Deuteronomy 16:18

Deuteronomy 16:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"You shall appoint judges and officers in all your towns that the Lord your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“You shall appoint judges and officers in all your gates, which the Lord your God gives you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with just judgment.
• New Living Translation (NLT)“Appoint judges and officials for yourselves from each of your tribes in all the towns the Lord your God is giving you. They must judge the people fairly.

Context of Deuteronomy 16:18

16Three times a year all your men must appear before the Lord your God at the place he will choose: at the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks and the Festival of Tabernacles. No one should appear before the Lord empty-handed: 17Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the Lord your God has blessed you. Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in every town the Lord your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly. 19Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the innocent. 20Follow justice and justice alone, so that you may live and possess the land the Lord your God is giving you.

Deuteronomy 16:18 word by word

שֹׁפְטִ֣ים וְשֹֽׁטְרִ֗ים תִּֽתֶּן־לְךָ֙ בְּכָל־שְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ לִשְׁבָטֶ֑יךָ וְשָׁפְט֥וּ אֶת־הָעָ֖ם מִשְׁפַּט־צֶֽדֶק׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Judgesשָׁפַטshâphaţ · to judgeH8199
• and officersשֹׁטֵרshôţêr · officialH7860
• shalt thou makeנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
• thee in all thy gatesשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gate: townH8179
• which the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• thy Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• givethנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• thee, throughout thy tribesשֵׁ֫בֶטshêbeţ · tribeH7626
• the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• with justצֶ֫דֶקtsedeq · righteousnessH6664
• judgmentמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justice: judgementH4941

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 16:18

• Deuteronomy 1:15So I took the leading men of your tribes, wise and respected men, and appointed them to have authority over you—as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens and as tribal officials.
• Deuteronomy 17:9Go to the Levitical priests and to the judge who is in office at that time. Inquire of them and they will give you the verdict.
• Deuteronomy 19:17the two people involved in the dispute must stand in the presence of the Lord before the priests and the judges who are in office at the time.
• Deuteronomy 21:2your elders and judges shall go out and measure the distance from the body to the neighboring towns.
• Exodus 18:25He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.
• Exodus 21:6then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life.
• 1 Chronicles 23:4David said, “Of these, twenty-four thousand are to be in charge of the work of the temple of the Lord and six thousand are to be officials and judges.
• 1 Chronicles 26:29From the Izharites: Kenaniah and his sons were assigned duties away from the temple, as officials and judges over Israel.
• 2 Chronicles 19:5He appointed judges in the land, in each of the fortified cities of Judah.
• Psalms 82:2“How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked?
• Romans 13:1Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 16:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Judges and officers shalt thou make - Judges, שפטים shophetim, among the Hebrews, were probably the same as our magistrates or justices of the peace. Officers, שטרים shoterim, seem to have been the same as our inquest sergeants, beadles, etc., whose office it was to go into the houses, shops, etc., and examine weights, measures, and the civil conduct of the people. When they found any thing amiss, they brought the person offending before the magistrate…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18-22Verses 18-22 These verses are closely connected in subject with the following chapter, and introduce certain directions for the administration of justice and the carrying on of the civil government of the people in Canaan. During the lifetime of Moses, he himself, especially inspired and guided by God, was sufficient, with the aid of the subordinate judges (compare Exodus 18:13 ff), for the duties in question. But now that Moses was to be withdrawn, and…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-22Verses 18-22 Care is taken for the due administration of justice. All personal regards must be laid aside, so that right is done to all, and wrong to none. Care is taken to prevent following the idolatrous customs of the heathen. Nothing belies God more, or tends more to corrupt the minds of men, than representing and worshipping, by an image, that God, who is an almighty and eternal Spirit, present every where. Alas! even in gospel days, and under a…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18judges and officials: The use of both words together may mean that they had similar roles. The word officials usually refers to public leaders in general. Here, however, it likely refers to people who helped carry out the law. They may have served as administrators of justice or as officers who enforced the law. with righteous judgment: This phrase means judging by a clear and just standard. Decisions were to be based on what was right. They were not to…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 18-2018-20. Judges and officers shalt thou make--These last meant heralds or bailiffs, employed in executing the sentence of their superiors. in all thy gates--The gate was the place of public resort among the Israelites and other Eastern people, where business was transacted and causes decided. The Ottoman Porte derived its name from the administration of justice at its gates.Read the comment

Topics related to Deuteronomy 16:18

• Bribery
• Gates
• Judge
• Justice
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Gate
• Gift
• Inherit
• Atonement, Day of
• Calendar
• Courts, Judicial
• Criticism
• Elder in the Old Testament

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 16

• 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