Exodus 18:20

Exodus 18:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.
• New International Version (NIV)Teach them his decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave.
• English Standard Version (ESV)and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And you shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and show them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do.

Context of Exodus 18:20

18You will surely wear out, both you and these people who are with you, for this is too heavy a burden for you; you are not able to do it by yourself. 19Now listen to me, I will give you advice, and may God be with you: You be a representative for the people to God, and you bring their disputes to God; warn them of the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do. 21But you choose from the people capable men, God-fearing, men of truth, those who hate bribes, and put them over the people as rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 22They will judge the people under normal circumstances, and every difficult case they will bring to you, but every small case they themselves will judge, so that you may make it easier for yourself, and they will bear the burden with you.

Exodus 18:20 word by word

וְהִזְהַרְתָּ֣ה אֶתְהֶ֔ם אֶת־הַחֻקִּ֖ים וְאֶת־הַתּוֹרֹ֑ת וְהוֹדַעְתָּ֣ לָהֶ֗ם אֶת־הַדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ יֵ֣לְכוּ בָ֔הּ וְאֶת־הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַעֲשֽׂוּן׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And thou shalt teachאֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• And thou shalt teachזָהַרzâhar · to warnH2094
• them ordinancesחֹקchôq · statute: decreeH2706
• and lawsתּוֹרָהtôrâh tôrâh · instructionH8451
• and shalt shewיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• them the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: conductH1870
• wherein they must walkיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• and the workמַעֲשֶׂהma‛ăώeh · deed: workH4639
• that they must doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213

Cross-references for Exodus 18:20

• Exodus 18:16When they have a dispute, it comes to me and I decide between a man and his neighbor, and I make known the decrees of God and his laws.”
• Deuteronomy 4:1Now, Israel, pay attention to the statutes and ordinances I am about to teach you, so that you might live and go on to enter and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you.
• Deuteronomy 5:1Then Moses called all the people of Israel together and said to them: “Listen, Israel, to the statutes and ordinances that I am about to deliver to you today; learn them and be careful to keep them!
• Deuteronomy 6:1Now these are the commandments, statutes, and ordinances that the Lord your God instructed me to teach you so that you may carry them out in the land where you are headed
• Deuteronomy 7:11So keep the commandments, statutes, and ordinances that I today am commanding you to do.
• Nehemiah 9:13“You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven. You provided them with just judgments, true laws, and good statutes and commandments.
• 1 Samuel 12:23As far as I am concerned, far be it from me to sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you! I will instruct you in the way that is good and upright.
• Psalms 32:8I will instruct and teach you about how you should live. I will advise you as I look you in the eye.
• Psalms 143:8May I hear about your loyal love in the morning, for I trust in you. Show me the way I should go, because I long for you.
• Isaiah 30:21You will hear a word spoken behind you, saying, “This is the correct way, walk in it,” whether you are heading to the right or the left.
• Jeremiah 6:16The Lord said to his people: “You are standing at the crossroads. So consider your path. Ask where the old, reliable paths are. Ask where the path is that leads to blessing and follow it. If you do, you will find rest for your souls.” But they said, “We will not follow it!”
• Jeremiah 42:3Pray that the Lord your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do.”
• Micah 4:2Many nations will come, saying, “Come on! Let’s go up to the Lord’s mountain, to the temple of Jacob’s God, so he can teach us his commands and we can live by his laws.” For Zion will be the source of instruction; the Lord’s teachings will proceed from Jerusalem.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:1Finally then, brothers and sisters, we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received instruction from us about how you must live and please God (as you are in fact living) that you do so more and more.
• Deuteronomy 1:18So I instructed you at that time regarding everything you should do.
• Ezekiel 3:17“Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you must give them a warning from me.

Commentaries on Exodus 18:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Thou shalt teach them ordinances - חקים chukkim, all such precepts as relate to the ceremonies of religion and political economy. And laws, התורת hattoroth, the instructions relative to the whole system of morality. And shalt show them the way - הדרך אה eth hadderech, That very Way, that only way, which God himself has revealed, and in which they should walk in order to please him, and get their souls everlastingly saved. And the work that they must do…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Teach them - The Hebrew word is emphatic, and signifies “enlightenment.” The text gives four distinct points: (a) the “ordinances,” or specific enactments, (b) “the laws,” or general regulations, (c) “the way,” the general course of duty, (d) “the works,” each specific act.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. 19-22Moses needed to distinguish between his teaching function, in which he received and declared God’s decrees and instructions (18:19–20), and his administrative function, in which he applied all of those decrees and instructions (18:21–22).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 18:20

• Government
• Moses
• Prudence
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• Appeal
• Goodness
• Hard
• Heavy
• Jethro
• Matter
• Wear
• Blindness, Judicial
• Courts, Judicial
• Decision

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