Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. New Living Translation The next day, Moses took his seat to hear the people’s disputes against each other. They waited before him from morning till evening. English Standard Version The next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning till evening. Berean Standard Bible The next day Moses took his seat to judge the people, and they stood around him from morning until evening. King James Bible And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening. New King James Version And so it was, on the next day, that Moses sat to judge the people; and the people stood before Moses from morning until evening. New American Standard Bible And it came about the next day, that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood before Moses from the morning until the evening. NASB 1995 It came about the next day that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood about Moses from the morning until the evening. NASB 1977 And it came about the next day that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood about Moses from the morning until the evening. Legacy Standard Bible Now it happened the next day that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood about Moses from the morning until the evening. Amplified Bible Now the next day Moses sat to judge [the disputes] the people [had with one another], and the people stood around Moses from dawn to dusk. Christian Standard Bible The next day Moses sat down to judge the people, and they stood around Moses from morning until evening. Holman Christian Standard Bible The next day Moses sat down to judge the people, and they stood around Moses from morning until evening. American Standard Version And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood about Moses from the morning unto the evening. Aramaic Bible in Plain English And it was the next day and Moshe sat down to judge the people, and the people were standing over from Moshe from dawn and unto evening. Brenton Septuagint Translation And it came to pass after the morrow that Moses sat to judge the people, and all the people stood by Moses from morning till evening. Contemporary English Version The next morning Moses sat down at the place where he decided legal cases for the people, and everyone crowded around him until evening. Douay-Rheims Bible And the next day Moses sat, to judge the people, who stood by Moses from morning until night. English Revised Version And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood about Moses from the morning unto the evening. GOD'S WORD® Translation The next day Moses was settling disagreements among the people. The people stood around Moses from morning until evening. Good News Translation The next day Moses was settling disputes among the people, and he was kept busy from morning till night. International Standard Version The next day Moses sat down to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning until evening. JPS Tanakh 1917 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people; and the people stood about Moses from the morning unto the evening. Literal Standard Version And it comes to pass on the next day, that Moses sits to judge the people, and the people stand before Moses from the morning to the evening; Majority Standard Bible The next day Moses took his seat to judge the people, and they stood around him from morning until evening. New American Bible The next day Moses sat in judgment for the people, while they stood around him from morning until evening. NET Bible On the next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning until evening. New Revised Standard Version The next day Moses sat as judge for the people, while the people stood around him from morning until evening. New Heart English Bible It happened on the next day, that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from the morning to the evening. Webster's Bible Translation And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning to the evening. World English Bible On the next day, Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from the morning to the evening. Young's Literal Translation And it cometh to pass on the morrow, that Moses sitteth to judge the people, and the people stand before Moses, from the morning unto the evening; Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Jethro Advises Moses13 The next day Moses took his seat to judge the people, and they stood around him from morning until evening. 14When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he asked, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone as judge, with all the people standing around you from morning till evening?”… Cross References Exodus 18:12 Then Moses' father-in-law Jethro brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law in the presence of God. Exodus 18:14 When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he asked, "What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone as judge, with all the people standing around you from morning till evening?" Treasury of Scripture And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning to the evening. Judges 5:10 Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way. Job 29:7 When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street! Isaiah 16:5 And in mercy shall the throne be established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness. Jump to Previous Decisions Evening Judge Morning Morrow Moses Sat Seat Serve Sitteth Stand Stood WaitingJump to Next Decisions Evening Judge Morning Morrow Moses Sat Seat Serve Sitteth Stand Stood WaitingExodus 18 1. Jethro brings his wife and two sons to Moses7. Moses entertains him, and relates the goodness of the Lord 9. Jethro rejoices, blesses God, and offers sacrifice 13. He gives good counsel, which is accepted 27. Jethro departs (13) On the morrow.--The day following Jethro's arrival. Moses sat to judge the people.--The office of prince, or ruler, was in early times regarded as including within it that of judge. Rulers in these ages were sometimes even called "judges," as were those of Israel from Joshua to Samuel, and those of Carthage at a later date (suffetes). Ability to judge was thought to mark out a person as qualified for the kingly office (Herod. i. 97). Moses, it would seem, had, from the time that he became chief of his nation, undertaken the hearing of all complaints and the decision of all causes. He held court days from time to time, when the host was stationary, and judged all the cases that were brought before him. No causes were decided by any one else. Either it had not occurred to him that the duty might be discharged by deputy, or he had seen reasons against the adoption of such an arrangement. Perhaps he had thought his countrymen unfit as yet for the difficult task. At any rate, he had acted as sole judge, and had, no doubt, to discharge the duty pretty frequently. Knowing that there was much business on hand, he did not allow the visit of his near connection to interfere with his usual habits, but held his court just as if Jethro had not been there. The people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening.--So great was the number of causes, or so difficult were they of decision, that Moses was occupied the whole day in deciding them. Following the usual Oriental practice, he began early in the morning, and found himself compelled to continue until nightfall. It is not clear whether his "sessions" were always of this length, or whether on this occasion the ordinary time was exceeded. Some have suggested that the division of the Amalekite spoil would naturally have led to disputes, and so to complaints. Verses 13-26. - JETHRO'S ADVICE TO MOSES, AND ITS ADOPTION. The office of ruler in ancient times, whether exercised by a king, a prince, or a mere chieftain, was always understood to include within it the office of judge. In the Greek ideal of the origin of kingly government (Herod. 1:96), the able discharge of judicial functions marks the individual out for sovereignty. The successors of Moses, like the chief rulers of Carthage, bore the title of "Judges" (shophetim, suffetes). Moses, it appears, had from the time when he was accepted as leader by the people (Exodus 4:29-31), regarded himself as bound to hear and decide all the causes and complaints which arose among the entire Israelite people. He had net delegated his authority to any one. This can scarcely have been because the idea had not occurred to him, for the Egyptian kings ordinarily decided causes by judges nominated ad hoc. Perhaps he had distrusted the ability of his countrymen - so recently slaves - to discharge such delicate functions. At any rate, he had reserved the duty wholly to himself (ver. 18). This course appeared to Jethro unwise. No man could, he thought, in the case of so great a nation, singly discharge such an office with satisfaction to himself and others. Moses would "wear himself away" with the fatigue; and he would exhaust the patience of the people through inability to keep pace with the number of cases that necessarily arose. Jethro therefore recommended the appointment of subordinate judges, and the reservation by Moses of nothing but the right to decide such cases as these judges should, on account of their difficulty, refer to him (ver. 22) On reflection, Moses accepted this course as the best open to him under the circumstances, and established a multiplicity of judges, under a system which will be discussed in the comment on verse 25. Verse 13. - On the morrow. The day after Jethro's arrival. Moses sat to judge the people. Moses, i.e., took his seat in an accustomed place, probably at the door of his tent, and. was understood to be ready to hear and decide causes. The people stood by Moses. A crowd of complainants soon collected, and kept Moses employed incessantly from the morning, when he had taken his seat, until the evening, i.e., until nightfall. It is conjectured that many complaints may have arisen out of the division of the spoil of the Amalekites.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew The next dayמִֽמָּחֳרָ֔ת (mim·mā·ḥo·rāṯ) Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 4283: The morrow, tomorrow Moses מֹשֶׁ֖ה (mō·šeh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 4872: Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiver took his seat וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב (way·yê·šeḇ) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry to judge לִשְׁפֹּ֣ט (liš·pōṭ) Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Strong's 8199: To judge, pronounce sentence, to vindicate, punish, to govern, to litigate the people, הָעָ֑ם (hā·‘ām) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock and they stood וַיַּעֲמֹ֤ד (way·ya·‘ă·mōḏ) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 5975: To stand, in various relations around עַל־ (‘al-) Preposition Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against [him] מֹשֶׁ֔ה (mō·šeh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 4872: Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiver from מִן־ (min-) Preposition Strong's 4480: A part of, from, out of morning הַבֹּ֖קֶר (hab·bō·qer) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 1242: Dawn, morning until עַד־ (‘aḏ-) Preposition Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while evening. הָעָֽרֶב׃ (hā·‘ā·reḇ) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 6153: Evening Links Exodus 18:13 NIVExodus 18:13 NLT Exodus 18:13 ESV Exodus 18:13 NASB Exodus 18:13 KJV Exodus 18:13 BibleApps.com Exodus 18:13 Biblia Paralela Exodus 18:13 Chinese Bible Exodus 18:13 French Bible Exodus 18:13 Catholic Bible OT Law: Exodus 18:13 It happened on the next day that (Exo. 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