84Lift the face

nasa panim — Hebrew

To ‘lift the face’ — nasa panim — is the courtroom idiom for partiality: to accept a person’s face, to be swayed by who stands before the bench rather than by the case. Torah forbids it flatly: the judge shall not “respect persons” — not lift the face — “neither take a gift” (Deuteronomy 16:19). Justice requires a blind bench, weighing the matter and not the man. This is why Yahuah is praised as the One who “regardeth not persons” (Deuteronomy 10:17): the perfect Judge lifts no one’s face. To lift the face is to corrupt judgment at its root, ruling by favor instead of fact.

The Root

nasa panim (H5375 + H6440) — to lift the face; from nasa (to lift) + panim (face) — the idiom for partiality.

Shares a Root With

nasa panim (H5375 + H6440) — 16. Forgive 122. Bear Iniquity 83. Face

Nasa lifts a charge away (Forgive), bears one as liability (Bear Iniquity), or lifts an empty report and carries it (False Report); panim is the face one appears before (Face) or lifts in partiality here.

The Courtroom Word

A partiality idiom — to be swayed by the person rather than the case.

Its Role in the Court

A just verdict weighs the matter, not the man; to lift the face is to weigh the man. Torah forbids it in the judge and praises Yahuah for never doing it. The lifted face is judgment corrupted at the root — ruling by who stands there, by gift or status or fear, instead of by the evidence. The blind bench, lifting no one’s face, is the standard the law demands and Yahuah keeps.

Proof Texts

Deuteronomy 16:19 “Thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift.” Partiality forbidden in the judge.

Deuteronomy 10:17 “Which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward.” Yahuah the impartial Judge.

Leviticus 19:15 “Thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty.” No face lifted, high or low.

Acts 10:34 “Elohim is no respecter of persons.” The impartial bench affirmed.

In Plain Terms

To ‘lift the face’ is Scripture’s idiom for partiality — being swayed by who is standing before you instead of by the facts. Torah forbids judges to do it and praises Yahuah for never doing it. It means ruling by favor instead of by evidence.

Bring It Home

A corrupt judge ‘lifts the face’ — he looks at who is in front of him, their status, their gift, their power, and rules for them instead of for the truth. Torah bans it outright. The perfect Judge lifts no one’s face: He weighs the case, never the man.

Courtroom Roles

The judge (the officer) forbidden to lift any face, high or low.
Yahuah (the impartial Judge) regards no person and takes no gift.
The parties (rich and poor alike) to be weighed by the case, not the face.

Where It Sits

IThere Is a Court

IIThe Court Runs on One Code

IIIYou Are Named on the Docket

IVThe Acquittal

VYour Life Is the Testing

VIIt Is All Entered as Evidence

VIIThe Bench Convenes

Movement I — There Is a Court. Before anything else, Scripture seats a Judge and opens a bench. The book takes place in a courtroom.