Deuteronomy 1:13

13 Take to yourselves wise and understanding and prudent men for your tribes, and I will set your leaders over you.

Deuteronomy 1:13 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 1:13

Take ye wise men, and understanding, and known among your
tribes
Not only whose persons were well known, but their characters and qualifications, for their probity and integrity, for their wisdom and prudence in the management of affairs, for their skill and knowledge in things divine and human, civil and religious, and for their capacity in judging and determining matters in difference; see ( Exodus 18:21 )

and I will make them rulers over you;
the people were allowed to choose their own officers, whom they were to bring to Moses, and present before him, to be invested with their office. A like method was taken in the choice and constitution of deacons in the Christian church, when the secular affairs of it lay too heavy upon the apostles, ( Acts 6:3 ) .

Deuteronomy 1:13 In-Context

11 The Lord God of your fathers add to you a thousand-fold more than you are, and bless you as he has spoken to you.

12 How shall I alone be able to bear your labour, and your burden, and your gainsayings?

13 Take to yourselves wise and understanding and prudent men for your tribes, and I will set your leaders over you.

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

15 So I took of you wise and understanding and prudent men, and I set them to rule over you as rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, and rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens, and officers to your judges.

Footnotes

• [a]. give.