Exodus 18:16

Exodus 18:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.
• New International Version (NIV)Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God’s decrees and instructions.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)when they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between one person and another, and I make them know the statutes of God and his laws."
• New King James Version (NKJV)When they have a difficulty, they come to me, and I judge between one and another; and I make known the statutes of God and His laws.”

Context of Exodus 18:16

14And when Moses’ father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even? 15And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God: When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws. 17And Moses’ father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good. 18Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.

Exodus 18:16 word by word

כִּֽי־יִהְיֶ֨ה לָהֶ֤ם דָּבָר֙ בָּ֣א אֵלַ֔י וְשָׁ֣פַטְתִּ֔י בֵּ֥ין אִ֖ישׁ וּבֵ֣ין רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְהוֹדַעְתִּ֛י אֶת־חֻקֵּ֥י הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים וְאֶת־תּוֹרֹתָֽיו׃Read the interlinear

• When they have a matterדָּבָרdâbâr · word: caseH1697
• they comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• unto me; and I judgeשָׁפַטshâphaţ · to judgeH8199
• between oneאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
• and anotherרֵעַrêa‛ rêya‛ · neighborH7453
• knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• the statutesחֹקchôq · statute: decreeH2706
• of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• and his lawsתּוֹרָהtôrâh tôrâh · instructionH8451

Cross-references for Exodus 18:16

• Exodus 23:7Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.
• Exodus 24:14And he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you: if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto them.
• Deuteronomy 17:8If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within thy gates: then shalt thou arise, and get thee up into the place which Yhwh thy God shall choose;
• 2 Samuel 15:3And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.
• Job 31:13If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;
• Acts 18:14And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you:
• 1 Corinthians 6:1Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?
• Exodus 2:13And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow?
• Leviticus 24:15And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin.
• Numbers 15:35And Yhwh said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.
• Numbers 27:6And Yhwh spake unto Moses, saying,
• Numbers 36:6This is the thing which Yhwh doth command concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, saying, Let them marry to whom they think best; only to the family of the tribe of their father shall they marry.
• Deuteronomy 4:5Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as Yhwh my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it.
• Deuteronomy 5:1And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them.
• Deuteronomy 6:1Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which Yhwh your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it:
• 1 Samuel 12:23Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against Yhwh in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:

Commentaries on Exodus 18:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws - These words are so very particular that they leave little room for doubt that the law had been given. Such words would scarcely have been used had not the statutes and laws been then in existence. And this is one of the proofs that the transaction mentioned here stands out of its due chronological order; See Clarke's note on Exodus 18:5.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 18:16

• Government
• Moses
• Rulers

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