Deuteronomy 16:18-20
“You shall make judges and officers in all your gates, which Yahweh your God gives you, according to your tribes; and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment. You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality, neither shall you take a bribe; for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise, and perverts the words of the righteous. You shall follow that which is altogether just, that you may live, and inherit the land which Yahweh your God gives you.”
This passage is part of Moses' farewell address to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the promised land, likely written in the 7th century BCE or earlier. He is reiterating God's laws, instructing them on how to establish a just society once they settle, including the critical role of impartial judges and officers.
What systems or personal practices can help prevent the perversion of justice or the blinding effects of partiality in positions of authority today?