“And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.”
Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the innocent. The prohibition on bribery is grounded in its observable effect: it blinds and distorts. The judge who accepts a bribe is not merely corrupt but impaired — their capacity to see clearly has been compromised by the payment. Deuteronomy 16:19 repeats this with the same language: do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the innocent. 1 Samuel 8:3 records Samuel's sons accepting bribes and perverting justice — the warning of Exodus 23:8 is fulfilled in the corruption of Israel's judges. The bribe is not only a legal problem but a perceptual one: it distorts the sight of those who receive it.
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