New Living Translation
Exodus 18:21
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 18:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:
- New International Version (NIV)But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Moreover you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
Context of Exodus 18:21
19Now 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. But 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. 22They should always be available to solve the people’s common disputes, but have them bring the major cases to you. Let the leaders decide the smaller matters themselves. They will help you carry the load, making the task easier for you. 23If you follow this advice, and if God commands you to do so, then you will be able to endure the pressures, and all these people will go home in peace.”
Read all of Exodus 18Exodus 18:21 word by word
וְאַתָּ֣ה תֶחֱזֶ֣ה מִכָּל־הָ֠עָם אַנְשֵׁי־חַ֜יִל יִרְאֵ֧י אֱלֹהִ֛ים אַנְשֵׁ֥י אֱמֶ֖ת שֹׂ֣נְאֵי בָ֑צַע וְשַׂמְתָּ֣ עֲלֵהֶ֗ם שָׂרֵ֤י אֲלָפִים֙ שָׂרֵ֣י מֵא֔וֹת שָׂרֵ֥י חֲמִשִּׁ֖ים וְשָׂרֵ֥י עֲשָׂרֹֽת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Moreover thou shalt provideחָזָהchâzâh · to seeH2372
- out of all the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- ableחַ֫יִלchayil · strengthH2428
- menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
- such as fearיָרֵאyârê' · afraidH3373
- Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- of truthאֱמֶת'emeth · truth: faithfulH571
- hatingשָׂנֵאώânê' · to hateH8130
- covetousnessבֶּ֫צַעbetsa‛ · unjust-gainH1215
- and placeשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: putH7760
- rulersשַׂרώar · rulerH8269
- of thousandsאֶ֫לֶף'eleph · thousandH505
- of hundredsמֵאָהmê'âh mê'yâh · hundredH3967
- of fiftiesחֲמִשִּׁיםchămishshîym · fiftyH2572
- of tensעֶשֶׂר‛eώer ‛ăώârâh · tenH6235
Cross-references for Exodus 18:21
- Deuteronomy 1:13Choose some well-respected men from each tribe who are known for their wisdom and understanding, and I will appoint them as your leaders.’
- Acts 6:3And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility.
- Exodus 18:25He chose capable men from all over Israel and appointed them as leaders over the people. He put them in charge of groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten.
- Deuteronomy 16:18“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.
- 1 Kings 3:9Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?”
- Proverbs 28:2When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily. But wise and knowledgeable leaders bring stability.
- Exodus 23:2“You must not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you are called to testify in a dispute, do not be swayed by the crowd to twist justice.
- Genesis 22:12“Don’t lay a hand on the boy!” the angel said. “Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son.”
- Genesis 42:18On the third day Joseph said to them, “I am a God-fearing man. If you do as I say, you will live.
- 2 Samuel 23:3The God of Israel spoke. The Rock of Israel said to me: ‘The one who rules righteously, who rules in the fear of God,
- 1 Kings 18:3So Ahab summoned Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. (Obadiah was a devoted follower of the Lord.
- 2 Chronicles 19:5He appointed judges throughout the nation in all the fortified towns,
- Nehemiah 5:9Then I pressed further, “What you are doing is not right! Should you not walk in the fear of our God in order to avoid being mocked by enemy nations?
- Nehemiah 7:2I gave the responsibility of governing Jerusalem to my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah, the commander of the fortress, for he was a faithful man who feared God more than most.
- Ecclesiastes 12:13That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty.
- Luke 18:2“There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people.
Commentaries on Exodus 18:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Able men - Persons of wisdom, discernment, judgment, prudence, and fortitude; for who can be a ruler without these qualifications? Such as fear God - Who are truly religious, without which they will feel little concerned either for the bodies or souls of the people. Men of truth - Honest and true in their own hearts and lives; speaking the truth, and judging according to the truth. Hating covetousness - Doing all for God's sake, and love to man; laboring…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Able men - The qualifications are remarkably complete, ability, piety, truthfulness, and unselfishness. From Deuteronomy 1:13, it appears that Moses left the selection of the persons to the people, an example followed by the Apostles; see Acts 6:3. Rulers of thousands - The numbers appear to be conventional, corresponding nearly, but not exactly, to the military, or civil divisions of the people: the largest division (1,000) is used as an equivalent of…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 18:21
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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