Verse 2 is difficult to read in the Hebrew, but scholars generally agree as to the meaning. You shall not follow a multitude is literally “You [singular] shall not be after many,” and to do evil is literally “to [or, for] evils.” Some interpret multitude to mean “the crowd” (New International Version, Translator’s Old Testament, Durham), but Good News Translation, New Revised Standard Version, and others, have “the majority.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “the mighty” in contrast to the poor man in verse 3, which is an intriguing possibility, but it is not clear that such a contrast is intended. So translators are urged to follow the interpretation of Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, and others.

The second clause seems repetitive. Literally it says “and you shall not answer over a lawsuit to extend after many to cause to extend.” Multitude (“many”) is repeated from the first clause. The verb “to answer” here means to bear witness, or to “give testimony” (Good News Translation), and the verb “to extend” seems to mean turning aside in the first instance and pervert in the second instance. But nearly all translations are forced to add the word justice, which is not in the text. (But see verse 6.) Good News Translation avoids the repetition and simply says “or when they give testimony that perverts justice.” This is probably the easiest way to handle this difficult verse. Contemporary English Version restructures the first part of this verse in a helpful way: “Always tell the truth in court, even if everyone else is dishonest and stands in the way of justice.” One may also express this as “Always tell the truth when they are judging a case in court, even if everyone else….”

Nor shall you be partial to a poor man, literally “and you shall not favor a powerless [person],” means “you shall not favor a poor man” (New American Bible). Some languages will use an idiom such as “you shall not lift up the face of a poor man.” Poor man will be rendered in a number of languages as “a person with few possessions.” In his suit is the same word as suit in the first clause, which Good News Translation translates here as “at his trial.” The idea of “just because he is poor” (similarly Contemporary English Version) is implicit here. So one may express this as “Don’t favor [or, show impartiality to] a poor man when you [the judges or chiefs] are judging his case, just because he is poor.” One may also say “Because a person is poor, don’t show partiality to him when he is being judged.” (See the comment on “poor” at 22.25.)

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .