Exodus 18:19-23

19 Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes to him.
20 Teach them his decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave.
21 But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials 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 to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share 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.”

Exodus 18:19-23 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.

Cross References 11

  • 1. Exodus 3:12
  • 2. ver 15; Numbers 27:5
  • 3. Deuteronomy 4:1,5; Deuteronomy 5:1; Ps 119:12,26,68
  • 4. Psalms 143:8
  • 5. S Genesis 39:11; Deuteronomy 1:18
  • 6. S Genesis 47:6; Acts 6:3
  • 7. S Genesis 22:12
  • 8. Exodus 23:8; Deuteronomy 16:19; 1 Samuel 12:3; Psalms 15:5; Proverbs 17:23; Proverbs 28:8; Ecclesiastes 7:7; Ezekiel 18:8; Ezekiel 22:12
  • 9. Numbers 1:16; Numbers 7:2; Numbers 10:4; Deuteronomy 16:18; Ezr Numbers 7:25; Deuteronomy 1:13,15; 2 Chronicles 19:5-10
  • 10. Leviticus 24:11; Deuteronomy 1:17-18
  • 11. Numbers 11:17; Deuteronomy 1:9
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