Exodus 18:26

Exodus 18:26 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.
• New International Version (NIV)They served as judges for the people at all times. The difficult cases they brought to Moses, but the simple ones they decided themselves.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And they judged the people at all times. Any hard case they brought to Moses, but any small matter they decided themselves.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So they judged the people at all times; the hard cases they brought to Moses, but they judged every small case themselves.

Context of Exodus 18:26

24Moses listened to his father-in-law’s advice and followed his suggestions. 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. These men were always available to solve the people’s common disputes. They brought the major cases to Moses, but they took care of the smaller matters themselves. 27Soon after this, Moses said good-bye to his father-in-law, who returned to his own land.

Exodus 18:26 word by word

וְשָׁפְט֥וּ אֶת־הָעָ֖ם בְּכָל־עֵ֑ת אֶת־הַדָּבָ֤ר הַקָּשֶׁה֙ יְבִיא֣וּן אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה וְכָל־הַדָּבָ֥ר הַקָּטֹ֖ן יִשְׁפּוּט֥וּ הֵֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And they judgedשָׁפַטshâphaţ · to judgeH8199
• the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• at all seasonsעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
• the hardקָשֶׁהqâsheh · severeH7186
• causesדָּבָרdâbâr · word: caseH1697
• they broughtבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
• unto Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
• but every smallקָטֹןqâţân qâţôn · smallH6996
• matterהֵ֫מָּהhêm hêmmâh · they(masc.)H1992

Cross-references for Exodus 18:26

• Exodus 18:14When 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?”
• Exodus 18:15Moses replied, “Because the people come to me to get a ruling from God.
• Deuteronomy 17:8“Suppose a case arises in a local court that is too hard for you to decide—for instance, whether someone is guilty of murder or only of manslaughter, or a difficult lawsuit, or a case involving different kinds of assault. Take such legal cases to the place the Lord your God will choose,
• 1 Kings 3:16Some time later two prostitutes came to the king to have an argument settled.
• 1 Kings 10:1When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, which brought honor to the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions.
• Job 29:16I was a father to the poor and assisted strangers who needed help.

Commentaries on Exodus 18:26

• 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. 13-27Jethro’s wise advice shows another example of God’s care and guidance. This time, God did not act through a miracle. Instead, He used practical wisdom. Jethro taught Moses a new way to lead. He told Moses to share his authority with other capable leaders. This way of leadership is called delegation. It means giving responsibility to others. Before this, Moses seems to have followed an Egyptian style of leadership. That system was very strict and top-down…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 18:26

• Court
• Government
• Moses

In the dictionaries

• Moses
• Appeal
• Goodness
• Hard
• Heavy
• Jethro
• Matter
• Wear
• Blindness, Judicial
• Courts, 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