make {f} no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth.

(f) Neither by swearing by them, nor speaking of them, Ps 16:4, Eph 5:3.

Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year.
Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year.
Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:)
Thou shalt keep the feast of {g} unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:)

(g) That is, Easter, in remembrance that the angel passed over and spared the Israelites, when he slew the first born of the Egyptians.

And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.
And the {h} feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the {i} feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.

(h) Which is Whit Sunday, in token that the law was given 50 days after they departed from Egypt.

(i) This is the feast of tabernacles, signifying that they lived for 40 years in the tents or the tabernacles in the wilderness.

Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord GOD.
Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the LORD God.
Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread; neither shall the fat of my sacrifice remain until the morning.
Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with {k} leavened bread; neither shall the fat of my sacrifice remain until the morning.

(k) No leavened bread will be in your house.

The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk.
The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his {l} mother's milk.

(l) Meaning, that no fruit should be taken before just time: and by this all cruel and wanton appetites are controlled.

Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.
Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.
Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.
Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my {m} name is in him.

(m) I will give him my authority, and he will govern you in my name.

But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.
But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.
For mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off.
For mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off.
Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images.
Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt {n} utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images.

(n) God commands his own to not only not worship idols, but to destroy them.

And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.
And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy {o} bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.

(o) That is, all things necessary for this present life.

There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil.
There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil.
I will send my fear before thee, and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee.
I will send my {p} fear before thee, and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee.

(p) I will make them afraid of your coming and send my angel to destroy them, as in Ex 35:2.

And I will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee.
And I will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee.
I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee.
I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee.
By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land.
By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land.
And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river: for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee.
And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea {q} of the Philistines, and from the {r} desert unto the {s} river: for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee.

(q) Called the Sea of Syria.

(r) Of Arabia called desert.

(s) That is, Ephraim.

Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.
Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.
They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee.
They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee.
The Geneva Bible Translation Notes [1599]

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