You
shall not follow a crowd to do evil. You shall not testify in court to side with a multitude to pervert justice.
Exodus 23:2
Exodus 23 [1.] “You shall not spread a false report. Don’t join your hand with the wicked to be a malicious witness.
Exodus 23 [2.] “You shall not follow a crowd to do evil. You shall not testify in court to side with a multitude to pervert justice. You shall not favor a poor man in his cause.
Exodus 23 [4.] “If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again. If you see the donkey of him who hates you fallen down under his burden, don’t leave him, you shall surely help him with it.
Meaning:
After the Ten Commandments, God gave Israel laws for daily life at Mount Sinai, often called the Book of the Covenant. Exodus 23 begins with rules for justice in court. Israel’s courts met at the town gate, where elders heard cases and ordinary people gave evidence. These verses protect the truth in that setting.
- “You shall not follow a crowd to do evil.”
The first command is broad. Evil does not become right because many people are doing it. A crowd can give a feeling of safety and even of righteousness, but God holds each person responsible for his own actions. Wisdom gives the same warning to the young: “My son, if sinners entice you, don’t consent” (Proverbs 1:10).
Israel’s history shows how hard this is. King Saul disobeyed God’s command and confessed, “I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of Yahweh, and your words, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice” (1 Samuel 15:24). Fear of the crowd led a king into sin.
- “You shall not testify in court to side with a multitude to pervert justice.”
The second command applies the first to the courtroom. A witness or judge must not twist the truth because the majority wants a certain verdict. The verses around it make the same point: no false report, no malicious witness, and, in the next verse, no favouring even a poor man in his cause. Justice must follow the facts, not the pressure of numbers or sympathy. Leviticus puts it this way: “You shall not be partial to the poor, nor show favoritism to the great; but you shall judge your neighbor in righteousness” (Leviticus 19:15).
- The crowd at the trial of Jesus
This law was broken at the trial of Jesus. The chief priests and elders, who knew the law, “persuaded the multitudes to ask for Barabbas, and destroy Jesus” (Matthew 27:20-21). Pilate, who had the power to release an innocent man, gave in: “Pilate, wishing to please the multitude, released Barabbas to them” (Mark 15:15). Leaders and crowd together sided with a multitude to pervert justice.
The Significance of Exodus 23:2
- Courage to stand alone
Every generation faces pressure to go along with what most people think or do. Paul writes, “Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). Faithfulness sometimes means standing apart, gently but firmly.
- Fairness when opinion runs high
Crowds today gather not only in streets and courtrooms but also online, where accusations spread quickly and judgments are made before the facts are known. This law calls believers to slow down, to refuse to repeat a false report, and to judge by the truth. Fairness to the accused, whether popular or unpopular, is part of loving our neighbour and honouring the God of justice.
Cross-References:
Leviticus 19:15: "You shall do no injustice in judgment." Fair judgment for all.
Mark 15:15: "Pilate, wishing to please the multitude, released Barabbas to them," A ruler who followed the crowd.
Romans 12:2: "Don’t be conformed to this world," Living by God’s will rather than the crowd’s.
Conclusion: Exodus 23:2 forbids following a crowd to do evil and siding with a multitude to pervert justice. Truth and right do not depend on numbers. The law was broken when Jesus was condemned at the urging of a crowd, and it still calls God’s people to stand for justice even when they stand alone.
PIB Scriptures are derived from the World English Bible