Exodus 18:20

Exodus 18:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.
• New International Version (NIV)Teach them his decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave.
• English Standard Version (ESV)and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And you shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and show them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do.

Context of Exodus 18:20

18You will surely wear yourself out, as well as these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you. You cannot do it alone, by yourself. 19Now listen to my voice—I will give you advice, and may God be with you! You, represent the people before God, and bring their cases to God. Enlighten them as to the statutes and the laws, and show them the way by which they must walk and the work they must do. 21But you should seek out capable men out of all the people—men who fear God, men of truth, who hate bribery. Appoint them to be rulers over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 22Let them judge the people all the time. Then let every major case be brought to you, but every minor case they can judge for themselves. Make it easier for yourself, as they bear the burden with you.

Exodus 18:20 word by word

וְהִזְהַרְתָּ֣ה אֶתְהֶ֔ם אֶת־הַחֻקִּ֖ים וְאֶת־הַתּוֹרֹ֑ת וְהוֹדַעְתָּ֣ לָהֶ֗ם אֶת־הַדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ יֵ֣לְכוּ בָ֔הּ וְאֶת־הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַעֲשֽׂוּן׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And thou shalt teachאֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• And thou shalt teachזָהַרzâhar · to warnH2094
• them ordinancesחֹקchôq · statute: decreeH2706
• and lawsתּוֹרָהtôrâh tôrâh · instructionH8451
• and shalt shewיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• them the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: conductH1870
• wherein they must walkיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• and the workמַעֲשֶׂהma‛ăώeh · deed: workH4639
• that they must doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213

Cross-references for Exodus 18:20

• Exodus 18:16When they have an issue, it comes to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor, so I make them understand God’s statutes and His laws.”
• Deuteronomy 4:1“Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and ordinances that I am teaching you to do, so that you may live and go in and possess the land that Adonai the God of your fathers is giving you.
• Deuteronomy 5:1Moses called to all Israel and said to them, “Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the ordinances that I am speaking in your hearing today, learn them and make sure to do them.
• Deuteronomy 6:1“Now this is the commandment, the statutes and ordinances that Adonai your God commanded to teach you to do in the land you are crossing over to possess—
• Deuteronomy 7:11Therefore you are to keep the commandment—both the statutes and the ordinances—that I am commanding you today, to do them.
• Nehemiah 9:13“You descended on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven. You gave them just judgments, reliable laws, and good statutes and mitzvot.
• 1 Samuel 12:23Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against Adonai by ceasing to pray for you! Yet I will keep instructing you in the good and straight way.
• Psalms 32:8“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. I will give counsel—My eye is on you.
• Psalms 143:8Make me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, for in You I trust. Show me the way I should go, for to You I lift up my soul.
• Isaiah 30:21Your ears will hear a word behind you saying: “This is the way, walk in it. When you turn to the right, or when you turn to the left.”
• Jeremiah 6:16Thus says Adonai: “Stand in the roads and look. Ask for the ancient paths— where the good way is— and walk in it. Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We won’t walk in it.’
• Jeremiah 42:3that Adonai your God may tell us the way we should go and what we should do.”
• Micah 4:2Then many nations will go and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of Adonai, to the House of the God of Jacob! Then He will direct us in His ways, and we will walk in His paths.” For Torah will go forth from Zion, and the word of Adonai from Jerusalem.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:1Finally then, brothers and sisters, we ask you and appeal in the Lord Yeshua—just as you received from us the way you ought to walk and please God (as in fact you are walking)—that you keep progressing more and more.
• Deuteronomy 1:18“I commanded you at that time everything you should do.
• Ezekiel 3:17“Son of man, I have appointed you as a watchman for the house of Israel. When you hear a word from My mouth, give them a warning from Me.

Commentaries on Exodus 18:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Thou shalt teach them ordinances - חקים chukkim, all such precepts as relate to the ceremonies of religion and political economy. And laws, התורת hattoroth, the instructions relative to the whole system of morality. And shalt show them the way - הדרך אה eth hadderech, That very Way, that only way, which God himself has revealed, and in which they should walk in order to please him, and get their souls everlastingly saved. And the work that they must do…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Teach them - The Hebrew word is emphatic, and signifies “enlightenment.” The text gives four distinct points: (a) the “ordinances,” or specific enactments, (b) “the laws,” or general regulations, (c) “the way,” the general course of duty, (d) “the works,” each specific act.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 18:20

• Government
• Moses
• Prudence
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

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

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