New Living Translation
Exodus 18:13
13The next day, Moses took his seat to hear the people’s disputes against each other. They waited before him from morning till evening.
Exodus 18:13 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening.
- New International Version (NIV)The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning till evening.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And so it was, on the next day, that Moses sat to judge the people; and the people stood before Moses from morning until evening.
Context of Exodus 18:13
11I know now that the Lord is greater than all other gods, because he rescued his people from the oppression of the proud Egyptians.” 12Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God. Aaron and all the elders of Israel came out and joined him in a sacrificial meal in God’s presence. The next day, Moses took his seat to hear the people’s disputes against each other. They waited before him from morning till evening. 14When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he asked, “What are you really accomplishing here? Why are you trying to do all this alone while everyone stands around you from morning till evening?” 15Moses replied, “Because the people come to me to get a ruling from God.
Read all of Exodus 18Exodus 18:13 word by word
וַיְהִי֙ מִֽמָּחֳרָ֔ת וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב מֹשֶׁ֖ה לִשְׁפֹּ֣ט אֶת־הָעָ֑ם וַיַּעֲמֹ֤ד הָעָם֙ עַל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה מִן־הַבֹּ֖קֶר עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And it came to pass on the morrowמׇחֳרָתmochŏrâth mochŏrâthâm · morrowH4283
- that Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
- satיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- to judgeשָׁפַטshâphaţ · to judgeH8199
- the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- stoodעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
- from the morningבֹּ֫קֶרbôqer · morningH1242
- unto the eveningעֶ֫רֶב‛ereb · eveningH6153
Cross-references for Exodus 18:13
- Judges 5:10“Consider this, you who ride on fine donkeys, you who sit on fancy saddle blankets, and you who walk along the road.
- Job 29:7“Those were the days when I went to the city gate and took my place among the honored leaders.
- Isaiah 16:5then God will establish one of David’s descendants as king. He will rule with mercy and truth. He will always do what is just and be eager to do what is right.
- Joel 3:12“Let the nations be called to arms. Let them march to the valley of Jehoshaphat. There I, the Lord, will sit to pronounce judgment on them all.
- Matthew 23:2“The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses.
- Romans 12:8If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
- Romans 13:6Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do.
Commentaries on Exodus 18:13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13To judge the people - To hear and determine controversies between man and man, and to give them instruction in things appertaining to God. From the morning unto the evening - Moses was obliged to sit all day, and the people were continually coming and going.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13From the morning unto the evening - It may be assumed as at least probable that numerous cases of difficulty arose out of the division of the spoil of the Amalekites Exodus 17:13, and causes would have accumulated during the journey from Elim.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 18:13
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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