If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry,
English Standard Version (ESV)
God emphasizes His attention by using repeated phrases like "afflict them" and "cry." This isn't just a gentle suggestion; it's a profound declaration that even a small cry from the vulnerable will be powerfully heard by Him, leaving no injustice unaddressed.
If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry,
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse appears within a series of laws detailing how Israelites should treat vulnerable members of their society, specifically widows and orphans who were often defenseless. God lays down strict commands against mistreating them, emphasizing that if such people cry out to Him in their distress, He will absolutely hear their pleas and intervene. This promise serves as a powerful warning to oppressors and a source of comfort to the vulnerable.
When God says 'afflict,' what does that really include? It's more than just physical harm.
This verse speaks to God's deep concern for the vulnerable, particularly the vulnerable within the Israelite community, like widows and orphans. The Hebrew word for 'afflict' here paints a picture of causing distress or hardship. It’s not limited to overt physical abuse.
More Than Just Pain:
Imagine crying out and knowing you'll be heard. God's promise here is incredibly powerful.
The phrasing in this verse, 'I will surely hear their cry,' is emphatic in the original Hebrew. It's not a maybe, it's a definite. God isn't distant or indifferent to the suffering of those who are wronged.
A Divine Guarantee:
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Understand the original words
ṣəʿāqâ · Hebrew Noun
A loud, often desperate appeal for help, justice, or relief. In the context of the oppressed, it is a cry that reaches the ears of God, who acts as the ultimate Avenger.
This New Testament passage directly echoes the sentiment of Exodus 22:23, highlighting God's sensitivity to the cries of exploited workers, showing this concern spans the entire biblical narrative.
Deuteronomy 15:9This passage from Deuteronomy warns against withholding help from the needy, directly correlating with the 'affliction' mentioned in Exodus and reinforcing God's attention to the vulnerable.
Psalm 18:6The psalmist expresses profound confidence that 'in my distress I called to the Lord; from his holy temple he heard my voice.' This mirrors the core promise in Exodus that God hears the cries of those in distress.
Luke 18:7-8Jesus tells the parable of the persistent widow, emphasizing that God will 'surely give justice to them quickly.' This illustrates the principle that God is attentive and responsive to the persistent pleas of the oppressed, just as promised in Exodus.
gillExodus 22:23: "If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry;"
If thou afflict them in any wise,..... In any way, or by any means whatever; their minds, by reproaches, censures, insults, and their bodies by stripes, false imprisonment, &c. and in their substance, by withholding from them what belongs to them, taking what they have, or cheating and defrauding them in any respect; or, "in afflicting afflict them" (e); afflict them much, and continue t…
pooleExodus 22:23: "If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry;"
No text from Poole on this verse.
God emphasizes His attention by using repeated phrases like "afflict them" and "cry." This isn't just a gentle suggestion; it's a profound declaration that even a small cry from the vulnerable will be powerfully heard by Him, leaving no injustice unaddressed.
This verse appears within a series of laws detailing how Israelites should treat vulnerable members of their society, specifically widows and orphans who were often defenseless. God lays down strict commands against mistreating them, emphasizing that if such people cry out to Him in their distress, He will absolutely hear their pleas and intervene. This promise serves as a powerful warning to oppressors and a source of comfort to the vulnerable.
This verse appears within a series of laws detailing how Israelites should treat vulnerable members of their society, specifically widows and orphans who were often defenseless. God lays down strict commands against mistreating them, emphasizing that if such people cry out to Him in their distress, He will absolutely hear their pleas and intervene. This promise serves as a powerful warning to oppressors and a source of comfort to the vulnerable.
"If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry," — God emphasizes His attention by using repeated phrases like "afflict them" and "cry." This isn't just a gentle suggestion; it's a profound declaration that even a small cry from the vulnerable will b…
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Last reviewed October 2026