God’s Word Translation
Exodus 18:16
16Whenever they have a disagreement and bring it to me, I decide which person is right, and I tell them God’s laws and instructions.”
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’ father-in-law saw everything Moses was doing for the people, he asked, “Why are you doing this for the people? Why do you sit here alone, while all the people stand around you from morning until evening?” 15Moses answered his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to find out God’s will. Whenever they have a disagreement and bring it to me, I decide which person is right, and I tell them God’s laws and instructions.” 17Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you’re doing is not good. 18You and your people will wear yourselves out. This is too much work 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 23:7Avoid telling lies. Don’t kill innocent or honest people, because I will never declare guilty people innocent.
- Exodus 24:14He said to the leaders, “Wait here for us until we come back to you. Aaron and Hur are here with you. Take all your disagreements to them.”
- Deuteronomy 17:8There may be a case that is too hard for you to decide. It may involve murder, assault, or a dispute—any case which may be brought to court in your cities. Take this case to the place that the Lord your God will choose.
- 2 Samuel 15:3Absalom would say, “Your case is good and proper, but the king hasn’t appointed anyone to hear it.”
- Job 31:13“If I have abused the rights of my servants, male or female, when they have disagreed with me,
- Acts 18:14Paul was about to answer when Gallio said to the Jews, “If there were some kind of misdemeanor or crime involved, reason would demand that I put up with you Jews.
- 1 Corinthians 6:1When one of you has a complaint against another, how dare you go to court to settle the matter in front of wicked people. Why don’t you settle it in front of God’s holy people?
- Exodus 2:13When Moses went there the next day, he saw two Hebrew men fighting. He asked the one who started the fight, “Why are you beating another Hebrew?”
- Leviticus 24:15“Also tell the Israelites: Those who treat their God with contempt will be punished for their sin.
- Numbers 15:35Then the Lord said to Moses, “This man must be put to death. The whole community must take him outside the camp and stone him.”
- Numbers 27:6and the Lord said to him,
- Numbers 36:6This is what the Lord commands for Zelophehad’s daughters: They may marry anyone they want to, but only within a family of their ancestor’s tribe.
- Deuteronomy 4:5I have taught you laws and rules as the Lord my God commanded me. You must obey them when you’ve entered the land and taken possession of it.
- Deuteronomy 5:1Moses summoned all Israel and said to them: Israel, listen to the laws and rules I’m telling you today. Learn them and faithfully obey them.
- Deuteronomy 6:1These are the commands, laws, and rules the Lord your God commanded me to teach you. Obey them after you enter the land and take possession of it.
- 1 Samuel 12:23It would be unthinkable for me to sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. I will go on teaching you the way that is good and right.
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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