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Exodus 18:13-26
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Exodus 18:13-26
Holman Christian Standard Bible
13 The next day Moses sat down to judge the people, and they stood around Moses from morning until evening. 14 When Moses’ father-in-law saw everything he was doing for them he asked, “What is this thing you’re doing for the people? Why are you alone sitting as judge, while all the people stand around you from morning until evening?”
15 Moses replied to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God. 16 Whenever they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I make a decision between one man and another. I teach them God’s statutes and laws.”(A)
17 “What you’re doing is not good,” Moses’ father-in-law said to him. 18 “You will certainly wear out both yourself and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you. You can’t do it alone.(B) 19 Now listen to me; I will give you some advice, and God be with you. You be the one to represent the people before God and bring their cases to Him. 20 Instruct them about the statutes and laws, and teach them the way to live and what they must do.(C) 21 But you should select from all the people able men, God-fearing, trustworthy, and hating bribes.(D) Place them over the people as commanders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.(E) 22 They should judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you every important case but judge every minor case themselves. In this way you will lighten your load,[a] and they will bear it with you.(F) 23 If you do this, and God so directs you, you will be able to endure, and also all these people will be able to go home satisfied.”[b]
24 Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. 25 So Moses chose able men from all Israel and made them leaders over the people as commanders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. 26 They judged the people at all times; they would bring the hard cases to Moses, but they would judge every minor case themselves.
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- Exodus 18:22 Lit lighten from on you
- Exodus 18:23 Lit go to their place in peace
Exodus 18:13-26
New International Version
Exodus 18:13-26
New International Version
13 The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. 14 When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, “What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?”
15 Moses answered him, “Because the people come to me to seek God’s will.(A) 16 Whenever they have a dispute,(B) it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God’s decrees and instructions.”(C)
17 Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good. 18 You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.(D) 19 Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you.(E) You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes(F) to him. 20 Teach them his decrees and instructions,(G) and show them the way they are to live(H) and how they are to behave.(I) 21 But select capable men(J) from all the people—men who fear(K) God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain(L)—and appoint them as officials(M) over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 22 Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case(N) to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share(O) it with you. 23 If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.”
24 Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. 25 He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders(P) of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.(Q) 26 They served as judges(R) for the people at all times. The difficult cases(S) they brought to Moses, but the simple ones they decided themselves.(T)
Exodus 18:13-26
King James Version
Exodus 18:13-26
King James Version
13 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening.
14 And 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?
15 And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God:
16 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.
17 And Moses' father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good.
18 Thou 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.
19 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:
20 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.
21 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:
22 And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.
23 If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.
24 So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said.
25 And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
26 And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.
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