Christian Standard Bible
Deuteronomy 16:18
18“Appoint judges and officials for your tribes in all your towns the Lord your God is giving you. They are to judge the people with righteous judgment.
Deuteronomy 16:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment.
- New International Version (NIV)Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in every town the Lord your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"You shall appoint judges and officers in all your towns that the Lord your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“You shall appoint judges and officers in all your gates, which the Lord your God gives you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with just judgment.
Context of Deuteronomy 16:18
16“All your males are to appear three times a year before the Lord your God in the place he chooses: at the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks, and the Festival of Shelters. No one is to appear before the Lord empty-handed. 17Everyone must appear with a gift suited to his means, according to the blessing the Lord your God has given you. “Appoint judges and officials for your tribes in all your towns the Lord your God is giving you. They are to judge the people with righteous judgment. 19Do not deny justice or show partiality to anyone. Do not accept a bribe, for it blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous. 20Pursue justice and justice alone, so that you will live and possess the land the Lord your God is giving you.
Read all of Deuteronomy 16Deuteronomy 16:18 word by word
שֹׁפְטִ֣ים וְשֹֽׁטְרִ֗ים תִּֽתֶּן־לְךָ֙ בְּכָל־שְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ לִשְׁבָטֶ֑יךָ וְשָׁפְט֥וּ אֶת־הָעָ֖ם מִשְׁפַּט־צֶֽדֶק׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Judgesשָׁפַטshâphaţ · to judgeH8199
- and officersשֹׁטֵרshôţêr · officialH7860
- shalt thou makeנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
- thee in all thy gatesשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gate: townH8179
- which the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- thy Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- givethנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- thee, throughout thy tribesשֵׁ֫בֶטshêbeţ · tribeH7626
- the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- with justצֶ֫דֶקtsedeq · righteousnessH6664
- judgmentמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justice: judgementH4941
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 16:18
- Deuteronomy 1:15“So I took the leaders of your tribes, wise and respected men, and set them over you as leaders: commanders for thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, and officers for your tribes.
- Deuteronomy 17:9You are to go to the Levitical priests and to the judge who presides at that time. Ask, and they will give you a verdict in the case.
- Deuteronomy 19:17the two people in the dispute are to stand in the presence of the Lord before the priests and judges in authority at that time.
- Deuteronomy 21:2your elders and judges are to come out and measure the distance from the victim to the nearby cities.
- Exodus 18:25So Moses chose able men from all Israel and made them leaders over the people as commanders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.
- Exodus 21:6his master is to bring him to the judges and then bring him to the door or doorpost. His master will pierce his ear with an awl, and he will serve his master for life.
- 1 Chronicles 23:4“Of these,” David said, “twenty-four thousand are to be in charge of the work on the Lord’s temple, six thousand are to be officers and judges,
- 1 Chronicles 26:29From the Izrahites: Chenaniah and his sons had duties outside the temple as officers and judges over Israel.
- 2 Chronicles 19:5He appointed judges in all the fortified cities of the land of Judah, city by city.
- Psalms 82:2“How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked?Selah
- Romans 13:1Let everyone submit to the governing authorities, since there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are instituted by God.
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 16:18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Judges and officers shalt thou make - Judges, שפטים shophetim, among the Hebrews, were probably the same as our magistrates or justices of the peace. Officers, שטרים shoterim, seem to have been the same as our inquest sergeants, beadles, etc., whose office it was to go into the houses, shops, etc., and examine weights, measures, and the civil conduct of the people. When they found any thing amiss, they brought the person offending before the magistrate…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18-22Verses 18-22 These verses are closely connected in subject with the following chapter, and introduce certain directions for the administration of justice and the carrying on of the civil government of the people in Canaan. During the lifetime of Moses, he himself, especially inspired and guided by God, was sufficient, with the aid of the subordinate judges (compare Exodus 18:13 ff), for the duties in question. But now that Moses was to be withdrawn, and…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-22Verses 18-22 Care is taken for the due administration of justice. All personal regards must be laid aside, so that right is done to all, and wrong to none. Care is taken to prevent following the idolatrous customs of the heathen. Nothing belies God more, or tends more to corrupt the minds of men, than representing and worshipping, by an image, that God, who is an almighty and eternal Spirit, present every where. Alas! even in gospel days, and under a…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18judges and officials: The use of both words together may mean that they had similar roles. The word officials usually refers to public leaders in general. Here, however, it likely refers to people who helped carry out the law. They may have served as administrators of justice or as officers who enforced the law. with righteous judgment: This phrase means judging by a clear and just standard. Decisions were to be based on what was right. They were not to…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 18-2018-20. Judges and officers shalt thou make--These last meant heralds or bailiffs, employed in executing the sentence of their superiors. in all thy gates--The gate was the place of public resort among the Israelites and other Eastern people, where business was transacted and causes decided. The Ottoman Porte derived its name from the administration of justice at its gates.Read the comment
Topics related to Deuteronomy 16:18
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 16
- 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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