Deuteronomy 1:17You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small and the great alike; you shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God's: and the cause that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it.
The setting
Same location — Plains of Moab, 1406 BC. Moses continues instructing judges, knowing Israel will face pressure from powerful Canaanite kings and wealthy merchants.
The emotion here: passionate urgency mixed with fear they'll repeat past failures
The original word
nāśā' pānîm (נָשָׂא פָּנִים) — literally 'lift up the face,' meaning to show favoritism based on appearance or status
Why it matters
Ancient courts literally had the rich sit in elevated seats and poor stand below — Moses is forbidding this practice
Read with care
What most readers miss in Deuteronomy 1:17
The phrase 'judgment is God's' means every human decision echoes into eternity — no pressure there
Common misconceptionPeople think 'fear no man' means be aggressive or rude, but it actually means don't let human opinion override what God calls right — you can be kind and still courageous.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Deuteronomy 1:17
Bible Genome reading
Deuteronomy 1:17 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Deuteronomy 1:17 comes from the book of Deuteronomy, written during the exodus period. These words are attributed to Moses. The dominant emotion in this verse is deciding, with a comfort power of 60% and a tone that is commanding. It belongs to the teaching genre of biblical literature. Key themes include impartiality, equality, justice, courage. Notable phrases: You shall not show partiality; hear the small and the great alike. This verse contains a command.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same deciding
“"You shall have no other gods before me.”
— Deuteronomy 5:7
“"You shall not murder.”
— Exodus 20:13
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
— Matthew 23:12
“For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”
— 2 Timothy 1:7
“But Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"”
— Acts 3:6
Your reflection
What does Deuteronomy 1:17 mean to you, today?
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