Guided first edition · Exodus 23:1–33
Central truth
Hear the warnings, promises, and calls to remembrance that prepare God’s people for what follows Exodus.
Read the complete assigned passage before isolating a phrase or answering a question. Identify the speakers, setting, repeated words, problem, response, and the change that occurs by the end of the unit.
Immediate context
Read Exodus 23:1–33 with the paragraphs before and after it. Identify the opening situation, turning point, and outcome.
Exodus context
Remember and remain faithful: Hear the warnings, promises, and calls to remembrance that prepare God’s people for what follows Exodus.
Whole-Bible context
Identify the covenant audience, the reason for the command, and its place in rescue, worship, holiness, justice, and communal life.
King James Version · 33 verses
Scripture text
Read the complete assigned text. The KJV text is presented here so that every observation can be checked against the passage.
Exodus 23
King James Version1Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.
2Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment:
3Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause.
4If thou meet thine enemy’s ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.
5If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him.
6Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause.
7Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.
8And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.
9Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
10And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof:
11But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard.
12Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed.
13And in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth.
14Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year.
15Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:)
16And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.
17Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord GOD .
18Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread; neither shall the fat of my sacrifice remain until the morning.
19The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother’s milk.
20Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.
21Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.
22But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.
23For mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off.
24Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images.
25And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.
26There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil.
27I will send my fear before thee, and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee.
28And I will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee.
29I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee.
30By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land.
31And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river: for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee.
32Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.
33They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee.
Central truth
Hear the warnings, promises, and calls to remembrance that prepare God’s people for what follows Exodus.
Guided close reading
Work through every reading block in order. The prompts identify what to examine without replacing the words of Scripture.
Chapter summary · 23
Exodus 23
Exodus 23 opens in verse 1 with “Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an...”, reaches its middle movement near verse 17 with “Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord GOD .”, and closes in verse 33 with “They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve...”. Repeated or prominent terms include shalt, land, thine, year, bread. Read these details within the lesson focus: Exodus 23:1–33 moves from “Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an...” to “They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou....”.
Exodus 23:1–7
1–7: Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked...
Section summary
Exodus 23:1–7 opens with “Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous...” and reaches “Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not...” by its final verse. That textual movement develops the lesson focus: Exodus 23:1–33 moves from “Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an...” to “They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou....”, with special attention to the recurring or prominent terms shalt, cause, false.
Deep dive
Verse 1 establishes the section with “Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous...”. Near verse 4, the wording reads “If thou meet thine enemy’s ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to...”. The final verse closes this reading block with “Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will...”. The wording should be traced through its subjects, actions, connecting terms, and stated consequences before an interpretation is proposed.
Identify the covenant audience, the stated reason for each command, and how worship, holiness, justice, mercy, and communal responsibility relate to one another. Trace the words shalt, cause, false, help, judgment, poor across the complete block. Connect every claim to the lesson focus, Exodus 23:1–33 moves from “Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an...” to “They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou....”, and label conclusions honestly as explicit statement, Scripture-supported conclusion, strong inference, or interpretation.
Words to trace: shalt, cause, false, help, judgment, poor
Verse-by-verse path
Use these notes to slow down and examine how each verse contributes to the section. Return to the exact wording before drawing a conclusion.
- Exodus 23:1
Textual detail: identify the action, the people affected, and the change this verse introduces.
- Exodus 23:2
Textual detail: identify the action, the people affected, and the change this verse introduces.
- Exodus 23:3
Textual detail: identify the action, the people affected, and the change this verse introduces.
- Exodus 23:4
Textual detail: identify the action, the people affected, and the change this verse introduces.
- Exodus 23:5
Textual detail: identify the action, the people affected, and the change this verse introduces.
- Exodus 23:6
Textual detail: identify the action, the people affected, and the change this verse introduces.
- Exodus 23:7
Textual detail: identify the action, the people affected, and the change this verse introduces.
Exodus 23:8–14
8–14: Thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth...
Section summary
Exodus 23:8–14 opens with “And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the...” and reaches “Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year.” by its final verse. That textual movement develops the lesson focus: Exodus 23:1–33 moves from “Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an...” to “They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou....”, with special attention to the recurring or prominent terms shalt, rest, stranger.
Deep dive
Verse 8 establishes the section with “And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the...”. Near verse 11, the wording reads “But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may...”. The final verse closes this reading block with “Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year.”. The wording also contains 1 verse with a speech marker, 1 stated contrast, giving the reader concrete features to test in context.
Identify the covenant audience, the stated reason for each command, and how worship, holiness, justice, mercy, and communal responsibility relate to one another. Trace the words shalt, rest, stranger, gift, land, seventh across the complete block. Connect every claim to the lesson focus, Exodus 23:1–33 moves from “Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an...” to “They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou....”, and label conclusions honestly as explicit statement, Scripture-supported conclusion, strong inference, or interpretation.
Words to trace: shalt, rest, stranger, gift, land, seventh
Verse-by-verse path
Use these notes to slow down and examine how each verse contributes to the section. Return to the exact wording before drawing a conclusion.
- Exodus 23:8
Textual detail: identify the action, the people affected, and the change this verse introduces.
- Exodus 23:9
Textual detail: identify the action, the people affected, and the change this verse introduces.
- Exodus 23:10
Textual detail: identify the action, the people affected, and the change this verse introduces.
- Exodus 23:11
Turn or contrast: name what stands on each side of the contrast and how it changes the passage’s direction.
- Exodus 23:12
Textual detail: identify the action, the people affected, and the change this verse introduces.
- Exodus 23:13
Human speech: identify the speaker and audience, then test the claim against what the narrator shows before and after it.
- Exodus 23:14
Textual detail: identify the action, the people affected, and the change this verse introduces.
Exodus 23:15–21
15–21: Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat...
Section summary
Exodus 23:15–21 opens with “Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I...” and reaches “Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions:...” by its final verse. That textual movement develops the lesson focus: Exodus 23:1–33 moves from “Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an...” to “They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou....”, with special attention to the recurring or prominent terms shalt, bread, feast.
Deep dive
Verse 15 establishes the section with “Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days,...”. Near verse 18, the wording reads “Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread; neither shall the fat of...”. The final verse closes this reading block with “Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your...”. The wording also contains 2 verses naming the LORD or God, giving the reader concrete features to test in context.
Identify the covenant audience, the stated reason for each command, and how worship, holiness, justice, mercy, and communal responsibility relate to one another. Trace the words shalt, bread, feast, appear, bring, field across the complete block. Connect every claim to the lesson focus, Exodus 23:1–33 moves from “Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an...” to “They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou....”, and label conclusions honestly as explicit statement, Scripture-supported conclusion, strong inference, or interpretation.
Words to trace: shalt, bread, feast, appear, bring, field
Verse-by-verse path
Use these notes to slow down and examine how each verse contributes to the section. Return to the exact wording before drawing a conclusion.
- Exodus 23:15
Command and responsibility: identify who receives the instruction, what it requires, and the purpose supplied by the context.
- Exodus 23:16
Textual detail: identify the action, the people affected, and the change this verse introduces.
- Exodus 23:17
Command and responsibility: identify who receives the instruction, what it requires, and the purpose supplied by the context.
- Exodus 23:18
Command and responsibility: identify who receives the instruction, what it requires, and the purpose supplied by the context.
- Exodus 23:19
Textual detail: identify the action, the people affected, and the change this verse introduces.
- Exodus 23:20
Textual detail: identify the action, the people affected, and the change this verse introduces.
- Exodus 23:21
Textual detail: identify the action, the people affected, and the change this verse introduces.
Exodus 23:22–28
22–28: If thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I...
Section summary
Exodus 23:22–28 opens with “But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto...” and reaches “And I will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the...” by its final verse. That textual movement develops the lesson focus: Exodus 23:1–33 moves from “Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an...” to “They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou....”, with special attention to the recurring or prominent terms shalt, thine, down.
Deep dive
Verse 22 establishes the section with “But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy...”. Near verse 25, the wording reads “And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I...”. The final verse closes this reading block with “And I will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and...”. The wording also contains 2 stated contrasts, 1 verse naming the LORD or God, giving the reader concrete features to test in context.
Identify the covenant audience, the stated reason for each command, and how worship, holiness, justice, mercy, and communal responsibility relate to one another. Trace the words shalt, thine, down, enemies, send, serve across the complete block. Connect every claim to the lesson focus, Exodus 23:1–33 moves from “Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an...” to “They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou....”, and label conclusions honestly as explicit statement, Scripture-supported conclusion, strong inference, or interpretation.
Words to trace: shalt, thine, down, enemies, send, serve
Verse-by-verse path
Use these notes to slow down and examine how each verse contributes to the section. Return to the exact wording before drawing a conclusion.
- Exodus 23:22
Turn or contrast: name what stands on each side of the contrast and how it changes the passage’s direction.
- Exodus 23:23
Reason or consequence: connect this verse to the claim or action immediately before it.
- Exodus 23:24
Turn or contrast: name what stands on each side of the contrast and how it changes the passage’s direction.
- Exodus 23:25
Promise, covenant, or blessing: record the speaker, recipient, scope, and any condition the text actually states.
- Exodus 23:26
Command and responsibility: identify who receives the instruction, what it requires, and the purpose supplied by the context.
- Exodus 23:27
Textual detail: identify the action, the people affected, and the change this verse introduces.
- Exodus 23:28
Command and responsibility: identify who receives the instruction, what it requires, and the purpose supplied by the context.
Exodus 23:29–33
29–33: I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land...
Section summary
Exodus 23:29–33 opens with “I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the...” and reaches “They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their...” by its final verse. That textual movement develops the lesson focus: Exodus 23:1–33 moves from “Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an...” to “They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou....”, with special attention to the recurring or prominent terms land, drive, gods.
Deep dive
Verse 29 establishes the section with “I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and...”. Near verse 31, the wording reads “And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from...”. The final verse closes this reading block with “They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve...”. The wording should be traced through its subjects, actions, connecting terms, and stated consequences before an interpretation is proposed.
Identify the covenant audience, the stated reason for each command, and how worship, holiness, justice, mercy, and communal responsibility relate to one another. Trace the words land, drive, gods, lest, little, make across the complete block. Connect every claim to the lesson focus, Exodus 23:1–33 moves from “Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an...” to “They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou....”, and label conclusions honestly as explicit statement, Scripture-supported conclusion, strong inference, or interpretation.
Words to trace: land, drive, gods, lest, little, make
Verse-by-verse path
Use these notes to slow down and examine how each verse contributes to the section. Return to the exact wording before drawing a conclusion.
- Exodus 23:29
Textual detail: identify the action, the people affected, and the change this verse introduces.
- Exodus 23:30
Promise, covenant, or blessing: record the speaker, recipient, scope, and any condition the text actually states.
- Exodus 23:31
Textual detail: identify the action, the people affected, and the change this verse introduces.
- Exodus 23:32
Promise, covenant, or blessing: record the speaker, recipient, scope, and any condition the text actually states.
- Exodus 23:33
Command and responsibility: identify who receives the instruction, what it requires, and the purpose supplied by the context.
Observation and teaching prompt
- Identify the people addressed and the covenant setting.
- Distinguish rescue, worship, holiness, justice, and community responsibility.
- Read commands in their literary and covenant context before making a modern application.
Learning objectives
- Place Exodus 23:1–33 within Remember and remain faithful and explain its role in Exodus.
- Describe from the text how the passage develops this focus: Exodus 23:1–33 moves from “Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an...” to “They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou....”.
- Distinguish an explicit statement, a Scripture-supported conclusion, and an interpretation.
- Explain how law and covenant shapes a responsible reading of this unit.
- Compare a related song or video with the passage, then return to the text to test it.
- Form a personal and communal response that does not exceed the evidence of Scripture.
Teacher preparation
- Read Exodus 23:1–33 twice, then read the material immediately before and after it.
- Review the book movement: Remember and remain faithful (Exodus · 04).
- Mark speakers, actions, repeated words, commands, contrasts, promises, and consequences.
- Preview each related song or video and note where it condenses, interprets, or dramatizes the text.
- Prepare a participation option that lets learners respond without forced personal disclosure.
Evidence and interpretation checks
Explicit
Record two claims that Exodus 23:1–33 states directly and cite the verses.
Scripture-supported
Form one conclusion that joins several parts of Exodus 23:1–33. Show each step.
Strong inference
Identify a conclusion that follows the text closely even though it is not stated in one sentence.
Possible or traditional reading
Where responsible readings differ, present the difference without turning it into certainty.
Limit
Do not use speculation as a teaching conclusion.
Discussion with answer guidance
1. What does Exodus 23:1–33 state directly about God, people, or the situation?
Show teacher guidance
Begin with the passage’s words and actions. Require an exact verse before accepting a conclusion.
2. How does this focus develop across the passage: Exodus 23:1–33 moves from “Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an...” to “They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou....”?
Show teacher guidance
Trace the opening, change, and outcome. Do not rely on one sentence when the unit presents a sequence.
3. Which word, action, contrast, or response repeats, and what work does it do?
Show teacher guidance
Repetition may signal structure or emphasis, but explain its meaning inside the immediate context.
4. How does this unit contribute to the Remember and remain faithful movement?
Show teacher guidance
Compare the unit with what comes before and after it in the same book.
5. What interpretive caution does law and covenant require here?
Show teacher guidance
Identify the covenant audience, the reason for the command, and its place in rescue, worship, holiness, justice, and communal life.
6. What faithful response follows for an individual and for a community?
Show teacher guidance
Form a concrete, proportionate response. Do not turn a description into a command without evidence.
Responsible application
Heart and habits
Name one belief, desire, or practice that Exodus 23:1–33 corrects, strengthens, or redirects.
Relationships and community
Form one action that protects dignity, truth, justice, mercy, or faithfulness in a real relationship.
Worship and prayer
Write a prayer using the vocabulary and concerns of the passage.
Service and witness
Choose one observable response for this week and one person who can support accountability.
Audience adaptations
Children
Use a short reading block, a people-and-actions map, and one concrete response. Explain difficult vocabulary before reading.
Youth
Ask learners to identify pressure, loyalty, power, and consequences. Permit written responses without public disclosure.
Adults
Add literary and historical context, compare responsible readings, and require evidence for each claim.
Intergenerational group
Pair different ages, assign observation before interpretation, and close with a shared prayer.
Online or at home
Send the reference in advance, use media as an observation pause, and gather responses in a shared document.
Complete 75-minute teaching path
A shorter group can omit the extended discussion while preserving the Scripture reading, evidence check, and closing response.
Orient the group
Name the book, Exodus 23:1–33, genre, and central question. Explain that every conclusion will be checked against the text.
Read the complete unit
Read aloud or silently. Learners mark speakers, repetitions, commands, contrasts, and changes.
Work through the reading blocks
Summarize each block in one sentence and record the verse that supports the summary.
Use a song or video
Play one related resource. Compare its emphasis and omissions with the passage.
Discuss from evidence
Use the questions and require a Scripture reference for every major answer.
Form responsible application
Develop one personal and one communal response. Avoid promises or commands that the text does not establish.
Summarize and pray
Let each learner complete one sentence about the passage. Pray with its vocabulary and concerns.
Song and video learning lab
Use the media after the passage has been read. A song or video may interpret, compress, or dramatize the text, so learners should compare it with Scripture rather than treat it as Scripture.
- Before: read the exact passage and name its central movement.
- During: note which words, people, events, or emotions the artist emphasizes.
- After: identify what the media clarifies, what it leaves out, and what must be checked in the text.
Listen and watch alongside the passage
Related media appears only when its Scripture reference overlaps this study unit. Use music and video as companions, then return to the biblical text.
Blood of the CovenantExodus 21:1-24:18Listen to related music →
Exodus, Definitive EditionExodus 1:1-40:38Listen to related music →Moses in the MountainExodus 19-34Listen to related music →Exodus, Through Fire and SeaExodus 1:1-40:38Listen to related music →Moses in the MountainExodus 19–34Watch a related video ↗