English Standard Version
Exodus 18:16
16when 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."
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.”
- 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.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)When a dispute arises, they come to me, and I am the one who settles the case between the quarreling parties. I inform the people of God’s decrees and give them his instructions.”
Context of Exodus 18:16
14When Moses' father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, "What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning till evening?" 15And Moses said to his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to inquire of God; 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." 17Moses' father-in-law said to him, "What you are doing is not good. 18You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to 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 23:7Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent and righteous, for I will not acquit the wicked.
- Exodus 24:14And he said to the elders, "Wait here for us until we return to you. And behold, Aaron and Hur are with you. Whoever has a dispute, let him go to them."
- Deuteronomy 17:8"If any case arises requiring decision between one kind of homicide and another, one kind of legal right and another, or one kind of assault and another, any case within your towns that is too difficult for you, then you shall arise and go up to the place that the Lord your God will choose.
- 2 Samuel 15:3Absalom would say to him, "See, your claims are good and right, but there is no man designated by the king to hear you."
- Job 31:13"If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or my maidservant, when they brought a complaint against me,
- Acts 18:14But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, "If it were a matter of wrongdoing or vicious crime, O Jews, I would have reason to accept your complaint.
- 1 Corinthians 6:1When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints?
- Exodus 2:13When he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together. And he said to the man in the wrong, "Why do you strike your companion?"
- Leviticus 24:15And speak to the people of Israel, saying, Whoever curses his God shall bear his sin.
- Numbers 15:35And the Lord said to Moses, "The man shall be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp."
- Numbers 27:6And the Lord said to Moses,
- Numbers 36:6This is what the Lord commands concerning the daughters of Zelophehad: 'Let them marry whom they think best, only they shall marry within the clan of the tribe of their father.
- Deuteronomy 4:5See, I have taught you statutes and rules, as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land that you are entering to take possession of it.
- Deuteronomy 5:1And Moses summoned all Israel and said to them, "Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the rules that I speak in your hearing today, and you shall learn them and be careful to do them.
- Deuteronomy 6:1"Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it,
- 1 Samuel 12:23Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you, and I will instruct you in the good and the 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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