Exodus 22:23
in Exodus 22If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to Me in distress, I will surely hear their cry.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
If thou afflict them at all, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry;
KJV
If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry;
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This verse in Exodus 22
Commentary
3 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
Ye shall not afflict any widow
on Exodus 22:22-24
No judge is named here and no restitution is set, because God says he will hear the cry himself. The words are the words of Exodus 2:23-25 and 3:7, where the cry of Israel came up unto God and he said I have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters, so the nation delivered by a heard cry is told the same ear is now turned toward the weakest people among it. Adam Clarke observed that God reserves the punishment to himself, and the sentence is measured back exactly, that your wives shall be widows and your children fatherless.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
If thou afflict them in any wise,.....
Note, It is a great comfort to those who are injured and oppressed by men that they have a God to go to who will do more than give them the hearing; and it ought to be a terror to those who are oppressive that they have the cry of the poor against them, which God will hear.
The words behind it
12 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אִם־ | ʾim- | <if> | H518 → | 1069 times |
| עַנֵּ֥ה | ʾaneh | certainly [if] <to afflict> | H6031 → | 82 times |
| תְעַנֶּ֖ה | teaneh | you will afflict | H6031 → | 82 times |
| אֹת֑וֹ | ʾoto | <obj.> him | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אִם־ | ʾim- | except | H518 → | 1069 times |
| צָעֹ֤ק | tzaok | carefully <to cry out> | H6817 → | 55 times |
| יִצְעַק֙ | yitzak | he will cry out | H6817 → | 55 times |
| אֵלַ֔י | ʾelai | to me | H413 → | 5510 times |
| שָׁמֹ֥עַ | shamoa' | certainly <to hear> | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| אֶשְׁמַ֖ע | ʾeshma' | I will hear | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| צַעֲקָתֽוֹ׃ | tzaakato | cry of distress his | H6818 → | 21 times |
אִם־<if>
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
עַנֵּ֥הcertainly [if] <to afflict>
ʾanehH6031 →82 times
תְעַנֶּ֖הyou will afflict
teanehH6031 →82 times
אֹת֑וֹ<obj.> him
ʾotoH853 →10935 times
כִּ֣יthat
kiH3588 →4482 times
אִם־except
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
צָעֹ֤קcarefully <to cry out>
tzaokH6817 →55 times
יִצְעַק֙he will cry out
yitzakH6817 →55 times
אֵלַ֔יto me
ʾelaiH413 →5510 times
שָׁמֹ֥עַcertainly <to hear>
shamoa'H8085 →1159 times
אֶשְׁמַ֖עI will hear
ʾeshma'H8085 →1159 times
צַעֲקָתֽוֹ׃cry of distress his
tzaakatoH6818 →21 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 18:6In my distress I called upon the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From His temple He heard my voice, and my cry for His help reached His ears.
it leads to
- Psalms 50:15
Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.”
- 2 Samuel 22:7
In my distress I called upon the LORD; I cried out to my God. And from His temple He heard my voice, and my cry for help reached His ears.
- Psalms 34:15
The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their cry.
- Psalms 50:15
Through
Luke 18:7Will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry out to Him day and night? Will He continue to defer their help?
it leads to
- 2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.
- Hebrews 10:35–37
So do not throw away your confidence; it holds a great reward.
- 1 Timothy 5:5
The widow who is truly in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day in her petitions and prayers.
- Luke 11:13
So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
- Jeremiah 20:11–13
But the LORD is with me like a fearsome warrior. Therefore, my persecutors will stumble and will not prevail. Since they have not succeeded, they will be utterly put to shame, with an everlasting…
- 2 Peter 3:9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
On this verse
About Exodus
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.