Berean Standard Bible
Exodus 18:23
23If you follow this advice and God so directs you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people can go home in peace.”
Exodus 18:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.
- New International Version (NIV)If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace."
- New King James Version (NKJV)If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all this people will also go to their place in peace.”
Context of Exodus 18:23
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. If you follow this advice and God so directs you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people can go home in peace.” 24Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. 25So Moses chose capable men from all Israel and made them heads over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
Read all of Exodus 18Exodus 18:23 word by word
אִ֣ם אֶת־הַדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ תַּעֲשֶׂ֔ה וְצִוְּךָ֣ אֱלֹהִ֔ים וְיָֽכָלְתָּ֖ עֲמֹ֑ד וְגַם֙ כָּל־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה עַל־מְקֹמ֖וֹ יָבֹ֥א בְשָׁלֽוֹם׃Read the interlinear
- Ifאִם'im · ifH518
- ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
- you followעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- thisזֶהzeh · thisH2088
- adviceדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
- and Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- so directs youצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
- then you will be ableיָכֹלyâkôl yâkôl · be ableH3201
- to endureעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
- andגַּםgam · alsoH1571
- allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
- theseעַל‛al · uponH5921
- peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- can goבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- homeמָקוֹםmâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh · placeH4725
- in peaceשָׁלוֹםshâlôm shâlôm · peaceH7965
Cross-references for Exodus 18:23
- Exodus 18:18Surely you and these people with you will wear yourselves out, because the task is too heavy for you. You cannot handle it alone.
- Genesis 21:10and she said to Abraham, “Expel the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac!”
- 1 Samuel 8:6But when they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” their demand was displeasing in the sight of Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD.
- Acts 15:2And after engaging these men in sharp debate, Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.
- Galatians 2:2I went in response to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I spoke privately to those recognized as leaders, for fear that I was running or had already run in vain.
- Exodus 16:29Understand that the LORD has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day He will give you bread for two days. On the seventh day, everyone must stay where he is; no one may leave his place.”
- Genesis 18:33When the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham, He departed, and Abraham returned home.
- Genesis 30:25Now after Rachel had given birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me on my way so I can return to my homeland.
- 2 Samuel 18:3But the people pleaded, “You must not go out! For if we have to flee, they will not care about us. Even if half of us die, they will not care. But you are worth ten thousand of us. It is better now if you support us from the city.”
- 2 Samuel 19:39So all the people crossed the Jordan, and then the king crossed over. The king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and Barzillai returned home.
- 2 Samuel 21:17But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to his aid, struck the Philistine, and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, “You must never again go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel may not be extinguished.”
- Philippians 1:24But it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.
Commentaries on Exodus 18:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee - Though the measure was obviously of the utmost importance, and plainly recommended itself by its expediency and necessity; yet Jethro very modestly leaves it to the wisdom of Moses to choose or reject it; and, knowing that in all things his relative was now acting under the immediate direction of God, intimates that no measure can be safely adopted without a positive injunction from God himself. As the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23To their place - i. e. to Canaan, which is thus recognized by Jethro as the appointed and true home of Israel. Compare Numbers 10:29-30.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. 13-27Jethro’s wise advice shows another example of God’s care and guidance. This time, God did not act through a miracle. Instead, He used practical wisdom. Jethro taught Moses a new way to lead. He told Moses to share his authority with other capable leaders. This way of leadership is called delegation. It means giving responsibility to others. Before this, Moses seems to have followed an Egyptian style of leadership. That system was very strict and top-down…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 18:23
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
Berean Standard Bible — © Berean Bible — CC0 / Public Domain
Commentaries