Christian Standard Bible
Exodus 18:16
16Whenever they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I make a decision between one man and another. I teach them God’s statutes and 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
14When Moses’s father-in-law saw everything he was doing for them he asked, “What is this you’re doing for the people? Why are you alone sitting as judge, while all the people stand around you from morning until evening?” 15Moses replied to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God. Whenever they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I make a decision between one man and another. I teach them God’s statutes and laws.” 17“What you’re doing is not good,” Moses’s father-in-law said to him. 18“You will certainly wear out both yourself and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you. You can’t do it 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- When they have a matterדָּבָרdâbâr · word: caseH1697
- they comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- unto me; and I judgeשָׁפַטshâphaţ · to judgeH8199
- between oneאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
- and anotherרֵעַrêa‛ rêya‛ · neighborH7453
- knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- the statutesחֹקchôq · statute: decreeH2706
- of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- and his lawsתּוֹרָהtôrâh tôrâh · instructionH8451
Cross-references for Exodus 18:16
- Exodus 23:7Stay far away from a false accusation. Do not kill the innocent and the just, because I will not justify the guilty.
- Exodus 24:14He told the elders, “Wait here for us until we return to you. Aaron and Hur are here with you. Whoever has a dispute should go to them.”
- Deuteronomy 17:8“If a case is too difficult for you — concerning bloodshed, lawsuits, or assaults — cases disputed at your city gates, then go up to the place the Lord your God chooses.
- 2 Samuel 15:3Absalom said to him, “Look, your claims are good and right, but the king does not have anyone to listen to you.”
- Job 31:13If I have dismissed the case of my male or female servants when they made a complaint against me,
- Acts 18:14As Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or of a serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to put up with you Jews.
- 1 Corinthians 6:1If any of you has a dispute against another, how dare you take it to court before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?
- Exodus 2:13The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, “Why are you attacking your neighbor?”
- Leviticus 24:15And tell the Israelites: If anyone curses his God, he will bear the consequences of his sin.
- Numbers 15:35Then the Lord told Moses, “The man is to be put to death. The entire community is to stone him outside the camp.”
- Numbers 27:6and the Lord answered him,
- Numbers 36:6This is what the Lord has commanded concerning Zelophehad’s daughters: They may marry anyone they like provided they marry within a clan of their ancestral tribe.
- Deuteronomy 4:5Look, I have taught you statutes and ordinances as the Lord my God has commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to possess.
- Deuteronomy 5:1Moses summoned all Israel and said to them, “Israel, listen to the statutes and ordinances I am proclaiming as you hear them today. Learn and follow them carefully.
- Deuteronomy 6:1“This is the command — the statutes and ordinances — the Lord your God has commanded me to teach you, so that you may follow them in the land you are about to enter and possess.
- 1 Samuel 12:23“As for me, I vow that I will not sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you. I will teach you the good and 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
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