Deuteronomy 1:15

15 So I took the chief of your tribes, wise men, and known , and made^[a] them heads over you, captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes.

Deuteronomy 1:15 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 1:15

So I took the chief of your tribes, wise men, and known
The principal persons among them, that were remarkable and well known for their wisdom and understanding, whom the people presented to him:

and made them heads over you;
rulers of them, as follows:

captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over
fifties, and captains over tens;
see ( Exodus 18:21-25 )

and officers among your tribes;
which Jarchi interprets of such that bind malefactors and scourge them, according to the decree of the judges, even the executioners of justice; and so the Jews commonly understand them to be, though some have thought they were judges also.

Deuteronomy 1:15 In-Context

13 Take you wise men, and understanding , and known among your tribes, and I will make them rulers over you.

14 And ye answered me, and said , The thing which thou hast spoken is good for us to do .

15 So I took the chief of your tribes, wise men, and known , and made them heads over you, captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes.

16 And I charged your judges at that time, saying , Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him.

17 Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God's: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.

Footnotes

• [a]. made: Heb. gave