Verse 1
If there is an argument between men and they go to law with one another, let the judges give their decision for the upright, and against the wrongdoer.
Referenced Verses
- Prov 17:15 : 15 He who gives a decision for the evil-doer and he who gives a decision against the upright, are equally disgusting to the Lord.
- Deut 17:8-9 : 8 If you are not able to give a decision as to who is responsible for a death, or who is right in a cause, or who gave the first blow in a fight, and there is a division of opinion about it in your town: then go to the place marked out by the Lord your God; 9 And come before the priests, the Levites, or before him who is judge at the time: and they will go into the question and give you a decision:
- Deut 19:17-19 : 17 Then the two men, between whom the argument has taken place, are to come before the Lord, before the priests and judges who are then in power; 18 And the judges will have the question looked into with care: and if the witness is seen to be false and to have made a false statement against his brother, 19 Then do to him what it was his purpose to do to his brother: and so put away the evil from among you.
- 2 Sam 23:3 : 3 The God of Israel said, the word of the Rock of Israel came to me: When an upright king is ruling over men, when he is ruling in the fear of God,
- 2 Chr 19:6-9 : 6 And said to the judges, Take care what you do, for you are judging not for man but for the Lord, and he is with you in the decisions you give. 7 So now let the fear of the Lord be in you; do your work with care; for in the Lord our God there is no evil, or respect for high position, or taking of payment to do wrong. 8 Then in Jerusalem he gave authority to certain of the Levites and the priests and the heads of families of Israel to give decisions for the Lord, and in the causes of those living in Jerusalem. 9 And he gave them their orders, saying, You are to do your work in the fear of the Lord, in good faith and with a true heart. 10 And if any cause comes before you from your brothers living in their towns, where the death punishment is in question, or where there are questions of law or order, or rules or decisions, make them take care that they are not in the wrong before the Lord, so that wrath may not come on you and on your brothers; do this and you yourselves will not be in the wrong.
- Job 29:7-9 : 7 When I went out of my door to go up to the town, and took my seat in the public place, 8 The young men saw me, and went away, and the old men got up from their seats; 9 The rulers kept quiet, and put their hands on their mouths; 10 The chiefs kept back their words, and their tongues were joined to the roofs of their mouths. 11 For when it came to their ears, men said that I was truly happy; and when their eyes saw, they gave witness to me; 12 For I was a saviour to the poor when he was crying for help, to the child with no father, and to him who had no supporter. 13 The blessing of him who was near to destruction came on me, and I put a song of joy into the widow's heart. 14 I put on righteousness as my clothing, and was full of it; right decisions were to me a robe and a head-dress. 15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet to him who had no power of walking. 16 I was a father to the poor, searching out the cause of him who was strange to me. 17 By me the great teeth of the evil-doer were broken, and I made him give up what he had violently taken away.
- Ps 58:1-2 : 1 <To the chief music-maker; put to Al-tashheth. Michtam. Of David.> Is there righteousness in your mouths, O you gods? are you upright judges, O you sons of men? 2 The purposes of your hearts are evil; your hands are full of cruel doings on the earth.
- Ps 82:2-4 : 2 How long will you go on judging falsely, having respect for the persons of evil-doers? (Selah.) 3 Give ear to the cause of the poor and the children without fathers; let those who are troubled and in need have their rights. 4 Be the saviour of the poor and those who have nothing: take them out of the hand of the evil-doers.
- Exod 23:6-7 : 6 Let no wrong decisions be given in the poor man's cause. 7 Keep yourselves far from any false business; never let the upright or him who has done no wrong be put to death: for I will make the evil-doer responsible for his sin.
- Deut 1:16-17 : 16 And at that time I gave orders to your judges, saying, Let all questions between your brothers come before you for hearing, and give decisions uprightly between a man and his brother or one from another nation who is with him. 17 In judging, do not let a man's position have any weight with you; give hearing equally to small and great; have no fear of any man, for it is God who is judge: and any cause in which you are not able to give a decision, you are to put before me and I will give it a hearing.
- Deut 16:18-20 : 18 You are to make judges and overseers in all your towns which the Lord your God gives you, for every tribe: and they are to be upright men, judging the people in righteousness. 19 You are not to be moved in your judging by a man's position, you are not to take rewards; for rewards make the eyes of the wise man blind, and the decisions of the upright false. 20 Let righteousness be your guide, so that you may have life, and take for your heritage the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
- Prov 31:8-9 : 8 Let your mouth be open for those who have no voice, in the cause of those who are ready for death. 9 Let your mouth be open, judging rightly, and give right decisions in the cause of the poor and those in need.
- Isa 1:17 : 17 Take pleasure in well-doing; let your ways be upright, keep down the cruel, give a right decision for the child who has no father, see to the cause of the widow.
- Isa 1:23 : 23 Your chiefs have gone against the Lord, they have become friends of thieves; every one of them is looking for profit and going after rewards; they do not give right decisions for the child who has no father, and they do not let the cause of the widow come before them.
- Isa 5:23 : 23 Who for a reward give support to the cause of the sinner, and who take away the righteousness of the upright from him.
- Isa 11:4 : 4 But he will do right in the cause of the poor, and give wise decisions for those in the land who are in need; and the rod of his mouth will come down on the cruel, and with the breath of his lips he will put an end to the evil-doer.
- Isa 32:1-2 : 1 See, a king will be ruling in righteousness, and chiefs will give right decisions. 2 And a man will be as a safe place from the wind, and a cover from the storm; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shade of a great rock in a waste land.
- Jer 21:12 : 12 O family of David, this is what the Lord has said: Do what is right in the morning, and make free from the hands of the cruel one him whose goods have been violently taken away, or my wrath will go out like fire, burning so that no one may put it out, because of the evil of your doings.
- Ezek 44:24 : 24 In any cause, they are to be in the position of judges, judging in harmony with my decisions: they are to keep my laws and my rules in all my fixed feasts; and they are to keep my Sabbaths holy.
- Mic 3:1-2 : 1 And I said, Give ear, now, you heads of Jacob and rulers of the people of Israel: is it not for you to have knowledge of what is right? 2 You who are haters of good and lovers of evil, pulling off their skin from them and their flesh from their bones;
- Hab 1:4 : 4 For this reason the law is feeble and decisions are not effected: for the upright man is circled round by evil-doers; because of which right is twisted.
- Hab 1:13 : 13 Before your holy eyes sin may not be seen, and you are unable to put up with wrong; why, then, are your eyes on the false? why do you say nothing when the evil-doer puts an end to one who is more upright than himself?
- Mal 3:18 : 18 Then you will again see how the upright man is different from the sinner, and the servant of God from him who is not.
- Matt 3:10 : 10 And even now the axe is put to the root of the trees; every tree then which does not give good fruit is cut down, and put into the fire.