The wicked accepts a bribe in secret to pervert the ways of justice.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Proverbs 17:23
What does Proverbs 17:23 mean?
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Proverbs 17:23
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The phrase "out of the bosom" highlights the stealth and secrecy behind accepting a bribe. It wasn't just hidden; it was slipped from one garment's fold to another, emphasizing how deeply corruption can be concealed within the very fabric of justice. This reveals that perverting judgment isn't always a loud, public act, but often a quiet, clandestine transaction.
The wicked accepts a bribe in secret to pervert the ways of justice.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse appears in a section of Proverbs where wisdom is contrasted with folly and wickedness, focusing on the importance of righteous conduct in daily life, especially in leadership and legal matters. It follows verses about the importance of controlling one's tongue and the value of wisdom over earthly treasures. Immediately after this, Proverbs 17:24 shifts to how the wise person focuses on wisdom, while the fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth, reinforcing the contrast between intentional, righteous living and careless folly.
Why does the verse focus on how the bribe is taken? This isn't just about corruption; it's about its sneaky, hidden nature.
The phrase 'out of the bosom' paints a vivid picture of how corruption operates.
Hidden Transactions
Ancient clothing often had folds or pockets in the garment itself, close to the body, where valuables could be concealed. This imagery emphasizes that bribery isn't an open transaction but a secret exchange.
Intentional Secrecy
The fact that the bribe is taken 'out of the bosom' highlights the deliberate effort to hide the deed. It suggests that both the giver and the receiver know this action is wrong and want to avoid being seen or caught. This secrecy is essential to the act of perverting justice; if it were open, it would be immediately condemned.
Who exactly is involved in this shady deal? The verse points to individuals who have a role in justice, but choose darkness.
This proverb directly addresses those who are meant to uphold fairness but succumb to temptation.
Those Who Judge
When a judge takes a bribe, they are fundamentally betraying their sacred duty. Instead of weighing evidence and applying law, their decisions are skewed by personal gain, turning justice on its head.
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Those Who Testify
It's not just judges. Witnesses, too, can be bribed to lie or withhold truth. Their testimony is meant to illuminate facts, but a bribe turns their words into tools of deception, leading the court astray.
The Goal: Perversion
Whether judge or witness, the ultimate aim is to 'pervert the ways of justice.' This means twisting, corrupting, or completely overturning the path that righteousness and truth should follow.
Understand the original words
rasha · Hebrew Noun
A person characterized by rebellion against God’s law, habitually engaging in actions that are morally corrupt and opposed to divine righteousness.
shochad · Hebrew Noun
A corrupt payment offered to influence a person in authority to bypass ethical standards or fairness, strictly forbidden in biblical law as it blinds the eyes of the wise.
mishpat · Hebrew Noun
The standard of fairness, righteousness, and equity that aligns with God’s character; "perverting" it is a direct violation of God’s command to judge impartially.
This passage echoes Proverbs by stating that a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and distorts the words of the righteous, directly linking bribery to the perversion of justice.
Deuteronomy 16:19Here, the command is explicit: 'You shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of the righteous,' directly reinforcing the warning against corrupting judgment with secret gifts.
Proverbs 21:14This verse is a very close parallel, stating, 'A gift given in secret averts anger, and a bribe in the hand, a vigorous assault,' highlighting the stealth and manipulative power of bribery in perverting justice.
Isaiah 5:20Isaiah condemns those who call evil good and good evil, and who justify the wicked for a bribe, showing how accepting hidden gifts corrupts fundamental moral and legal distinctions.
Micah 7:3Micah laments the corruption of his time where rulers and judges accept bribes and twist justice, painting a vivid picture of the societal decay caused by secret gifts undermining fairness.
barnesProverbs 17:23: "A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment."
The words "out of the bosom," from the fold of the garment, rather than from the bag or girdle in which money was usually carried, possibly point to the stealthiness with which the "gift" (or, bribe) is offered to the judge.
bensonProverbs 17:23: "A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment."
Proverbs 17:23 . A wicked man — Whether judge or witness; taketh a gift out of the bosom — In secret, as this phrase is expounded Proverbs 21:14 , being privily conveyed from the bosom of the giver into his own bosom; to pervert the ways of judgment — To give or procure an unjust sentence. Bishop Patrick’s paraphrase of the verse is, “No man would willingly be known to be so wicked as to be bribed to…
The phrase "out of the bosom" highlights the stealth and secrecy behind accepting a bribe. It wasn't just hidden; it was slipped from one garment's fold to another, emphasizing how deeply corruption can be concealed within the very fabric of justice. This reveals that perverting judgment isn't always a loud, public act, but often a quiet, clandestine transaction.
This verse appears in a section of Proverbs where wisdom is contrasted with folly and wickedness, focusing on the importance of righteous conduct in daily life, especially in leadership and legal matters. It follows verses about the importance of controlling one's tongue and the value of wisdom over earthly treasures. Immediately after this, Proverbs 17:24 shifts to how the wise person focuses on wisdom, while the fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth, reinforcing the contrast between intentional, righteous living and careless folly.
This verse appears in a section of Proverbs where wisdom is contrasted with folly and wickedness, focusing on the importance of righteous conduct in daily life, especially in leadership and legal matters. It follows verses about the importance of controlling one's tongue and the value of wisdom over earthly treasures. Immediately after this, Proverbs 17:24 shifts to how the wise person focuses on wisdom, while the fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth, reinforcing the contrast between intentional, righteous living and careless folly.
"The wicked accepts a bribe in secret to pervert the ways of justice." — The phrase "out of the bosom" highlights the stealth and secrecy behind accepting a bribe. It wasn't just hidden; it was slipped from one garment's fold to another, emphasizing how deeply corruption…
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Last reviewed October 2026