Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Leviticus 19:15
Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty: [but] in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbor.
15. Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgement ] Cp. Lev 19:35.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
15, 16. Against unrighteousness in judgement, and slander. Cp. Exo 23:1-3; Exo 23:6-7; Deu 1:17; Deu 16:19; Deu 27:19; Psa 82:2; Pro 24:23.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Lev 19:15
In righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.
On judging our neighbour in righteousness
To judge our neighbour in righteousness, it is our duty to consider those motives which may corrupt our judgment. When we set ourselves to reflect how far we have cultivated this species of justice, we deceive ourselves by quoting the examples of those who have become dear to us from particular circumstances; by citing the judgments we have made of friends, of kindred, of men who have embarked with us in common designs, and been actuated by the same principles. Doubtless, we are just enough in all these instances; here we feel real sorrow at the faults of others, and do all, and even more than the most righteous judges ought to do; but if we really, and faithfully, wish to fulfil this great duty, we are to examine how far we have righteously judged those to whom we never have been connected in friendship; those whom chance has separated from us by rank, and wealth; nature by talents; education by opinions; those who have been opposed to us in questions which try the passions; those from whom we have suffered disrespect, injury, and contempt. If, in the awful moments of self-judgment, we can satisfy ourselves that we never wished that calumny to be true which accorded with our warmest passions; that we have never been disappointed by that innocence which baffled our resentment, that the infirmities of our nature have rarely stifled this tenderness for the good fame of others; then, and not till then, are we entitled to conceive that we have obeyed this precept of the Scriptures, and judged our fellow creatures in righteousness. (S. Smith, M. A.)
Just judgment to be administered
There must be in us no affectation of kindness to the poor, any more than fawning flattery of the great. Especially in matters of judgment the judge must be impartial. The eye of God is on him; and as He is a just God, and without iniquity, He delights to see His own attributes shadowed forth in the strict integrity of an earthly judge. If these are Gods holy principles, ah! then the misery and oppression and suffering of the lower classes will in no way serve as a reason for their acquittal at His bar, if they be found guilty. Suffering in this world is no blotting out of sin. Hence, we find at Christs appearing the great men and the mighty men, and every bondman, cried to the rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne (Rev 7:15). (A. A. Bonar.)
Righteous judgment
The power of the court of Areopagus at Athens was very great; and it is said to have been the first court that ever determined upon questions of life and death. It was customary to bold its sittings in the night only, and without light. The reason of this singular practice is said to have been, that the members might not be prejudiced for or against any accused person, by seeing his gestures and looks. Truth only was regarded, and no attempt to warp the opinion of the judges was permitted. (Univ. Hist.)
Impartiality in judgment
The Grecians placed justice betwixt Leo and Libra, thereby signifying that there must not be only courage in executing, but also indifferency in determining. The Egyptians express the same by the hieroglyphical figure of man without hands, winking with his eyes; whereby is meant an uncorrupt judge, who hath no hands to receive bribes, no eyes to behold the person of the poor, or respect the person of the rich. And before our tribunals, we commonly have the picture of a man holding a balance in one hand, and a sword in the other, signfying by the balance, just judgment; by the sword, execution of judgment. For as the balance putteth no difference between gold and lead, but giveth an equal or unequal poise to them both, not giving a greater weight to the gold for the excellency of the metal because it is gold, nor a less to the lead for the baseness of it because it is lead: so they were with an even hand to weigh the poor mans cause as well as the rich. But it is most notably set out by the throne of the house of David (Psa 122:5), which was placed in the gate of the city toward the sun rising; in the gate, to signify that all which came in and out by the gate of the city might indifferently be heard, the poor as well as the rich, and might have free access and regress to and from the judgment-seat; and toward the rising of the sun, in token that their judgment should be as clear from corruption as the sun is clear in his chiefest brightness. (J. Spencer.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, so as through pity to him to give an unrighteous sentence. Compare Deu 1:17; 10:17; Pro 24:23.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment,…. This is said with respect to judges and witnesses, as Aben Ezra notes; that the one should not bear false witness in a court of judicature to the perversion of justice, and the other should not pronounce an unrighteous sentence, justifying the wicked and condemning the righteous:
thou shalt not respect the person of the poor; that is, in judgment, or in a court of judicature, when a cause of his is brought before it; though privately his person may be respected, and he relieved in his distress as a poor man; but in a court of justice his person and character as a poor man are not to be regarded; the cause is not to be given either for him or against him on that account, without regard to the justice and equity of it; he may be pitied in other respects but in a cause between him and another, even a rich man, not pity, but justice, must take place, [See comments on Ex 23:3]:
nor honour the person of the mighty; not fear to put him to shame and blushing, by giving the cause against him, if he is in the wrong; his riches, his grandeur, his honour, must not came into any account, or have any weight or influence on the court to pervert justice: the Jewish writers, particularly Maimonides z suggest that there was to be no difference between a rich man and a poor man while their cause was trying; that they were to be clothed either both in a rich habit, or both in a mean one; and that their posture was to be alike, whether sitting or standing; as well as that no favour should be shown to one more than to another; as that one might have liberty to speak as much and as long as he pleased, and the other bid to be short; or the one be spoken tenderly to, and the other harshly:
[but] in righteousness shall thou judge thy neighbour; be he rich or poor, doing justice to both, and showing no partiality to either; see
Pr 18:5.
z Hilchot Sanhedrin, c. 21. sect. 1, 2, 3.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(15) Do no unrighteousness in judgment.That is, the judges are not to abuse the authority vested in them by virtue of their office, by administering what ought to be justice in an arbitrary manner.
Thou shalt not respect the person of the poor.The general statement in the preceding clause is here more minutely defined. The consideration for the infirm enjoined in Lev. 19:14 is not to influence the decision of the judge, who is to administer justice, even if the poor is thereby reduced to greater poverty, and though the rich party to the suit may benevolently desire a verdict against himself to save the needy (Exo. 23:3). The authorities during the second Temple illustrate it as follows:If the rich man should say I am by law obliged to provide for the poor, I will therefore let him win the suit, and he will thus have his wants supplied without being subjected to the humiliation of receiving alms; for this reason it is said thou shalt not respect the person of the poor.
Nor honour the person of the mighty.Jewish juries, in their extreme desire to be impartial, have gone so far as to urge, that whilst the case between a rich man and a poor is being tried, they should both be dressed alike, both alike should either stand or sit, both should have the same right of speech, and both should be addressed by the judge in the same courteous manner. If ye have respect to persons, says the Apostle, in allusion to this passage, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors (Jas. 2:9, with Lev. 19:2-4).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
15. Not respect the person of the poor From no unmanly and unjust pity shall the poor man go unwhipped of justice. To “respect the person” is to give sentence not in view of proved guilt, but in view of other considerations. The person of the mighty is honoured in the court of justice, when the verdict is so influenced by the rank, power, or the money of the accused, as to secure impunity. The scales of justice should be held evenly between all classes of men.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Lev 19:15. Thou shalt not respect the person of the poor See Exo 23:6.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Lev 19:15 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.
Ver. 15. Thou shalt not respect. ] Spare not the great for their might, nor the mean for their misery. Causes must be heard, and not persons.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Lev 19:35, Exo 18:21, Exo 23:2, Exo 23:2, Exo 23:3, Exo 23:7, Exo 23:8, Deu 1:17, Deu 16:19, Deu 25:13-16, Deu 27:19, 2Ch 19:6, 2Ch 19:7, Psa 82:2, Pro 18:5, Pro 24:23, Jam 2:6-9
Reciprocal: Deu 1:16 – Hear 1Sa 2:29 – and honourest 1Ki 21:11 – did as Jezebel Neh 5:7 – I rebuked Job 32:21 – accept Pro 31:9 – General Jer 22:3 – Execute Eze 18:7 – hath not Eze 18:8 – hath executed Zec 7:9 – saying 1Co 6:9 – unrighteous Col 3:25 – and 1Ti 5:21 – without preferring Jam 2:1 – with Jam 2:9 – if
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Lev 19:15. The poor So as, through pity to him, to give an unrighteous sentence.