New King James Version
Deuteronomy 1:16
16“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.
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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.
- 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 and said, ‘The thing which you have told us to do is good.’ 15So I took the heads of your tribes, wise and knowledgeable men, and made them heads over you, leaders of thousands, leaders of hundreds, leaders of fifties, leaders of tens, and officers for your tribes. “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. 17You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small as well as the great; you shall not be afraid in any man’s presence, for the judgment is God’s. The case that is too hard for you, bring to me, and I will hear it.’ 18And I commanded you at that time all the things which 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 27:11And Moses commanded the people on the same day, saying,
- Deuteronomy 31:14Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, the days approach when you must die; call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of meeting, that I may inaugurate him.” So Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves in the tabernacle of meeting.
- Numbers 27:19set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation, and inaugurate him in their sight.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:11as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children,
- 1 Timothy 5:21I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality.
- 1 Timothy 6:17Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.
- Exodus 23:2You shall not follow a crowd to do evil; nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after many to pervert justice.
- Leviticus 19:15‘You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor.
- 2 Samuel 23:3The God of Israel said, The Rock of Israel spoke to me: ‘He who rules over men must be just, Ruling in the fear of God.
- 2 Chronicles 19:6and said to the judges, “Take heed to what you are doing, for you do not judge for man but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgment.
- Psalms 58:1Do you indeed speak righteousness, you silent ones? Do you judge uprightly, you sons of men?
- John 7:24Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”
- Deuteronomy 10:18He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing.
- Deuteronomy 24:14“You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether one of your brethren or one of the aliens who is in your land within your gates.
- Exodus 22:21“You shall neither mistreat a stranger nor oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.
- Exodus 23:9“Also you shall not oppress a stranger, for you know the heart of a stranger, because you were strangers 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries