Deuteronomy 1:16

16 Also at that time I gave these instructions to your judges: "Hear the cases that your people bring. Judge each case fairly, no matter whether it is [a dispute] between two Israelites or [a dispute] between an Israelite and a non-Israelite.

Deuteronomy 1:16 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 1:16

And I charged your judges at that time
When they were appointed and constituted, even the heads and rulers before spoken of; this charge is also new, and not recorded before:

saying, hear the causes between your brethren;
hear both sides, and all that each of them have to say; not suffer one to say all he has to say, and oblige the other to cut his words short, as the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it; but give them leave and time to tell their case, and give the best evidence they can of it:

and judge righteously;
impartially, just as the case really appears to be, and according to the evidence given:

between every man and his brother;
between an Israelite and an Israelite:

and the stranger that is with him;
between an Israelite and proselyte, whether a proselyte of the gate, or of righteousness; the same justice was to be done to them as to an Israelite.

Deuteronomy 1:16 In-Context

14 You agreed that this was a good idea.

15 So I took the heads of your tribes who were wise and experienced men and made them officers for each of your tribes. I put them in charge of groups of 1,000, or 100, or 50, or 10 people.

16 Also at that time I gave these instructions to your judges: "Hear the cases that your people bring. Judge each case fairly, no matter whether it is [a dispute] between two Israelites or [a dispute] between an Israelite and a non-Israelite.

17 Be impartial in your decisions. Listen to the least important people the same way you listen to the most important people. Never be afraid of anyone, since your decisions come from God. You may bring me any case that's too hard for you, and I will hear it."

18 So I told you how to handle these situations.