Exodus 23 summary meaning ai explained commentary

Exodus 23 meaning explained in AI Summary

This chapter focuses on laws related to justice and fairness. It includes instructions for judges to avoid showing favoritism and accepting bribes. It also addresses the treatment of foreigners and the poor, emphasizing the importance of compassion and justice. The chapter concludes with promises of God's blessing and protection for the Israelites if they obey his laws.

This chapter outlines a variety of laws and instructions given by God to Moses for the Israelites, covering social justice, ethical behavior, and religious observance.

Justice and Fairness:

Impartiality in Judgment (vv. 1-3): Do not show favoritism to the poor or rich in legal matters. Judge fairly and truthfully.
Helping Your Enemy (vv. 4-5): Even if your enemy's animal is in distress, you are obligated to help.
Justice for the Vulnerable (vv. 6-9): Do not pervert justice for the poor or accept bribes, as these blind the wise and subvert the cause of the innocent.

Sabbath and Festivals:

Sabbath Observance (vv. 10-12): Work the land for six years, but let it rest on the seventh year (Sabbatical year) so the poor can eat. Observe the Sabbath day as a day of rest for yourself and your animals.
Three Annual Festivals (vv. 14-19): Three times a year, all males must appear before God at the festivals of Unleavened Bread, Harvest, and Ingathering. Do not appear before God empty-handed; bring an offering.

Protection and Guidance:

The Angel of the Lord (vv. 20-23): God promises to send an angel ahead of the Israelites to guide and protect them. Obey the angel and do not rebel, for God will not forgive their sin.
Driving Out the Inhabitants (vv. 24-33): God promises to drive out the current inhabitants of the land gradually. The Israelites must not make treaties with them or serve their gods.

Overall Theme:

This chapter emphasizes living a life of justice, compassion, and obedience to God. It lays down principles for a just society and highlights the importance of worshipping and honoring God. The promise of the angel's protection reinforces the idea that following God's laws leads to blessing and success.

Exodus 23 bible study ai commentary

Exodus 23 establishes the blueprint for Israel's societal and spiritual life as a covenant community. It moves from laws of social justice and mercy, which define horizontal relationships, to laws of sacred time and worship, defining the vertical relationship with Yahweh. The chapter culminates with promises of divine guidance and conquest of the Promised Land, conditional upon Israel's absolute obedience and rejection of idolatry, binding justice and worship to national destiny.

Exodus 23 Context

This chapter forms the conclusion of the "Book of the Covenant" (Exodus 20:22-23:33), the first legal code given to Israel at Mount Sinai. These laws were given to a recently enslaved people and were designed to create a society fundamentally different from the oppressive Egyptian empire and the pagan Canaanite cultures. The laws are rooted in Israel's redemptive history—"for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt"—making empathy and memory the foundation for justice and ethics. The context is one of forming a national identity based on divine revelation, where civil, moral, and cultic life are inseparable aspects of covenant faithfulness.

Exodus 23:1

You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man to be a malicious witness.

In-depth-analysis

False Report: The Hebrew shēma‘ shāw’ literally means a "rumor of emptiness/vanity." This prohibits not just deliberate lying but also careless gossip and slander that can destroy reputations. It establishes a community standard of truthfulness.
Malicious Witness: Prohibits collusion in perjury. The phrase "join hands" depicts a formal agreement or conspiracy. A witness of "violence" or "injustice" (ḥāmās) is one whose testimony is intended to harm, not reveal truth.
This verse sets the stage for judicial integrity, recognizing that justice begins with truth in everyday speech and official testimony.

Bible references

Proverbs 19:5: "A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will not escape." (Direct consequence)
Deuteronomy 19:16-19: "If a malicious witness arises against a man... then you shall do to him as he had meant to do to his brother." (Prescribes punishment)
Psalm 101:5: "Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy..." (Divine judgment on slander)

Cross references

Lev 19:16 (slander); Ps 15:3 (who may dwell with God); Prov 6:16-19 (lying tongue as abomination); Matt 26:59-60 (false witnesses against Jesus); Acts 6:11-13 (false witnesses against Stephen).

Exodus 23:2

You shall not follow a crowd to do evil, nor shall you bear witness in a lawsuit, siding with a crowd to pervert justice,

In-depth-analysis

Follow a Crowd: The command opposes the temptation of "mob mentality." The Hebrew for crowd (rabbîm) can mean "many" or "great ones," warning against being swayed by either popular opinion or the powerful elite.
Pervert Justice: This builds on verse 1. Even if a majority pushes for a certain verdict, the individual's responsibility is to stand for truth, not to "turn aside" (nāṭāh) justice. This principle protects against group pressure corrupting the legal system.

Bible references

1 Kings 19:10: "...I, even I only, am left..." (Elijah feels isolated against the majority)
Matthew 27:24-26: "So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing... he took water and washed his hands before the crowd... and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified." (Pilate yields to the crowd)
Acts 5:29: "...We must obey God rather than men." (Apostles stand against the ruling council)

Cross references

Prov 1:10-15 (don't join sinners); Dan 3:16-18 (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego defy the king); John 7:50-51 (Nicodemus questions the crowd's rush to judgment); Rom 12:2 (don't be conformed).

Exodus 23:3

nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his lawsuit.

In-depth-analysis

Impartiality: This is a stunning and radical command. After numerous laws protecting the poor, this verse demands that justice must be completely impartial. Sympathy or "pity points" cannot override facts in a legal setting.
The word for "be partial" (hādár) means to "adorn" or "honor." One should not improperly "honor" the poor in judgment any more than they should honor the rich (Leviticus 19:15).
This solidifies the principle that justice is about objective truth, not social engineering from the judge's bench.

Bible references

Leviticus 19:15: "You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor." (The clearest parallel)
Deuteronomy 1:17: "You shall not be partial in judgment. You shall hear the small and the great alike..." (Justice is for all)
James 2:1-4: "...if you show partiality, you are committing sin..." (NT application against favoring the rich)

Cross references

Deut 16:19 (do not pervert justice); Prov 31:9 (judge righteously, but for the poor and needy outside of the direct court verdict context).

Polemics

Unlike ancient Near Eastern legal systems where a patron's favor or a bribe could easily sway a case, the Torah establishes an ideal of absolute impartiality. Yahweh’s law is not swayed by social status, whether high or low.

Exodus 23:4-5

If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him. If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it; you shall rescue it with him.

In-depth-analysis

Active Love for an Enemy: This law moves beyond mere non-retaliation to mandated, active assistance to an adversary. The context is not one of feeling but of required action.
Two Scenarios:
1. Restoring Property (v. 4): Going out of your way to return a lost animal to someone you consider an "enemy" (’ōyēḇ).
2. Alleviating Suffering (v. 5): Helping someone who "hates you" (śōnē’) with their struggling animal. The Hebrew implies a joint effort: "you shall surely release it with him." This forces a moment of cooperation.
This ethic serves to de-escalate personal conflicts, preserve community wholeness, and show mercy. It places communal well-being above personal grievances.

Bible references

Matthew 5:44: "But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you..." (Jesus elevates and internalizes this principle)
Romans 12:20: "To the contrary, 'if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink'..." (Paul quoting Proverbs, which echoes this Exodus law)
1 Samuel 24:16-17: "Is this your voice, my son David?... You are more righteous than I, for you have repaid me with good, whereas I have repaid you with evil." (David embodies this principle by sparing Saul)

Cross references

Deut 22:1-4 (expands this law); Prov 24:17 (don't rejoice when your enemy falls); Prov 25:21 (give your enemy food and drink).

Exodus 23:6-9

You shall not pervert the justice due to your poor in his lawsuit. Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent and righteous, for I will not acquit the wicked. You shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of the righteous. You shall not oppress a sojourner. You know the heart of a sojourner, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.

In-depth-analysis

This section summarizes the principles of justice for the vulnerable.
v. 6 (Justice for the Poor): This is the counter-balance to verse 3. While you don't show partiality to the poor, you must never pervert the justice that is rightly due to them.
v. 7 (False Charge & a Divine Warning): "Keep far" is an emphatic command. This warns against judicial murder. God himself will ensure the wicked are ultimately held accountable ("I will not acquit the wicked"), even if they escape human courts.
v. 8 (No Bribes): A bribe (shōḥaḏ) is corrupting. It "blinds" the wise and "twists" the words (dîḇrê) of the righteous. Justice becomes a commodity.
v. 9 (The Sojourner): The reason for protecting the alien (gēr) is rooted in empathy born from Israel's own experience of suffering in Egypt. "You know the heart (nephesh - soul, feelings, experience) of a sojourner." This turns historical memory into an ethical imperative.

Bible references

Deuteronomy 27:19: "'Cursed be anyone who perverts the justice due to the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow.'" (Covenant curse on this sin)
Isaiah 1:23: "Your princes are rebels and companions of thieves. Everyone loves a bribe and runs after gifts." (Prophetic critique of this sin)
Micah 3:11: "Its heads give judgment for a bribe; its priests teach for a price; its prophets practice divination for money..." (Condemnation of systemic corruption)
Ephesians 2:19: "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God" (The ultimate inclusion of the 'sojourner' in Christ's kingdom).

Cross references

Deut 10:18-19 (love the sojourner); Deut 16:19 (no bribes); Ps 94:21 (condemn innocent blood); Prov 17:23 (wicked take bribes); Amos 5:12 (afflicting the righteous, taking bribes); 1 Tim 5:21 (no partiality).

Exodus 23:10-12

For six years you shall sow your land and gather in its yield, but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave the beasts of the field may eat. You shall do likewise with your vineyard and with your olive grove. Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; that your ox and your donkey may have rest, and the son of your servant woman, and the alien, may be refreshed.

In-depth-analysis

Sabbatical Principles: This section applies the Sabbath principle to the land (Sabbatical Year) and to life (Weekly Sabbath).
Sabbatical Year (vv. 10-11):
- Theological: An act of trust, acknowledging God as the ultimate provider and owner of the land.
- Agricultural: Allows the land to recover its fertility.
- Social: Provides food for the poor, who could glean from the uncultivated land. It is a structural provision for the marginalized.
Weekly Sabbath (v. 12):
- Humanitarian Focus: The reason given here is different from Exodus 20 (creation rest) and Deuteronomy 5 (redemption from Egypt). Here, the focus is purely on rest and refreshment (yinnāp̱ēš, from nephesh, soul) for animals, slaves, and aliens—the most vulnerable workers.
- It's a weekly reset of social order, reminding Israel that even the lowest members of society are not mere economic units but beings who need rest.

Bible references

Leviticus 25:2-7: "...the land shall keep a Sabbath to the LORD." (Detailed laws of the Sabbatical Year)
Mark 2:27: "And he said to them, 'The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.'" (Jesus affirms the principle that the Sabbath exists for human benefit and refreshment)
Hebrews 4:9-10: "So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his." (The Sabbath as a type of eternal rest in Christ)

Cross references

Ex 20:8-11 (Sabbath and creation); Deut 5:12-15 (Sabbath and redemption); Neh 10:31 (post-exilic renewal of the Sabbath laws).

Exodus 23:13-17

Pay attention to all that I have said to you, and make no mention of the names of other gods, nor let it be heard on your lips... Three times in the year you shall keep a feast to me. You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread... You shall keep the Feast of Harvest, of the firstfruits of your labor... You shall keep the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year... Three times in the year shall all your males appear before the Lord GOD.

In-depth-analysis

Exclusive Worship: Verse 13 acts as a heading for this section, demanding singular focus on Yahweh and prohibiting even the mention of other gods' names, a radical command for absolute loyalty.
Three Pilgrimage Festivals: These festivals anchor Israel's calendar in acts of worship tied to the agricultural cycle and redemptive history.
1. Feast of Unleavened Bread: (Passover) In early spring, commemorating the Exodus from Egypt.
2. Feast of Harvest (Ḥag Haqāṣîr): (Weeks/Pentecost) In late spring, celebrating the wheat harvest and later associated with the giving of the Law at Sinai.
3. Feast of Ingathering (Ḥag hā’Āsîp): (Tabernacles/Booths) In autumn, celebrating the final harvest of fruit and wine.
Males Appear Before the Lord: This requirement for all males to travel to the central sanctuary unified the nation, reinforced their collective identity, and ensured the whole nation participated in celebrating God's provision.

Bible references

Deuteronomy 16:16: "Three times a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God at the place that he will choose..." (Parallel command)
Leviticus 23: (Provides the most complete calendar of all the feasts, including these three)
Luke 2:41-42: "Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover." (Shows this practice being followed in the NT)
Acts 2:1: "When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place." (The Holy Spirit's coming occurs during the Feast of Harvest/Pentecost)

Cross references

Josh 23:7 (don't mention other gods); Hos 2:17 (I will remove the names of the Baals); Zech 14:16 (all nations will celebrate the Feast of Booths).

Exodus 23:18-19

You shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with anything leavened, or let the fat of my feast remain until the morning. The best of the firstfruits of your ground you shall bring into the house of the LORD your God. You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.

In-depth-analysis

Three Prohibitions: These are concise cultic regulations.
No Leaven with Blood: Leaven often symbolizes corruption and decay in the Bible. The blood of the sacrifice, representing life and atonement, must be kept pure.
No Fat Remaining: The fat was considered the richest portion, belonging to God. It was to be offered promptly and not left overnight, showing reverence and preventing profane use.
Firstfruits to God: This reinforces the principle that God gets the very best (rē’šît), not the leftovers. It's an act of acknowledging Him as the source of all produce.
Goat in Mother's Milk: A famously enigmatic law. Interpretations include:
- Polemics: A rejection of a pagan Canaanite fertility or death ritual. Ancient texts from Ugarit describe similar practices, though the connection is debated by scholars.
- Ethical/Symbolic: A command against a form of cruelty or the unnatural mixing of symbols of life (mother's milk) and death (the slaughtered kid).
- This command is the textual basis for the extensive Jewish dietary laws (kashrut) separating the consumption of meat and dairy products.

Bible references

Exodus 12:8-10: (Passover instructions about not leaving meat until morning and eating with unleavened bread)
Leviticus 2:11: "No grain offering that you bring to the LORD shall be made with leaven..." (The principle against leaven in offerings)
Deuteronomy 14:21: "...You shall not boil a young goat in its mother's milk." (Repetition of the law)

Cross references

Ex 34:25-26 (parallel passage); Lev 7:15 (peace offering eaten the same day); Num 18:12 (best of oil, wine, grain for priests).

Exodus 23:20-23

Behold, I am sending an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared... Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him. But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies...

In-depth-analysis

The Angel of the LORD: This is not an ordinary angel (mal’āk, messenger). Several factors point to his divine status:
- My Name is in Him: "Name" (shem) in Hebrew represents character, authority, and presence. This angel carries the very presence and authority of Yahweh.
- Power to Pardon: He has the divine prerogative to forgive sin or not, a power belonging to God alone.
- Obedience to him = Obedience to God: The verse equates obeying the angel's voice with obeying God's voice.
Christophany: Many Christian commentators see this figure as a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ (a Christophany), the ultimate bearer of God's Name and authority.
Conditional Promise: The promises of protection and victory are explicitly conditioned on Israel's obedience to this divine guide.

Bible references

Genesis 16:10: "And the angel of the LORD said to her, 'I will surely multiply your offspring...'" (The Angel speaks with divine authority)
Judges 2:1-2: "Now the angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, 'I brought you up from Egypt... But you have not obeyed my voice.'" (The Angel speaks as God in the first person)
John 10:30: "I and the Father are one." (Jesus claims a unique unity and authority with God)
Isaiah 63:9: "In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them..." (Connects God's presence with this angelic savior)

Cross references

Ex 14:19 (angel leads the Exodus); Ex 32:34 & 33:2 (mentions of the angel); Num 20:16; Acts 7:30-38 (Stephen identifies the angel at Sinai).

Exodus 23:24-33

You shall not bow down to their gods nor serve them... but you shall utterly overthrow them and break their pillars in pieces... you shall serve the LORD your God, and he will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from among you... I will set your border... I will not drive them out from before you in one year... little by little I will drive them out... You shall make no covenant with them or with their gods...

In-depth-analysis

Absolute Exclusivity (v. 24): The response to paganism is not syncretism but complete destruction of its artifacts (altars, pillars).
Holistic Blessings (vv. 25-26): Service (‘ābad, same word for "serve" a god or "work" the land) to Yahweh results in comprehensive blessings: provision (bread, water), health (sickness removed), fertility, and longevity. These are the tangible signs of the covenant in the OT.
Gradual Conquest (vv. 29-30): God provides a theological and practical reason for the slow conquest of Canaan. It was not due to God's inability but was designed to prevent the land from being overrun by wild animals and to be a process that required Israel's sustained faith and obedience.
The Snare of Covenants (vv. 32-33): The final warning is against making any political or religious treaty with the inhabitants. Coexistence would inevitably lead to syncretism ("they will make you sin against me"), which is the primary threat to the covenant relationship. This sets the stage for the narrative of Judges and Kings.

Bible references

Deuteronomy 7:2-5: "you shall make no covenant with them... You shall tear down their altars..." (Expanded commands for the conquest)
Joshua 23:12-13: "For if you turn back and cling to the remnant of these nations... they shall be a snare and a trap for you..." (Joshua's farewell warning, echoing this passage)
Judges 2:3: "'So now I say, I will not drive them out before you, but they shall be a thorn in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you.'" (The direct consequence of Israel's disobedience)
2 Corinthians 6:14-15: "Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers... What accord has Christ with Belial?" (NT principle of spiritual separation)

Cross references

Ex 34:12-16 (no covenants); Num 33:55 (they will be barbs in your eyes); Deut 12:2-3 (destroying pagan sites).

Exodus chapter 23 analysis

From Justice to Presence: The chapter demonstrates a clear theological flow. A just society (vv. 1-9) is the necessary foundation for true worship (vv. 10-19). True worship, in turn, is the prerequisite for enjoying God's guiding presence and blessings in the Promised Land (vv. 20-33). Social ethics and spiritual devotion are inseparable.
Motivation by Redemption: The command to care for the "sojourner" because "you were sojourners" (v. 9) is a paradigmatic principle throughout the Torah. Israel’s own experience of oppression and redemption is the moral engine for its legal system.
The Angel as a Central Figure: The Angel of the LORD in verses 20-23 is not a minor detail but the key to the entire plan of conquest. He embodies God's presence and authority, making the journey into Canaan a divine enterprise, not a merely human one. The requirements for obeying him foreshadow the demands of discipleship to Christ.
Counter-Imperial and Counter-Cultural: The laws form a worldview in direct opposition to Egypt and Canaan. Against Pharaoh’s unceasing demand for labor stands the Sabbath. Against the partial justice of the powerful stands God's demand for impartial justice. Against Canaan's polytheistic and debased rituals stand exclusive worship of Yahweh and ethical purity.

Exodus 23 summary

Exodus 23 concludes the Book of the Covenant by laying out laws for social justice (truthfulness, impartiality, enemy-love, care for the poor and alien), regulations for worship through Sabbatical rests and annual feasts, and God's covenant promise to lead Israel into Canaan via a divine Angel. The fulfillment of these promises of blessing, protection, and victory is entirely conditional upon Israel's faithful obedience and exclusive loyalty to Yahweh, especially the complete rejection of Canaanite gods and alliances.

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Exodus chapter 23 kjv

¹ Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.
² Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment:
³ Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause.
⁴ If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.
⁵ 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.
⁶ Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause.
⁷ Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.
⁸ And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.
⁹ Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
¹⁰ And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof:
¹¹ 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.
¹² 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.
¹³ 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.
¹⁴ Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year.
¹⁵ 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:)
¹⁶ And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labors, 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 labors out of the field.
¹⁷ Three items in the year all thy males shall appear before the LORD God.
¹⁸ Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread; neither shall the fat of my sacrifice remain until the morning.
¹⁹ 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.
²⁰ Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.
²¹ Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.
²² 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.
²³ 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.
²⁴ 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.
²⁵ 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.
²⁶ There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil.
²⁷ 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.
²⁸ And I will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee.
²⁹ 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.
³⁰ By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land.
³¹ 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.
³² Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.
³³ 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.

Exodus chapter 23 nkjv

¹ "You shall not circulate a false report. Do not put your hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.
² You shall not follow a crowd to do evil; nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after many to pervert justice.
³ You shall not show partiality to a poor man in his dispute.
⁴ "If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again.
⁵ If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying under its burden, and you would refrain from helping it, you shall surely help him with it.
⁶ "You shall not pervert the judgment of your poor in his dispute.
⁷ Keep yourself far from a false matter; do not kill the innocent and righteous. For I will not justify the wicked.
⁸ And you shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the discerning and perverts the words of the righteous.
⁹ "Also you shall not oppress a stranger, for you know the heart of a stranger, because you were strangers in the land of Egypt.
¹⁰ "Six years you shall sow your land and gather in its produce,
¹¹ but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave, the beasts of the field may eat. In like manner you shall do with your vineyard and your olive grove.
¹² Six days you shall do your work, and on the seventh day you shall rest, that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female servant and the stranger may be refreshed.
¹³ "And in all that I have said to you, be circumspect and make no mention of the name of other gods, nor let it be heard from your mouth.
¹⁴ "Three times you shall keep a feast to Me in the year:
¹⁵ You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread (you shall eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the month of Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt; none shall appear before Me empty);
¹⁶ and the Feast of Harvest, the firstfruits of your labors which you have sown in the field; and the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you have gathered in the fruit of your labors from the field.
¹⁷ "Three times in the year all your males shall appear before the Lord GOD.
¹⁸ "You shall not offer the blood of My sacrifice with leavened bread; nor shall the fat of My sacrifice remain until morning.
¹⁹ The first of the firstfruits of your land you shall bring into the house of the LORD your God. You shall not boil a young goat in its mother's milk.
²⁰ "Behold, I send an Angel before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared.
²¹ Beware of Him and obey His voice; do not provoke Him, for He will not pardon your transgressions; for My name is in Him.
²² But if you indeed obey His voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.
²³ For My Angel will go before you and bring you in to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites and the Hivites and the Jebusites; and I will cut them off.
²⁴ You shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their works; but you shall utterly overthrow them and completely break down their sacred pillars.
²⁵ "So you shall serve the LORD your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you.
²⁶ No one shall suffer miscarriage or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days.
²⁷ "I will send My fear before you, I will cause confusion among all the people to whom you come, and will make all your enemies turn their backs to you.
²⁸ And I will send hornets before you, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite from before you.
²⁹ I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the beasts of the field become too numerous for you.
³⁰ Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased, and you inherit the land.
³¹ And I will set your bounds from the Red Sea to the sea, Philistia, and from the desert to the River. For I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you shall drive them out before you.
³² You shall make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.
³³ They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against Me. For if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you."

Exodus chapter 23 niv

¹ "Do not spread false reports. Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness.
² "Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd,
³ and do not show favoritism to a poor person in a lawsuit.
⁴ "If you come across your enemy's ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to return it.
⁵ If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help them with it.
⁶ "Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits.
⁷ Have nothing to do with a false charge and do not put an innocent or honest person to death, for I will not acquit the guilty.
⁸ "Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the innocent.
⁹ "Do not oppress a foreigner; you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt.
¹⁰ "For six years you are to sow your fields and harvest the crops,
¹¹ but during the seventh year let the land lie unplowed and unused. Then the poor among your people may get food from it, and the wild animals may eat what is left. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.
¹² "Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and so that the slave born in your household and the foreigner living among you may be refreshed.
¹³ "Be careful to do everything I have said to you. Do not invoke the names of other gods; do not let them be heard on your lips.
¹⁴ "Three times a year you are to celebrate a festival to me.
¹⁵ "Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread; for seven days eat bread made without yeast, as I commanded you. Do this at the appointed time in the month of Aviv, for in that month you came out of Egypt. "No one is to appear before me empty-handed.
¹⁶ "Celebrate the Festival of Harvest with the firstfruits of the crops you sow in your field. "Celebrate the Festival of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in your crops from the field.
¹⁷ "Three times a year all the men are to appear before the Sovereign LORD.
¹⁸ "Do not offer the blood of a sacrifice to me along with anything containing yeast. "The fat of my festival offerings must not be kept until morning.
¹⁹ "Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the LORD your God. "Do not cook a young goat in its mother's milk.
²⁰ "See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared.
²¹ Pay attention to him and listen to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive your rebellion, since my Name is in him.
²² If you listen carefully to what he says and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you.
²³ My angel will go ahead of you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites and Jebusites, and I will wipe them out.
²⁴ Do not bow down before their gods or worship them or follow their practices. You must demolish them and break their sacred stones to pieces.
²⁵ Worship the LORD your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you,
²⁶ and none will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will give you a full life span.
²⁷ "I will send my terror ahead of you and throw into confusion every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn their backs and run.
²⁸ I will send the hornet ahead of you to drive the Hivites, Canaanites and Hittites out of your way.
²⁹ But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you.
³⁰ Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land.
³¹ "I will establish your borders from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, and from the desert to the Euphrates River. I will give into your hands the people who live in the land, and you will drive them out before you.
³² Do not make a covenant with them or with their gods.
³³ Do not let them live in your land or they will cause you to sin against me, because the worship of their gods will certainly be a snare to you."

Exodus chapter 23 esv

¹ "You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man to be a malicious witness.
² You shall not fall in with the many to do evil, nor shall you bear witness in a lawsuit, siding with the many, so as to pervert justice,
³ nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his lawsuit.
⁴ "If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him.
⁵ If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it; you shall rescue it with him.
⁶ "You shall not pervert the justice due to your poor in his lawsuit.
⁷ Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent and righteous, for I will not acquit the wicked.
⁸ And you shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of those who are in the right.
⁹ "You shall not oppress a sojourner. You know the heart of a sojourner, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.
¹⁰ "For six years you shall sow your land and gather in its yield,
¹¹ but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave the beasts of the field may eat. You shall do likewise with your vineyard, and with your olive orchard.
¹² "Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; that your ox and your donkey may have rest, and the son of your servant woman, and the alien, may be refreshed.
¹³ "Pay attention to all that I have said to you, and make no mention of the names of other gods, nor let it be heard on your lips.
¹⁴ "Three times in the year you shall keep a feast to me.
¹⁵ You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. As I commanded you, you shall eat unleavened bread for seven days at the appointed time in the month of Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt. None shall appear before me empty-handed.
¹⁶ You shall keep the Feast of Harvest, of the firstfruits of your labor, of what you sow in the field. You shall keep the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in from the field the fruit of your labor.
¹⁷ Three times in the year shall all your males appear before the Lord GOD.
¹⁸ "You shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with anything leavened, or let the fat of my feast remain until the morning.
¹⁹ "The best of the firstfruits of your ground you shall bring into the house of the LORD your God. "You shall not boil a young goat in its mother's milk.
²⁰ "Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared.
²¹ Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him.
²² "But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.
²³ "When my angel goes before you and brings you to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, and I blot them out,
²⁴ you shall not bow down to their gods nor serve them, nor do as they do, but you shall utterly overthrow them and break their pillars in pieces.
²⁵ You shall serve the LORD your God, and he will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from among you.
²⁶ None shall miscarry or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days.
²⁷ I will send my terror before you and will throw into confusion all the people against whom you shall come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you.
²⁸ And I will send hornets before you, which shall drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites from before you.
²⁹ I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the wild beasts multiply against you.
³⁰ Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased and possess the land.
³¹ And I will set your border from the Red Sea to the Sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the Euphrates, for I will give the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you shall drive them out before you.
³² You shall make no covenant with them and their gods.
³³ They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against me; for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you."

Exodus chapter 23 nlt

¹ "You must not pass along false rumors. You must not cooperate with evil people by lying on the witness stand.
² "You must not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you are called to testify in a dispute, do not be swayed by the crowd to twist justice.
³ And do not slant your testimony in favor of a person just because that person is poor.
⁴ "If you come upon your enemy's ox or donkey that has strayed away, take it back to its owner.
⁵ If you see that the donkey of someone who hates you has collapsed under its load, do not walk by. Instead, stop and help.
⁶ "In a lawsuit, you must not deny justice to the poor.
⁷ "Be sure never to charge anyone falsely with evil. Never sentence an innocent or blameless person to death, for I never declare a guilty person to be innocent.
⁸ "Take no bribes, for a bribe makes you ignore something that you clearly see. A bribe makes even a righteous person twist the truth.
⁹ "You must not oppress foreigners. You know what it's like to be a foreigner, for you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.
¹⁰ "Plant and harvest your crops for six years,
¹¹ but let the land be renewed and lie uncultivated during the seventh year. Then let the poor among you harvest whatever grows on its own. Leave the rest for wild animals to eat. The same applies to your vineyards and olive groves.
¹² "You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but on the seventh day you must stop working. This gives your ox and your donkey a chance to rest. It also allows your slaves and the foreigners living among you to be refreshed.
¹³ "Pay close attention to all my instructions. You must not call on the name of any other gods. Do not even speak their names.
¹⁴ "Each year you must celebrate three festivals in my honor.
¹⁵ First, celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread. For seven days the bread you eat must be made without yeast, just as I commanded you. Celebrate this festival annually at the appointed time in early spring, in the month of Abib, for that is the anniversary of your departure from Egypt. No one may appear before me without an offering.
¹⁶ "Second, celebrate the Festival of Harvest, when you bring me the first crops of your harvest. "Finally, celebrate the Festival of the Final Harvest at the end of the harvest season, when you have harvested all the crops from your fields.
¹⁷ At these three times each year, every man in Israel must appear before the Sovereign, the LORD.
¹⁸ "You must not offer the blood of my sacrificial offerings together with any baked goods containing yeast. And do not leave the fat from the festival offerings until the next morning.
¹⁹ "As you harvest your crops, bring the very best of the first harvest to the house of the LORD your God. "You must not cook a young goat in its mother's milk.
²⁰ "See, I am sending an angel before you to protect you on your journey and lead you safely to the place I have prepared for you.
²¹ Pay close attention to him, and obey his instructions. Do not rebel against him, for he is my representative, and he will not forgive your rebellion.
²² But if you are careful to obey him, following all my instructions, then I will be an enemy to your enemies, and I will oppose those who oppose you.
²³ For my angel will go before you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites, so you may live there. And I will destroy them completely.
²⁴ You must not worship the gods of these nations or serve them in any way or imitate their evil practices. Instead, you must utterly destroy them and smash their sacred pillars.
²⁵ "You must serve only the LORD your God. If you do, I will bless you with food and water, and I will protect you from illness.
²⁶ There will be no miscarriages or infertility in your land, and I will give you long, full lives.
²⁷ "I will send my terror ahead of you and create panic among all the people whose lands you invade. I will make all your enemies turn and run.
²⁸ I will send terror ahead of you to drive out the Hivites, Canaanites, and Hittites.
²⁹ But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals would multiply and threaten you.
³⁰ I will drive them out a little at a time until your population has increased enough to take possession of the land.
³¹ And I will fix your boundaries from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, and from the eastern wilderness to the Euphrates River. I will hand over to you the people now living in the land, and you will drive them out ahead of you.
³² "Make no treaties with them or their gods.
³³ They must not live in your land, or they will cause you to sin against me. If you serve their gods, you will be caught in the trap of idolatry."