Exodus 18:16-26

16 "When they have a ¹dispute, it comes to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor and make known the statutes of God and His laws."

Jethro Counsels Moses

17 Moses' father-in-law said to him, "The thing that you are doing is not good.

18 "²You will surely wear out, both yourself and these people who are with you, for the task is too heavy for you; ³you cannot * do it alone.

19 "Now listen to me: I will give you counsel, and God be with you. You be the people's representative before God, and you ⁴bring the disputes to God,

20 ⁵then teach them the statutes and the laws, and make known to them ⁶the way in which they are to walk and the work they are to do.

21 "Furthermore, you shall select out of all the people ⁷able men ⁸who fear God, men of truth, those who ⁹hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens.

22 "Let them judge the people at all times; and let it be ¹⁰that every major dispute they will bring to you, but every minor dispute they themselves will judge. So it will be easier for you, and ¹¹they will bear the burden with you.

23 "If you do this thing and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people also will go to their place in peace."

24 So Moses listened to his father-in-law and did all that he had said.

25 Moses chose ¹²able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens.

26 They judged the people at all times; ¹³the difficult dispute they would bring to Moses, but every minor dispute they themselves would judge.

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Exodus 18:16-26 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 18

This chapter gives an account of Jethro, Moses's father-in-law, with Zipporah his daughter, the wife of Moses, and her two sons, meeting him in the wilderness, who was kindly received by him, Ex 18:1-7 and on Moses' relating the great things God had done for Israel, Jethro expressed his joy on that account, gave praise to God, offered sacrifice, and kept a feast with the elders of Israel, Ex 18:8-12, and observing the constant and fatiguing business Moses had on his hands from morning to evening in judging the people, Ex 18:13-18, he gave him advice to appoint persons under him to receive laws and ordinances from him, he should have from God, and, according to them, judge and govern the people under them, some being rulers of thousands, others of hundreds, others of fifties, and some of tens, Ex 18:19-23, which counsel was acceptable to Moses, and he took it, Ex 18:24-26 and the chapter is concluded with their friendly parting, Ex 18:27.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 13

1. Exodus 24:14
2. Numbers 11:14, 17; Deuteronomy 1:12
3. Deuteronomy 1:9
4. Numbers 27:5
5. Deuteronomy 1:18; Deuteronomy 4:1, 5; Deuteronomy 5:1
6. Psalms 143:8
7. Exodus 18:25; Deuteronomy 1:13, 15; 2 Chronicles 19:5-10; Psalms 15:1-5; Acts 6:3
8. Genesis 42:18; 2 Samuel 23:3
9. Deuteronomy 16:19
10. Deuteronomy 1:17, 18
11. Numbers 11:17
12. Exodus 18:21; Deuteronomy 1:15
13. Exodus 18:22

Footnotes 21

[a]. Lit "matter"
[b]. Lit "this"
[c]. Lit "matter"
[d]. Lit "my voice"
[e]. Lit "You be for the people in front of God"
[f]. Lit "matters"
[g]. Lit "see"
[h]. Lit "leaders of"
[i]. Lit "leaders of"
[j]. Lit "leaders of"
[k]. Lit "matter"
[l]. Lit "matter"
[m]. Lit "stand"
[n]. Lit "this"
[o]. Lit "his"
[p]. Lit "to the voice of"
[q]. Lit "leaders of"
[r]. Lit "leaders of"
[s]. Lit "leaders of"
[t]. Lit "matter"
[u]. Lit "matter"