Gifts blind the clear-sighted and subvert justice (Exodus 23:8). In context, that’s statement about bribery, and the word used for “gift” here is almost invariably used for bribes of one sort or another (Deuteronomy 10:17; 16:19; 27:25; 1 Samuel 8:3; 1 Kings 15:29; 16:8; etc.).
Occasionally, the reference seems a bit broader (cf. Psalm 15:5), and in any case, the principle holds even for those who are not judges and princes: Money and promises of money blind us to injustice, and concern for our self-interest can lead us to subvert justice in our economic, social, and other dealings.
We who are rich and have a lot of interests to protect are particularly susceptible to blinding “gifts.”
