Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.

And lest they drink and forget judgments, and pervert the cause of the children of the poor.

lest they drink And forget the law, And pervert the judgment of any of the children of affliction.

Lest he drink, and forget the decree, And change the judgment of any of the sons of affliction.

For fear that through drinking they may come to have no respect for the law, wrongly judging the cause of those who are in trouble.

Lest they drink, and forget that which is decreed, And pervert the justice due to any that is afflicted.

lest they drink, and forget the decree, and pervert the justice due to anyone who is afflicted.

And perhaps they may drink and forget judgments, and alter the case of the sons of the poor.

Lest they drink, and forget the law - When they should be administering justice, they are found incapable of it; or, if they go into the judgment-seat, may pervert justice.

Lest they drink, and forget the law,.... The law of God by Moses, which the kings of Israel were obliged to write a copy of, and read over daily, to imprint it on their minds, that they might never forget it, but always govern according to it, Deuteronomy 17:18; or the law of their ancestors, or what was made by themselves, which through intemperance may be forgotten; for this sin stupefies the mind and hurts the memory, and makes men forgetful;
and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted; a king on the throne, or a judge on the bench, drunk, must be very unfit for his office; since he must be incapable of attending to the cause before him, of taking in the true state of the case; and, as he forgets the law, which is his rule of judgment, so he will mistake the point in debate, and put one thing for another; and "change" (g) and alter, as the word signifies, the judgment of the afflicted and injured person, and give the cause against him which should be for him; and therefore it is of great consequence that kings and judges should he sober. A certain woman, being undeservedly condemned by Philip king of Macedon, when drunk, said,
"I would appeal to Philip, but it shall be when he is sober;''
which aroused him; and, more diligently examining the cause, he gave, a more righteous sentence (h).
(g) "mutet", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Mercerus, Cocceius, Gejerus, Michaelis; "demutet", Schultens. (h) Valer. Maxim l. 6. c. 2. extern. 1.