Deuteronomy 16:18-22
18 “You shall appoint judges and officers in all your gates, which the LORD your God gives you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with just judgment. 19 You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality, nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous. 20 You shall follow what is altogether just, that you may live and inherit the land which the LORD your God is giving you.
21 “You shall not plant for yourself any tree, as a wooden image, near the altar which you build for yourself to the LORD your God. 22 You shall not set up a sacred pillar, which the LORD your God hates.
18 “You shall appoint judges and officers in all your gates, which the LORD your God gives you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with just judgment. 19 You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality, nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous. 20 You shall follow what is altogether just, that you may live and inherit the land which the LORD your God is giving you.
21 “You shall not plant for yourself any tree, as a wooden image, near the altar which you build for yourself to the LORD your God. 22 You shall not set up a sacred pillar, which the LORD your God hates.
The chapter ends with a reminder of just judgement and of single mindedness in worship. God’s people are to have fair evaluation of offenses, which means no bribes, no partiality, and adherence to the laws without any other perverting of truth and fairness. This impartiality is to avoid being swayed and being unfair to all in the final analysis. Words of righteous witnesses should be protected and wisdom should not be clouded with persuasion away from what is just and true. This is how His people were to govern themselves then and what many principles of our original laws were crafted upon. His people were also to be righteous; they were to to be set aside (holy) to follow and worship the LORD God. They were not to worship idols of seeming other gods of those who do not know or follow the only God and Creator of us all. Justice and holiness of life as worship are the lessons here for us.
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