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Monday, July 21st, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Exodus 18:22

Have these men judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you any major issue, but all minor cases they can judge on their own, so that your load may be lightened as they share it with you.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Court;   Government;   Judge;   Moses;   Prudence;   Rulers;   Thompson Chain Reference - Courts;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Desert, Journey of Israel through the;   Kenites, the;   Prudence;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Burden;   Jethro;   Justice;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Judge;   Moses;   Ruler;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Elder;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Appeal;   Burden;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Rephidim;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Court Systems;   Exodus, Book of;   Judge (Office);   Rephidim;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Jethro;   Judges;   Justice;   Moses;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Appeal;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Burden;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Government of the Hebrews;   Judges;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Moses, the Man of God;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Decision;   Gate, East;   Jethro;   Judge;   Judging;   Moses;   Ruler;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Appeal;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Jethro;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Let them judge the people at all times. It shall be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall judge themselves. So shall it be easier for you, and they shall share the load with you.
King James Version
And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.
Lexham English Bible
And let them judge the people all the time, and every major issue they will bring to you, and every minor issue they will judge themselves. And so lighten it for yourself, and they will bear it with you.
New Century Version
Let these officers solve the disagreements among the people all the time. They can bring the hard cases to you, but they can decide the simple cases themselves. That will make it easier for you, because they will share the work with you.
New English Translation
They will judge the people under normal circumstances, and every difficult case they will bring to you, but every small case they themselves will judge, so that you may make it easier for yourself, and they will bear the burden with you.
Amplified Bible
"They shall judge the people at all times; have them bring every major dispute to you, but let them judge every minor dispute themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you.
New American Standard Bible
"Let them judge the people at all times; and let it be that they will bring to you every major matter, but they will judge every minor matter themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will carry the burden with you.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And let them iudge the people at all seasons: but euery great matter let them bring vnto thee, and let them iudge all small causes: so shall it be easier for thee, when they shal beare the burden with thee.
Legacy Standard Bible
And they will judge the people at all times. And it will be that every major matter they will bring to you, but every minor matter they themselves will judge. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you.
Contemporary English Version
These judges can handle the ordinary cases and bring the more difficult ones to you. Having them to share the load will make your work easier.
Complete Jewish Bible
Normally, they will settle the people's disputes. They should bring you the difficult cases; but ordinary matters they should decide themselves. In this way, they will make it easier for you and share the load with you.
Darby Translation
that they may judge the people at all times; and it shall be [that] they shall bring to thee every great matter, and that they shall judge every small matter, and they shall lighten [the task] on thee, and they shall bear [it] with thee.
Easy-to-Read Version
Let these rulers judge the people. If there is a very important case, then they can come to you and let you decide what to do. But they can decide the other cases themselves. In this way these men will share your work with you, and it will be easier for you to lead the people.
English Standard Version
And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you.
George Lamsa Translation
Let them judge the people at all times; and when they have an important matter, let them come to you; but every small matter they shall judge for themselves; so it shall be easier for you, and they shall bear the burden with you.
Good News Translation
Let them serve as judges for the people on a permanent basis. They can bring all the difficult cases to you, but they themselves can decide all the smaller disputes. That will make it easier for you, as they share your burden.
Christian Standard Bible®
They should judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you every major case but judge every minor case themselves. In this way you will lighten your load, and they will bear it with you.
Literal Translation
And let them judge the people at all times. And it shall be that every great matter they shall bring to you, and every small matter they shall judge. And you make it easy on yourself, and let them bear with you.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
that they maye allwaye iudge the people. But where there is eny greate matter, that they brynge the same vnto the, and iudge the small causes them selues: so shall it be lighter for the, yf they beare the burthen with the.
American Standard Version
and let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge themselves: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.
Bible in Basic English
And let them be judges in the causes of the people at all times: and let them put before you all important questions, but in small things let them give decisions themselves: in this way, it will be less hard for you, and they will take the weight off you.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And let them iudge the people at all seasons: and euery great matter that commeth, let them bryng vnto thee, but let them iudge all small causes them selues, and so shall it be easier for thy selfe, and they shall beare a [burthen] with thee.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And let them judge the people at all seasons; and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge themselves; so shall they make it easier for thee and bear the burden with thee.
King James Version (1611)
And let them iudge the people at all seasons: and it shall bee that euery great matter they shall bring vnto thee, but euery small matter they shal iudge: so shall it be easier for thy selfe, and they shall beare the burden with thee.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And they shall judge the people at all times, and the too burdensome matter they shall bring to thee, but they shall judge the smaller cases; so they shall relieve thee and help thee.
English Revised Version
and let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge themselves: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
whiche schulen deme the puple in al tyme; sotheli what ever thing is grettere, telle thei to thee, and deme thei ooneli lesse thingis, and be it esiere to thee, whanne the burthun is departid in to othere men.
Young's Literal Translation
and they have judged the people at all times; and it hath come to pass, every great matter they bring in unto thee, and every small matter they judge themselves; and lighten it from off thyself, and they have borne with thee.
Update Bible Version
and let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall judge themselves: so it shall be easier for yourself, and they shall bear [the burden] with you.
Webster's Bible Translation
And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, [that] every great matter they shall bring to thee, but every small matter they shall judge: So shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear [the burden] with thee.
World English Bible
Let them judge the people at all times. It shall be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall judge themselves. So shall it be easier for you, and they shall share the load with you.
New King James Version
And let them judge the people at all times. Then it will be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they themselves shall judge. So it will be easier for you, for they will bear the burden with you.
New Living Translation
They should always be available to solve the people's common disputes, but have them bring the major cases to you. Let the leaders decide the smaller matters themselves. They will help you carry the load, making the task easier for you.
New Life Bible
Let them judge the people at all times. Have all the big troubles brought to you. But have them judge the small troubles. So it will be easier for you. They will share the work with you.
New Revised Standard
Let them sit as judges for the people at all times; let them bring every important case to you, but decide every minor case themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So shall they judge the people at any time, and it shall be, all the great matters, shall they bring in unto thee, but all the small matters, shall, they themselves, judge, - so, lighten thou the burden for thyself, and let them bear it with thee.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Who may judge the people at all times: and when any great matter soever shall fall out, let them refer it to thee, and let them judge the lesser matters only: that so it may be lighter for thee, the burden being shared out unto others.
Revised Standard Version
And let them judge the people at all times; every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves; so it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Let them judge the people at all times; and let it be that every major dispute they will bring to you, but every minor dispute they themselves will judge. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you.

Contextual Overview

13The 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?" 15"Because the people come to me to inquire of God," Moses replied. 16"Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me to judge between one man and another, and I make known to them the statutes and laws of God." 17But Moses' father-in-law said to him, "What you are doing is not good. 18Surely you and these people with you will wear yourselves out, because the task is too heavy for you. You cannot handle it alone. 19Now listen to me; I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people's representative before God and bring their causes to Him. 20Teach them the statutes and laws, and show them the way to live and the work they must do. 21Furthermore, select capable men from among the people-God-fearing, trustworthy men who are averse to dishonest gain. Appoint them over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. 22Have these men judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you any major issue, but all minor cases they can judge on their own, so that your load may be lightened as they share it with you.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

at all seasons: Exodus 18:26, Romans 13:6

great: Leviticus 24:11, Numbers 15:33, Numbers 27:2, Numbers 36:1, Deuteronomy 1:17, Deuteronomy 17:8, Deuteronomy 17:9

they shall: Exodus 18:18, Numbers 11:17

Reciprocal: Exodus 22:9 - the cause of both parties Ruth 4:2 - the elders 2 Chronicles 19:7 - let the Daniel 6:1 - an Luke 18:2 - which

Cross-References

Genesis 18:1
Then the LORD appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre in the heat of the day, while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent.
Genesis 18:2
And Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
Genesis 18:16
When the men got up to leave they looked out over Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them off.
Genesis 19:1
The two angels entered Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When Lot saw them, he got up to meet them, bowed with his face to the ground,
Psalms 106:23
So He said He would destroy them-had not Moses His chosen one stood before Him in the breach to divert His wrath from destroying them.
Jeremiah 15:1
Then the LORD said to me: "Even if Moses and Samuel should stand before Me, My heart would not go out to this people. Send them from My presence, and let them go.
Jeremiah 18:20
Should good be repaid with evil? Yet they have dug a pit for me. Remember how I stood before You to speak good on their behalf, to turn Your wrath from them.
Ezekiel 22:30
I searched for a man among them to repair the wall and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, so that I should not destroy it. But I found no one.
Acts 7:55
But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked intently into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
1 Timothy 2:1
First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be offered on behalf of all men

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And let them judge the people at all times,.... In their several districts, whenever a matter of difference between man and man arises, and the case is brought before them, let them judge impartially between them, and determine what is right and wrong, and execute judgment and justice truly; which would take off a great deal of business from the hands of Moses:

and it shall be that every great matter they shall bring to thee; any affair of great importance, and difficult of determination, and about which the judges may have some doubt in their minds, and they are not clear as to the decision of it; this, they the judges, not the people, were to bring to Moses:

but every small matter; which is of no great importance, or is easy of decision, where the right and the wrong clearly appear, and there is no difficulty in the determination of it:

so shall it be easier for thyself; to go through the business that would be necessarily devolved upon him, as the chief ruler and governor, supreme judge, lawgiver, leader, and commander:

and they shall bear the burden with thee; of ruling and judging the people; they taking a share of it, it would sit the lighter and easier upon him; and the whole seems to be wise and prudent counsel.


 
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