Exodus 23:1

KJV1611 – Modern English

You shall not spread a false report; do not join hands with the wicked to be a dishonest witness.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

לֹ֥א תִשָּׂ֖א שֵׁ֣מַע שָׁ֑וְא אַל־תָּ֤שֶׁת יָֽדְךָ֙ עִם־רָשָׁ֔ע לִהְיֹ֖ת עֵ֥ד חָמָֽס׃

Transliteration

Not tiśśā šēmaʿ šāwe not-tāšet yādĕkā with-rāšāʿ to-hĕyōt ʿēd ḥāmās

Grammar Details

• *tiśśā*: qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular - lift/carry/take up
• *šēmaʿ*: noun masculine singular construct - report/rumor
• *šāwe*: noun masculine singular - falsehood/emptiness/vanity
• *tāšet*: qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular - put/place/set
• *yādĕkā*: noun feminine singular construct with 2nd person masculine singular suffix - your hand
• *rāšāʿ*: adjective masculine singular - wicked/evil person
• *hĕyōt*: qal infinitive construct - to be/become
• *ʿēd*: noun masculine singular - witness
• *ḥāmās*: noun masculine singular - violence/wrong/injustice

Word Meanings

• *tiśśā*: lift up/carry/raise/bear/take
• *šēmaʿ*: report/rumor/hearsay
• *šāwe*: falsehood/emptiness/worthlessness/vanity
• *tāšet*: put/place/set/join
• *ḥāmās*: violence/wrong/injustice/malicious

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  Do not spread a false report, and do not join hands with a wicked person to be a malicious witness.

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  Thou shalt not take up a false report: put not thy hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  Thou shalt not accepte a vayne tale, nether shalt put thine hande with the wiked to be an vnrightous witnesse:

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Thou shalt not accepte a vayne tale, that thou woldest manteyne the vngodly, and be a false wytnesse.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Thou shalt not receiue a false tale, neyther shalt thou put thine hande with the wicked, to be a false witnes.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Thou shalt not haue to do with any false report, neither shalt thou put thine hand with the wicked, to be an vnrighteous witnesse.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  ¶ Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  "You shall not spread a false report. Don't join your hand with the wicked to be a malicious witness.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  `Thou dost not lift up a vain report; thou dost not put thy hand with a wicked man to be a violent witness.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Thou shalt not take up a false report: put not thy hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Thou shalt not take up a false report: put not thy hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  Do not let a false statement go further; do not make an agreement with evil-doers to be a false witness.

• World English Bible (2000)

  "You shall not spread a false report. Don't join your hand with the wicked to be a malicious witness.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Justice“You must not give a false report. Do not make common cause with the wicked to be a malicious witness.

Referenced Verses

• Ps 101:5 : 5 Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him will I cut off: him that has a haughty look and a proud heart I will not endure.
• Ps 35:11 : 11 False witnesses did rise up; they charged me with things that I knew not.
• Exod 20:16 : 16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
• Prov 19:5 : 5 A false witness shall not go unpunished, and he who speaks lies shall not escape.
• Exod 23:7 : 7 Keep far from a false matter, and do not kill the innocent and righteous, for I will not acquit the wicked.
• Lev 19:11 : 11 You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another.
• Lev 19:16 : 16 You shall not go around as a talebearer among your people; nor shall you stand against the life of your neighbor: I am the LORD.
• Deut 5:20 : 20 Neither shall you bear false witness against your neighbor.
• Deut 19:16-21 : 16 If a false witness rises against any man to testify against him of wrongdoing; 17 Then both men in the controversy shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges who serve in that time; 18 And the judges shall make careful inquiry, and indeed, if the witness is a false witness who has testified falsely against his brother; 19 Then you shall do to him as he thought to have done to his brother; so you shall put away the evil from among you. 20 And those who remain shall hear and fear, and shall no longer commit any such evil among you. 21 Your eye shall not pity; but life shall be for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
• Matt 26:59-61 : 59 Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false testimony against Jesus, to put him to death; 60 But found none: yes, though many false witnesses came, yet they found none. At last came two false witnesses, 61 And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.
• Matt 28:14-15 : 14 And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will persuade him and keep you secure. 15 So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.
• Luke 3:14 : 14 And the soldiers likewise asked of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said to them, Do violence to no man, nor accuse anyone falsely; and be content with your wages.
• Luke 19:8 : 8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, Behold, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore it fourfold.
• Acts 6:11-13 : 11 They secretly instigated men who said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God. 12 They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes, and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council. 13 They set up false witnesses who said, This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law.
• Rom 3:8 : 8 And why not say, (as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say,) 'Let us do evil that good may come'? Their condemnation is just.
• Eph 4:25 : 25 Therefore, putting away lying, let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.
• 2 Tim 3:3 : 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those who are good,
• 1 Pet 3:16 : 16 Having a good conscience, so that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.
• Rev 12:10 : 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night."
• Ps 120:3 : 3 What shall be given to you? Or what shall be done to you, you false tongue?
• Prov 6:19 : 19 A false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.
• Prov 10:18 : 18 He who hides hatred with lying lips, and he who utters slander, is a fool.
• Prov 12:17 : 17 He who speaks truth declares righteousness, but a false witness deceit.
• Prov 17:4 : 4 A wicked doer listens to false lips, and a liar gives ear to a deceitful tongue.
• 2 Sam 16:3 : 3 And the king said, And where is your master's son? And Ziba said to the king, Behold, he remains at Jerusalem: for he said, Today shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.
• 2 Sam 19:27 : 27 And he has slandered your servant to my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God; do therefore what is good in your eyes.
• 1 Kgs 21:10-13 : 10 And set two men, worthless fellows, before him to bear witness against him, saying, You blasphemed God and the king. And then carry him out and stone him, that he may die. 11 And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who were the inhabitants of his city, did as Jezebel had sent to them, and as it was written in the letters she had sent to them. 12 They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people. 13 And two men, worthless fellows, came in and sat before him; and the men bore witness against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth blasphemed God and the king. Then they carried him out of the city and stoned him with stones, so that he died.
• Ps 15:3 : 3 He who does not slander with his tongue, nor do evil to his neighbor, nor take up a reproach against his neighbor.
• Ps 27:12 : 12 Do not deliver me to the will of my enemies; for false witnesses have risen against me, and such as breathe out violence.
• Prov 19:9 : 9 A false witness shall not go unpunished, and he who speaks lies shall perish.
• Prov 19:28 : 28 An ungodly witness scorns judgment, and the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.
• Prov 21:28 : 28 A false witness shall perish, but the man who hears will speak consistently.
• Prov 24:28 : 28 Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips.
• Prov 25:18 : 18 A man who bears false witness against his neighbor is like a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow.
• Prov 25:23 : 23 The north wind brings forth rain, and a backbiting tongue, an angry countenance.
• Jer 20:10 : 10 For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side. Report, they say, and we will report it. All my familiar friends watched for my faltering, saying, Perhaps he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him.
• Matt 19:18 : 18 He said to him, Which ones? Jesus said, You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness,