Bribes in the Bible

• Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyesExod 23:8, Deut 16:19
  The verses

  Exod 23:8Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous.

  Deut 16:19Do not deny justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.
• Cursed is he who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent personDeut 27:25
  The verses

  Deut 27:25‘Cursed is he who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
• Samuel: “From whose hand have I accepted a bribe?”1 Sam 12:3
  The verses

  1 Sam 12:3Here I am. Bear witness against me before the LORD and before His anointed: Whose ox or donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated or oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe and closed my eyes? Tell me, and I will restore it to you.”
• King Jehoshaphat to his judges: no partiality or bribery2 Chr 19:7
  The verses

  2 Chr 19:7And now, may the fear of the LORD be upon you. Be careful what you do, for with the LORD our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery.”
• Who may dwell with God? One who refuses a bribePs 15:5, Isa 33:15
  The verses

  Ps 15:5who lends his money without interest and refuses a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.

  Isa 33:15He who walks righteously and speaks with sincerity, who refuses gain from extortion, whose hand never takes a bribe, who stops his ears against murderous plots and shuts his eyes tightly against evil—
• Sayings in Proverbs: a gift opens doors; a secret gift soothes angerProv 17:8, Prov 18:16, Prov 21:14
  The verses

  Prov 17:8A bribe is a charm to its giver; wherever he turns, he succeeds.

  Prov 18:16A man’s gift opens doors for him, and brings him before great men.

  Prov 21:14A gift in secret soothes anger, and a covert bribe pacifies great wrath.
• He who hates bribes will liveProv 15:27
  The verses

  Prov 15:27He who is greedy for unjust gain brings trouble on his household, but he who hates bribes will live.
• A bribe corrupts the heartEccl 7:7
  The verses

  Eccl 7:7Surely extortion turns a wise man into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart.
• Prophets accuse rulers and judges who love bribesIsa 1:23, Isa 5:23, Mic 3:11, Mic 7:3, Amos 5:12
  The verses

  Isa 1:23Your rulers are rebels, friends of thieves. They all love bribes and chasing after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, and the plea of the widow never comes before them.

  Isa 5:23who acquit the guilty for a bribe and deprive the innocent of justice.

  Mic 3:11Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets practice divination for money. Yet they lean upon the LORD, saying, “Is not the LORD among us? No disaster can come upon us.”

  Mic 7:3Both hands are skilled at evil; the prince and the judge demand a bribe. When the powerful utters his evil desire, they all conspire together.

  Amos 5:12For I know that your transgressions are many and your sins are numerous. You oppress the righteous by taking bribes; you deprive the poor of justice in the gate.

Examples

• Samuel’s sons accept bribes and pervert justice1 Sam 8:3
  The verses

  1 Sam 8:3But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside toward dishonest gain, accepting bribes and perverting justice.
• The Philistine lords offer Delilah silver to betray SamsonJudg 16:5
  The verses

  Judg 16:5The lords of the Philistines went to her and said, “Entice him and find out the source of his great strength and how we can overpower him to tie him up and subdue him. Then each one of us will give you eleven hundred shekels of silver.”
• Asa sends temple silver and gold to Ben-hadad1 Kgs 15:18–19
  The verses

  1 Kgs 15:18–19So Asa withdrew all the silver and gold that remained in the treasuries of the house of the LORD and the royal palace. He entrusted it to his servants and sent them with this message to Ben-hadad son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus: “Let there be a treaty between me and you, between my father and your father. See, I have sent you a gift of silver and gold. Now go and break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, so that he will withdraw from me.”
• Ahaz sends temple silver and gold to the king of Assyria2 Kgs 16:8
  The verses

  2 Kgs 16:8Ahaz also took the silver and gold found in the house of the LORD and in the treasuries of the king’s palace, and he sent it as a gift to the king of Assyria.
• Counselors hired to frustrate the rebuilding of the templeEzra 4:5
  The verses

  Ezra 4:5They hired counselors against them to frustrate their plans throughout the reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.
• Shemaiah is hired to frighten Nehemiah into hiding in the templeNeh 6:10–13
  The verses

  Neh 6:10–13Later, I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his house. He said: “Let us meet at the house of God inside the temple. Let us shut the temple doors because they are coming to kill you— by night they are coming to kill you!” But I replied, “Should a man like me run away? Should one like me go into the temple to save his own life? I will not go!” I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had uttered this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would sin by doing as he suggested, so they could give me a bad name in order to discredit me.
• Haman offers ten thousand talents for a decree against the JewsEsth 3:9
  The verses

  Esth 3:9If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will deposit ten thousand talents of silver into the royal treasury to pay those who carry it out.”
• The chief priests pay Judas thirty pieces of silverMatt 26:15
  The verses

  Matt 26:15and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I hand Him over to you?” And they set out for him thirty pieces of silver.
• Soldiers are paid to say the disciples stole the bodyMatt 28:12–15
  The verses

  Matt 28:12–15And after the chief priests had met with the elders and formed a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money and instructed them: “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’ If this report reaches the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So the guards took the money and did as they were instructed. And this account has been circulated among the Jews to this very day.
• Governor Felix hopes Paul will offer him a bribeActs 24:26
  The verses

  Acts 24:26At the same time, he was hoping that Paul would offer him a bribe. So he sent for Paul frequently and talked with him.