American Standard Version
Exodus 18:16
16when they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between a man and his neighbor, and I make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.
Exodus 18:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.
- New International Version (NIV)Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God’s decrees and instructions.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)when they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between one person and another, and I make them know the statutes of God and his laws."
- New King James Version (NKJV)When they have a difficulty, they come to me, and I judge between one and another; and I make known the statutes of God and His laws.”
Context of Exodus 18:16
14And when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand about thee from morning unto even? 15And Moses said unto his father-in-law, Because the people come unto me to inquire of God: when they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between a man and his neighbor, and I make them know the statutes of God, and his laws. 17And Moses’ father-in-law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good. 18Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for the thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.
Read all of Exodus 18Exodus 18:16 word by word
כִּֽי־יִהְיֶ֨ה לָהֶ֤ם דָּבָר֙ בָּ֣א אֵלַ֔י וְשָׁ֣פַטְתִּ֔י בֵּ֥ין אִ֖ישׁ וּבֵ֣ין רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְהוֹדַעְתִּ֛י אֶת־חֻקֵּ֥י הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים וְאֶת־תּוֹרֹתָֽיו׃Read the interlinear
- matterדָּבָרdâbâr · word: caseH1697
- comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- judgeשָׁפַטshâphaţ · to judgeH8199
- manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- neighborרֵעַrêa‛ rêya‛ · neighborH7453
- makeיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- statutesחֹקchôq · statute: decreeH2706
- Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- lawsתּוֹרָהtôrâh tôrâh · instructionH8451
Cross-references for Exodus 18:16
- Exodus 23:7Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.
- Exodus 24:14And he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you: whosoever hath a cause, let him come near unto them.
- Deuteronomy 17:8If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within thy gates; then shalt thou arise, and get thee up unto the place which Jehovah thy God shall choose;
- 2 Samuel 15:3And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.
- Job 31:13If I have despised the cause of my man-servant or of my maid-servant, When they contended with me;
- Acts 18:14But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If indeed it were a matter of wrong or of wicked villany, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you:
- 1 Corinthians 6:1Dare any of you, having a matter against his neighbor, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?
- Exodus 2:13And he went out the second day, and, behold, two men of the Hebrews were striving together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow?
- Leviticus 24:15And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin.
- Numbers 15:35And Jehovah said unto Moses, The man shall surely be put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.
- Numbers 27:6And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
- Numbers 36:6This is the thing which Jehovah doth command concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, saying, Let them be married to whom they think best; only into the family of the tribe of their father shall they be married.
- Deuteronomy 4:5Behold, I have taught you statutes and ordinances, even as Jehovah my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the midst of the land whither ye go in to possess it.
- Deuteronomy 5:1And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the ordinances which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and observe to do them.
- Deuteronomy 6:1Now this is the commandment, the statutes, and the ordinances, which Jehovah your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it;
- 1 Samuel 12:23Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against Jehovah in ceasing to pray for you: but I will instruct you in the good and the right way.
Commentaries on Exodus 18:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws - These words are so very particular that they leave little room for doubt that the law had been given. Such words would scarcely have been used had not the statutes and laws been then in existence. And this is one of the proofs that the transaction mentioned here stands out of its due chronological order; See Clarke's note on Exodus 18:5.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-27Verses 13-27 Here is the great zeal and the toil of Moses as a magistrate. Having been employed to redeem Israel out of the house of bondage, he is a further type of Christ, that he is employed as a lawgiver and a judge among them. If the people were as quarrelsome one with another as they were with God, no doubt Moses had many causes brought before him. This business Moses was called to; it appears that he did it with great care and kindness. The meanest…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13-16Moses had begun to take a role similar to Pharaoh’s. He was making himself necessary for every decision the people faced.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-2613-26. on the morrow ... Moses sat to judge the people, &c.--We are here presented with a specimen of his daily morning occupations; and among the multifarious duties his divine legation imposed, it must be considered only a small portion of his official employments. He appears in this attitude as a type of Christ in His legislative and judicial characters. the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening, &c.--Governors in the East seat…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 18:16
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries