Deuteronomy 16:19

Thou The whole people are responsible for the impartial discharge of justice: characteristic of D.

shalt not wrest judgement E, Exodus 23:6: the judgement of thy poor in his cause.

thou shalt not respect persons See on Deuteronomy 1:17.

neither shalt thou take a gift, etc.] So E, Exodus 23:8, except that for the eyes of the wiseit has the open-eyedor them that have sight.

a gift Heb. shoḥad, of a presentin order to influence justice, a bribe (Deuteronomy 10:17), a prevalent temptation of judges in the East, where he is regarded as still a just judge who takes gifts only from the party in the right, as it were a fee for his judgement or an inducement to hasten it. Here, however, the acceptance of any gift by a judge is forbidden. In the Code of Ḫammurabi the 5th law, expelling from office the judge who alters his decision, implies that he does this for some unjust reason such as a bribe. On bribery among the settled Arabs see Doughty Ar. Des.i. 607.

words Statements or pleas, equivalent to cause or case.