The Meaning of Deuteronomy 24:17 Explained

Deuteronomy 24:17

KJV: Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the fatherless; nor take a widow's raiment to pledge:

YLT: 'Thou dost not turn aside the judgment of a fatherless sojourner, nor take in pledge the garment of a widow;

Darby: Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, or of the fatherless; and thou shalt not take in pledge a widow's garment.

ASV: Thou shalt not wrest the justice due to the sojourner, or to the fatherless, nor take the widow's raiment to pledge;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Thou shalt not pervert  the judgment  of the stranger,  [nor] of the fatherless;  nor take  a widow's  raiment  to pledge: 

What does Deuteronomy 24:17 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 24

1  Of divorce
5  A new married man goes not to war
6  Of pledges
7  Of kidnapping
8  Of leprosy
10  Of pledges
14  The hire is to be given
16  Of justice
19  Of charity

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 24:17 mean?

Not You shall pervert justice due the stranger or the fatherless nor take as a pledge garment of a widow
לֹ֣א תַטֶּ֔ה מִשְׁפַּ֖ט גֵּ֣ר יָת֑וֹם וְלֹ֣א תַחֲבֹ֔ל בֶּ֖גֶד אַלְמָנָֽה

תַטֶּ֔ה  You  shall  pervert 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: נָטָה 
Sense: to stretch out, extend, spread out, pitch, turn, pervert, incline, bend, bow.
מִשְׁפַּ֖ט  justice  due 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
גֵּ֣ר  the  stranger 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: גֵּר  
Sense: sojourner.
יָת֑וֹם  or  the  fatherless 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: יָתֹום  
Sense: an orphan, fatherless.
וְלֹ֣א  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
תַחֲבֹ֔ל  take  as  a  pledge 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: חָבַל 
Sense: to bind.
בֶּ֖גֶד  garment 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֶּגֶד 
Sense: treachery, deceit.
אַלְמָנָֽה  of  a  widow 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַלְמָנָה  
Sense: widow.