Exodus 18:19

Exodus 18:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God:
• New International Version (NIV)Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes to him.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall represent the people before God and bring their cases to God,
• New King James Version (NKJV)Listen now to my voice; I will give you counsel, and God will be with you: Stand before God for the people, so that you may bring the difficulties to God.

Context of Exodus 18:19

17“This is not good!” Moses’ father-in-law exclaimed. 18“You’re going to wear yourself out—and the people, too. This job is too heavy a burden for you to handle all by yourself. Now listen to me, and let me give you a word of advice, and may God be with you. You should continue to be the people’s representative before God, bringing their disputes to him. 20Teach them God’s decrees, and give them his instructions. Show them how to conduct their lives. 21But select from all the people some capable, honest men who fear God and hate bribes. Appoint them as leaders over groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten.

Exodus 18:19 word by word

עַתָּ֞ה שְׁמַ֤ע בְּקֹלִי֙ אִיעָ֣צְךָ֔ וִיהִ֥י אֱלֹהִ֖ים עִמָּ֑ךְ הֱיֵ֧ה אַתָּ֣ה לָעָ֗ם מ֚וּל הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים וְהֵבֵאתָ֥ אַתָּ֛ה אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים אֶל־הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Hearkenשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: obeyH8085
• now unto my voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
• I will give thee counselיָעַץyâ‛ats · to adviseH3289
• and Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• shall beהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• with thee: Be thou for the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• to God-wardמוּלmûl môl mô'l mûl · oppositeH4136
• that thou mayest bringבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
• the causesדָּבָרdâbâr · word: caseH1697

Cross-references for Exodus 18:19

• Exodus 18:24Moses listened to his father-in-law’s advice and followed his suggestions.
• Proverbs 9:9Instruct the wise, and they will be even wiser. Teach the righteous, and they will learn even more.
• Exodus 3:12God answered, “I will be with you. And this is your sign that I am the one who has sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain.”
• Exodus 4:12Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.”
• Genesis 39:2The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master.
• Deuteronomy 20:1“When you go out to fight your enemies and you face horses and chariots and an army greater than your own, do not be afraid. The Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, is with you!
• Joshua 1:9This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
• 2 Samuel 14:17Yes, my lord the king will give us peace of mind again.’ I know that you are like an angel of God in discerning good from evil. May the Lord your God be with you.”
• Matthew 28:20Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
• Exodus 18:15Moses replied, “Because the people come to me to get a ruling from God.
• Exodus 4:16Aaron will be your spokesman to the people. He will be your mouthpiece, and you will stand in the place of God for him, telling him what to say.
• Exodus 20:19And they said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen. But don’t let God speak directly to us, or we will die!”
• Deuteronomy 5:5I stood as an intermediary between you and the Lord, for you were afraid of the fire and did not want to approach the mountain. He spoke to me, and I passed his words on to you. This is what he said:
• Numbers 27:5So Moses brought their case before the Lord.

Commentaries on Exodus 18:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee - Jethro seems to have been a man of great understanding and prudence. His advice to Moses was most appropriate and excellent; and it was probably given under the immediate inspiration of God, for after such sacrificial rites, and public acknowledgment of God, the prophetic spirit might be well expected to descend and rest upon him. God could have showed Moses the propriety and necessity of adopting…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19Counsel - Jethro draws the distinction between the functions of the legislator and the judge. To God-ward - Literally, “before God,” standing between them and God, both as His minister or representative and also as the representative of the people, their agent, so to speak, or deputy before God.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 18:19

• Government
• Moses
• Prudence

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Appeal
• Goodness
• Hard
• Heavy
• Jethro
• Matter
• Wear
• Blindness, Judicial

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