Parallel Verses English Standard Version So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said. King James Bible So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said. American Standard Version So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said. Douay-Rheims Bible And when Moses heard this, he did all things that he had suggested unto him. English Revised Version So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said. Webster's Bible Translation So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said. Exodus 18:24 Parallel Commentary Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old TestamentThe next day Jethro saw how Moses was occupied from morning till evening in judging the people, who brought all their disputes to him, that he might settle them according to the statutes of God. על עמד: as in Genesis 18:8. The people came to Moses "to seek or inquire of God" (Genesis 18:15), i.e., to ask for a decision from God: in most cases, this means to inquire through an oracle; here it signifies to desire a divine decision as to questions in dispute. By judging or deciding the cases brought before him, Moses made known to the people the ordinances and laws of God. For every decision was based upon some law, which, like all true justice here on earth, emanated first of all from God. This is the meaning of Genesis 18:16, and not, as Knobel supposes, that Moses made use of the questions in dispute, at the time they were decided, as good opportunities for giving laws to the people. Jethro condemned this plan (Genesis 18:18.) as exhausting, wearing out (נבל lit., to fade away, Psalm 37:2), both for Moses and the people: for the latter, inasmuch as they not only got wearied out through long waiting, but, judging from Genesis 18:23, very often began to take the law into their own hands on account of the delay in the judicial decision, and so undermined the well-being of the community at large; and for Moses, inasmuch as the work was necessarily too great for him, and he could not continue for any length of time to sustain such a burden alone (Genesis 18:18). The obsolete form of the inf. const. עשׂהוּ for עשׂתו is only used here, but is not without analogies in the Pentateuch. Jethro advised him (Genesis 18:19.) to appoint judged from the people for all the smaller matters in dispute, so that in future only the more difficult cases, which really needed a superior or divine decision, would be brought to him that he might lay them before God. "I will give thee counsel, and God be with thee (i.e., help thee to carry out this advice): Be thou to the people האלהים מוּל, towards God," i.e., lay their affairs before God, take the place of God in matters of judgment, or, as Luther expresses it, "take charge of the people before God." To this end, in the first place, he was to instruct the people in the commandments of God, and their own walk and conduct (הזהיר with a double accusative, to enlighten, instruct; שדרך the walk, the whole behaviour; מעשׂה particular actions); secondly, he was to select able men (חיל אנשׁי men of moral strength, 1 Kings 1:52) as judges, men who were God-fearing, sincere, and unselfish (gain-hating), and appoint them to administer justice to the people, by deciding the simpler matters themselves, and only referring the more difficult questions to him, and so to lighten his own duties by sharing the burden with these judges. מעליך הקל (Genesis 18:22) "make light of (that which lies) upon thee." If he would do this, and God would command him, he would be able to stand, and the people would come to their place, i.e., to Canaan, in good condition (בּשׁלום). The apodosis cannot begin with וצוּך, "then God will establish thee," for צוּה never has this meaning; but the idea is this, "if God should preside over the execution of the plan proposed." Treasury of Scripture Knowledge Cross References Exodus 18:23 If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace." Exodus 18:25 Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. Deuteronomy 1:9 "At that time I said to you, 'I am not able to bear you by myself. Jump to Previous Father-In-Law Hearkened Hearkeneth Heed Law Moses Note Voice WordsJump to Next Father-In-Law Hearkened Hearkeneth Heed Law Moses Note Voice WordsLinks Exodus 18:24 NIVExodus 18:24 NLT Exodus 18:24 ESV Exodus 18:24 NASB Exodus 18:24 KJV Exodus 18:24 Bible Apps Exodus 18:24 Biblia Paralela Exodus 18:24 Chinese Bible Exodus 18:24 French Bible Exodus 18:24 German Bible Bible Hub ESV Text Edition: 2016. The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. |