Leviticus 19:15

You must not pervert justice; you must not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the rich; you are to judge your neighbor fairly.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Yahweh addresses Israel through Moses during the Sinai covenant assembly, embedding this command within a series of ethical and judicial directives. The moment functions as a statutory boundary for community leadership and interpersonal conduct.

The words — The Hebrew תַעֲשׂ֥וּ עָ֙וֶל (ta.'a.Su 'a.vel) literally renders "you will do injustice," while תִשָּׂ֣א פְנֵי (ti.Sa' fe.nei) translates to "you will lift up the face," a known idiom for showing preferential treatment. These terms frame judicial bias as an active commission rather than a passive oversight.

The thread — The prohibition against judicial favoritism recurs in Deuteronomy 1:17, which commands impartial hearing for both small and great, and Deuteronomy 27:19, which curses the withholding of justice from vulnerable groups. Proverbs 24:23 reinforces the principle by declaring that showing partiality in judgment is inherently corrupt.

Why it lands — The text demands that legal and social decisions remain detached from a person's economic status or social standing. It requires readers to evaluate claims strictly on merit and evidence before rendering judgment.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

לֹא־lo'-not תַעֲשׂ֥וּta.'a.Suyou will do עָ֙וֶל֙'a.velinjustice בַּמִּשְׁפָּ֔טba./mish.Patin <the>/ judgment לֹא־lo'-not תִשָּׂ֣אti.Sa'you will lift up פְנֵי־fe.nei-[the] face of דָ֔לDala poor [person]וְלֹ֥אve./Lo'and/ not תֶהְדַּ֖רteh.Daryou will honor פְּנֵ֣יpe.Nei[the] face of גָד֑וֹלga.Dola great [person]בְּצֶ֖דֶקbe./Tze.dekin/ righteousness תִּשְׁפֹּ֥טtish.Potyou will judge עֲמִיתֶֽךָ׃'a.mi.Te./khafellow citizen/ your

King James Version

Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 1:17 Show no partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be intimidated by anyone, for judgment belongs to God. And bring to me any case too difficult for you, and I will hear it.”
Deuteronomy 27:19 ‘Cursed is he who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
Proverbs 24:23 These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good.
Exodus 23:2 You shall not follow the crowd in wrongdoing. When you testify in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd.
Exodus 23:6 You shall not deny justice to the poor in their lawsuits.
Leviticus 19:35 You must not use dishonest measures of length, weight, or volume.
Deuteronomy 16:19 Do not deny justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.
2 Chronicles 19:6 Then he said to the judges, “Consider carefully what you do, for you are not judging for man, but for the LORD, who is with you when you render judgment.
Psalms 82:2 “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah
Proverbs 18:5 Showing partiality to the wicked is not good, nor is depriving the innocent of justice.