Exodus 23:3
Neither shalt thou favour a poor man in judgment.
Open Exodus 23:3 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Pauperis quoque non misereberis in judicio.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- καὶ πένητα οὐκ ἐλεήσεις ἐν κρίσει.
- Hebrew (WLC)
- וְדָ֕ל לֹ֥א תֶהְדַּ֖ר בְּרִיבֽוֹ
Haydock's commentary
Favour. Mercy would then be contrary to justice. (Psalm lxxi. 2; St. Augustine q. 88.)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
The Apostolic Constitutions Book II. Of Bishops, Presbyters, and Deacons, Sec. II. On the Character and Teaching of the Bishop
V . A bishop must be no accepter of persons; neither revering nor flattering a rich man contrary to what is right, nor overlooking nor domineering over a poor man. For, says God to Moses , “Thou shalt not accept the person of the rich, nor shalt thou pity a poor man in his cause: for the judgment is the Lord’s.” And again: “Thou shalt with exact justice follow that which is right.” Let a bishop be frugal, and contented with a little in his meat and drink, that he may be ever in a sober frame, and disposed to instruct and admonish the ignorant; and let him not be costly in his diet, a pamperer of himself, given to pleasure, or fond of delicacies. …
The Apostolic Constitutions Book II. Of Bishops, Presbyters, and Deacons, Sec. V. On Accusations, and the Treatment of Accusers
XLI . But if any one returns, and shows forth the fruit of repentance, then do ye receive him to prayer, as the lost son, the prodigal, who had consumed his father’s substance with harlots, who fed swine, and desired to be fed with husks, and could not obtain it. This son, when he repented, and returned to his father, and said, “I have sinned against Heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son;” the father, full of affection to his child, received him with music, and restored him his old robe, and ring, and shoes, and slew the fatted calf, and made merry with his friends. Do thou therefore, O bishop, act in the same manner. …
St John Chrysostom The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John, John 7.9,10
Be we persuaded that this is said not merely to the men of that time, but to us also, that in nothing we pervert justice, but do all in its behalf; that whether a man be poor or rich, we give no heed to persons, but enquire into things. “Thou shalt not pity,” It saith, “the poor in judgment.” ( Ex. xxiii. 3 .) What is meant? “Be not broken down, nor bent,” It saith, “if he that doth the wrong be a poor man.” Now if you may not favor a poor man, much less a rich. And this I say not only to you who are judges, but to all men, that they nowhere pervert justice, but preserve it everywhere pure. “The Lord,” It saith, “loveth righteousness”; and, “he that loveth iniquity hateth his own soul.” ( Ps. xi. 7 and 5 , LXX.) Let us not, I entreat, hate our own souls, nor love unrighteousness. …