Berean Standard Bible
Exodus 18:19
19Now listen to me; I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their causes to Him.
Exodus 18:19 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God:
- New International Version (NIV)Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes to him.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall represent the people before God and bring their cases to God,
- New King James Version (NKJV)Listen now to my voice; I will give you counsel, and God will be with you: Stand before God for the people, so that you may bring the difficulties to God.
Context of Exodus 18:19
17But Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. 18Surely you and these people with you will wear yourselves out, because the task is too heavy for you. You cannot handle it alone. Now listen to me; I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their causes to Him. 20Teach them the statutes and laws, and show them the way to live and the work they must do. 21Furthermore, select capable men from among the people—God-fearing, trustworthy men who are averse to dishonest gain. Appoint them over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
Read all of Exodus 18Exodus 18:19 word by word
עַתָּ֞ה שְׁמַ֤ע בְּקֹלִי֙ אִיעָ֣צְךָ֔ וִיהִ֥י אֱלֹהִ֖ים עִמָּ֑ךְ הֱיֵ֧ה אַתָּ֣ה לָעָ֗ם מ֚וּל הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים וְהֵבֵאתָ֥ אַתָּ֛ה אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים אֶל־הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃Read the interlinear
- Nowעַתָּ֫ה‛attâh · nowH6258
- listen to meשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: obeyH8085
- listen to meקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
- I will give you some adviceיָעַץyâ‛ats · to adviseH3289
- and may Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- beהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
- with youעִם‛im · withH5973
- Youאַתָּ֫ה'attâh 'attâ 'ath 'attîy 'attem 'atten 'attênâh 'attênnâh · you(m.s.)H859
- the people’s representativeעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- beforeמוּלmûl môl mô'l mûl · oppositeH4136
- and bringבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
- ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
- their causesדָּבָרdâbâr · word: caseH1697
- toאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
Cross-references for Exodus 18:19
- Exodus 18:24Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said.
- Proverbs 9:9Instruct a wise man, and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man, and he will increase his learning.
- Exodus 3:12“I will surely be with you,” God said, “and this will be the sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, all of you will worship God on this mountain.”
- Exodus 4:12Now go! I will help you as you speak, and I will teach you what to say.”
- Genesis 39:2And the LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, serving in the household of his Egyptian master.
- Deuteronomy 20:1When you go out to war against your enemies and see horses, chariots, and an army larger than yours, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, is with you.
- Joshua 1:9Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
- 2 Samuel 14:17And now your servant says, ‘May the word of my lord the king bring me rest, for my lord the king is able to discern good and evil, just like the angel of God. May the LORD your God be with you.’”
- Matthew 28:20and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
- Exodus 18:15“Because the people come to me to inquire of God,” Moses replied.
- Exodus 4:16He will speak to the people for you. He will be your spokesman, and it will be as if you were God to him.
- Exodus 20:19“Speak to us yourself and we will listen,” they said to Moses. “But do not let God speak to us, or we will die.”
- Deuteronomy 5:5At that time I was standing between the LORD and you to declare to you the word of the LORD, because you were afraid of the fire and would not go up the mountain. And He said:
- Numbers 27:5So Moses brought their case before the LORD,
Commentaries on Exodus 18:19
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee - Jethro seems to have been a man of great understanding and prudence. His advice to Moses was most appropriate and excellent; and it was probably given under the immediate inspiration of God, for after such sacrificial rites, and public acknowledgment of God, the prophetic spirit might be well expected to descend and rest upon him. God could have showed Moses the propriety and necessity of adopting…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19Counsel - Jethro draws the distinction between the functions of the legislator and the judge. To God-ward - Literally, “before God,” standing between them and God, both as His minister or representative and also as the representative of the people, their agent, so to speak, or deputy before God.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. 19-22Moses needed to distinguish between his teaching function, in which he received and declared God’s decrees and instructions (18:19–20), and his administrative function, in which he applied all of those decrees and instructions (18:21–22).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 18:19
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
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