Exodus 18:20

Exodus 18:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.
• New International Version (NIV)Teach them his decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave.
• English Standard Version (ESV)and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And you shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and show them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do.

Context of Exodus 18:20

18Surely you and these people with you will wear yourselves out, because the task is too heavy for you. You cannot handle it alone. 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. Teach 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. 22Have these men judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you any major issue, but all minor cases they can judge on their own, so that your load may be lightened as they share it with you.

Exodus 18:20 word by word

וְהִזְהַרְתָּ֣ה אֶתְהֶ֔ם אֶת־הַחֻקִּ֖ים וְאֶת־הַתּוֹרֹ֑ת וְהוֹדַעְתָּ֣ לָהֶ֗ם אֶת־הַדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ יֵ֣לְכוּ בָ֔הּ וְאֶת־הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַעֲשֽׂוּן׃Read the interlinear

• Teachזָהַרzâhar · to warnH2094
• ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• the statutesחֹקchôq · statute: decreeH2706
• and lawsתּוֹרָהtôrâh tôrâh · instructionH8451
• and showיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: conductH1870
• to liveהָלַךְhâlak · to go: walkH1980
• and the workמַעֲשֶׂהma‛ăώeh · deed: workH4639
• ·אֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• they must doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213

Cross-references for Exodus 18:20

• Exodus 18:16“Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me to judge between one man and another, and I make known to them the statutes and laws of God.”
• Deuteronomy 4:1Hear now, O Israel, the statutes and ordinances I am teaching you to follow, so that you may live and may enter and take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you.
• Deuteronomy 5:1Then Moses summoned all Israel and said to them: Hear, O Israel, the statutes and ordinances that I declare in your hearing this day. Learn them and observe them carefully.
• Deuteronomy 6:1These are the commandments and statutes and ordinances that the LORD your God has instructed me to teach you to follow in the land that you are about to enter and possess,
• Deuteronomy 7:11So keep the commandments and statutes and ordinances that I am giving you to follow this day.
• Nehemiah 9:13You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven. You gave them just ordinances, true laws, and good statutes and commandments.
• 1 Samuel 12:23As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you. And I will continue to teach you the good and right way.
• Psalms 32:8I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will give you counsel and watch over you.
• Psalms 143:8Let me hear Your loving devotion in the morning, for I have put my trust in You. Teach me the way I should walk, for to You I lift up my soul.
• Isaiah 30:21And whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear this command behind you: “This is the way. Walk in it.”
• Jeremiah 6:16This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look. Ask for the ancient paths: ‘Where is the good way?’ Then walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it!’
• Jeremiah 42:3Pray that the LORD your God will tell us the way we should walk and the thing we should do.”
• Micah 4:2And many nations will come and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways, so that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:1Finally, brothers, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus to live in a way that is pleasing to God, just as you have received from us. This is how you already live, so you should do so all the more.
• Deuteronomy 1:18And at that time I commanded you all the things you were to do.
• Ezekiel 3:17“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from My mouth, give them a warning from Me.

Commentaries on Exodus 18:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Thou shalt teach them ordinances - חקים chukkim, all such precepts as relate to the ceremonies of religion and political economy. And laws, התורת hattoroth, the instructions relative to the whole system of morality. And shalt show them the way - הדרך אה eth hadderech, That very Way, that only way, which God himself has revealed, and in which they should walk in order to please him, and get their souls everlastingly saved. And the work that they must do…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Teach them - The Hebrew word is emphatic, and signifies “enlightenment.” The text gives four distinct points: (a) the “ordinances,” or specific enactments, (b) “the laws,” or general regulations, (c) “the way,” the general course of duty, (d) “the works,” each specific act.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 18:20

• Government
• Moses
• Prudence
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• Appeal
• Goodness
• Hard
• Heavy
• Jethro
• Matter
• Wear
• Blindness, Judicial
• Courts, Judicial
• Decision

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