English Standard Version
Deuteronomy 1:16
16And I charged your judges at that time, 'Hear the cases between your brothers, and judge righteously between a man and his brother or the alien who is with him.
Deuteronomy 1:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him.
- New International Version (NIV)And I charged your judges at that time, “Hear the disputes between your people and judge fairly, whether the case is between two Israelites or between an Israelite and a foreigner residing among you.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Then I commanded your judges at that time, saying, ‘Hear the cases between your brethren, and judge righteously between a man and his brother or the stranger who is with him.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“At that time I instructed the judges, ‘You must hear the cases of your fellow Israelites and the foreigners living among you. Be perfectly fair in your decisions
Context of Deuteronomy 1:16
14And you answered me, 'The thing that you have spoken is good for us to do.' 15So I took the heads of your tribes, wise and experienced men, and set them as heads over you, commanders of thousands, commanders of hundreds, commanders of fifties, commanders of tens, and officers, throughout your tribes. And I charged your judges at that time, 'Hear the cases between your brothers, and judge righteously between a man and his brother or the alien who is with him. 17You shall not be partial in judgment. You shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not be intimidated by anyone, for the judgment is God's. And the case that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it.' 18And I commanded you at that time all the things that you should do.
Read all of Deuteronomy 1Deuteronomy 1:16 word by word
וָאֲצַוֶּה֙ אֶת־שֹׁ֣פְטֵיכֶ֔ם בָּעֵ֥ת הַהִ֖וא לֵאמֹ֑ר שָׁמֹ֤עַ בֵּין־אֲחֵיכֶם֙ וּשְׁפַטְתֶּ֣ם צֶ֔דֶק בֵּֽין־אִ֥ישׁ וּבֵין־אָחִ֖יו וּבֵ֥ין גֵּרֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And I chargedצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
- your judgesשָׁפַטshâphaţ · to judgeH8199
- at that timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
- sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Hearשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- between your brethrenאָח'âch · brother: compatriotH251
- righteouslyצֶ֫דֶקtsedeq · righteousnessH6664
- manאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
- and the strangerגֵּרgêr gêyr · sojournerH1616
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 1:16
- Deuteronomy 27:11That day Moses charged the people, saying,
- Deuteronomy 31:14And the Lord said to Moses, "Behold, the days approach when you must die. Call Joshua and present yourselves in the tent of meeting, that I may commission him." And Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves in the tent of meeting.
- Numbers 27:19Make him stand before Eleazar the priest and all the congregation, and you shall commission him in their sight.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:11For you know how, like a father with his children,
- 1 Timothy 5:21In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality.
- 1 Timothy 6:17As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.
- Exodus 23:2You shall not fall in with the many to do evil, nor shall you bear witness in a lawsuit, siding with the many, so as to pervert justice,
- Leviticus 19:15"You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor.
- 2 Samuel 23:3The God of Israel has spoken; the Rock of Israel has said to me: When one rules justly over men, ruling in the fear of God,
- 2 Chronicles 19:6and said to the judges, "Consider what you do, for you judge not for man but for the Lord. He is with you in giving judgment.
- Psalms 58:1Do you indeed decree what is right, you gods? Do you judge the children of man uprightly?
- John 7:24Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment."
- Deuteronomy 10:18He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing.
- Deuteronomy 24:14"You shall not oppress a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brothers or one of the sojourners who are in your land within your towns.
- Exodus 22:21"You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.
- Exodus 23:9"You shall not oppress a sojourner. You know the heart of a sojourner, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 1:16
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-18Verses 9-18 Moses reminds the people of the happy constitution of their government, which might make them all safe and easy, if it was not their own fault. He owns the fulfilment of God's promise to Abraham, and prays for the further accomplishment of it. We are not straitened in the power and goodness of God; why should we be straitened in our own faith and hope? Good laws were given to the Israelites, and good men were to see to the execution of them…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-17Show no partiality (literally Do not notice faces): People appearing before the court should be treated as though they were wearing a mask to conceal their identity. Judges were not to be influenced by rich and powerful persons in the community but were to judge on the basis of God’s own impartiality (10:17) and treat all persons equally under the law.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 9-189-18. I spake unto you at that time, saying, I am not able to bear you myself alone--a little before their arrival in Horeb. Moses addresses that new generation as the representatives of their fathers, in whose sight and hearing all the transactions he recounts took place. A reference is here made to the suggestion of Jethro (Ex 18:18). In noticing his practical adoption of a plan by which the administration of justice was committed to a select number of…Read the comment
Topics related to Deuteronomy 1:16
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 1
- 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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Commentaries