You shall notלֹאshow partialityתַכִּירוּ פָנִיםin judgment;בַּמִּשְׁפָּטyou shall hearתִּשְׁמָעוּןthe smallכַּקָּטֹןand the great alike.כַּגָּדֹלYou shall notלֹאbe afraidתָגוּרוּofמִפְּנֵיanyone,אִישׁforכִּיthe judgmentהַמִּשְׁפָּטisהוּאElohim’s.לֵאלֹהִיםAnd the caseוְהַדָּבָרthatאֲשֶׁרis too hardיִקְשֶׁהfor youמִכֶּםyou shall bringתַּקְרִבוּןto me,אֵלַיand I will hear it.”וּשְׁמַעְתִּיו
Deuteronomy 1:17
Study it in the app“You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not be afraid of anyone, for the judgment is Elohim’s. And the case that is too hard for you you shall bring to me, and I will hear it.””
With the Hebrew beneath
Deuteronomy 1:17, word by word
- show partialityתַכִּירוּtakiru
recognize
To realize who someone is, or notice them.
Where else “takiru” appears- show partialityפָנִיםfanim
face
The front of the head, of someone or of God.
Where else “fanim” appears- in judgmentמִּשְׁפָּטmishpat
judgment
The decision a judge gives on a case.
Where else “mishpat” appears- you shall hearתִּשְׁמָעוּtishmau
hear
To hear a sound, or learn of something.
Where else “tishmau” appears- the smallקָּטֹןkaton
small
What is small in size or counts for little.
Where else “katon” appears- and the great alikeגָּדֹלgadol
great
Of great size, amount or importance: a river, a city, a king.
Where else “gadol” appears- be afraidתָגוּרוּtaguru
dread
Another word spelled the same: to dread.
Where else “taguru” appears- anyoneאִישׁish
each
Literally "a man": any person; with "not", not a single person.
Where else “ish” appears- Elohim’sאלֹהִיםlohim
Elohim
The one true God, the Creator; the word is plural but means one.
Where else “lohim” appears- And the caseדָּבָרdavar
thing
A matter, a thing; with "not", nothing.
Where else “davar” appears- is too hardיִקְשֶׁהyikshe
be hard
To be heavy to bear, or severe.
Where else “yikshe” appears- you shall bringתַּקְרִבוּtakrivu
bring near
To bring something, or offer a gift to YHWH.
Where else “takrivu” appears
Translation note
“You shall not show partiality” is, word for word, “you shall not recognize faces”: the judge must not look at who is standing in front of him.
The context
16I commanded your judges at that time, saying, “Hear cases between your brothers, and judge righteously between a man and his brother or his resident alien.
17 · This verse (above)
18And I commanded you at that time all the things that you should do.