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Saturday, July 19th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Read the Bible

The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Exodus 18:25

So Moses chose capable men from all Israel and made them heads over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

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

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Jethro;   Justice;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Judge;   Moses;   Ruler;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Dead Sea Scrolls;   Elder;   Moses;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Ordination;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Appeal;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Census;   Rephidim;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Court Systems;   Exodus, Book of;   Hundreds;   Rephidim;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Jethro;   Judges;   Justice;   Moses;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Seventy (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Appeal;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Law of Moses;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Elders;   Government of the Hebrews;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Moses, the Man of God;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Courts, Judicial;   Decision;   Jethro;   Judge;   Judging;   Moses;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Appeal;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Elder;   Jethro;   Judge;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Moshe chose able men out of all Yisra'el, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
King James Version
And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
Lexham English Bible
And Moses chose men of ability from all Israel, and he appointed them as heads over the people, as commanders of thousands, commanders of hundreds, commanders of fifties, and commanders of tens.
New Century Version
He chose capable men from all the Israelites and made them leaders over the people; they were officers over groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.
New English Translation
Moses chose capable men from all Israel, and he made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
Amplified Bible
Moses chose able men from all Israel and made them heads over the people, leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens [from the highest to the lowest judicial levels].
New American Standard Bible
Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And Moses chose men of courage out of all Israel, and made them heads ouer the people, rulers ouer thousandes, rulers ouer hundreths, rulers ouer fifties, and rulers ouer tennes.
Legacy Standard Bible
And Moses chose excellent men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
Contemporary English Version
He chose some competent leaders from every tribe in Israel and put them over groups of ten, fifty, a hundred, and a thousand.
Complete Jewish Bible
Moshe chose competent men from all Isra'el and made them heads over the people, in charge of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.
Darby Translation
And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, chiefs of thousands, chiefs of hundreds, chiefs of fifties, and chiefs of tens.
Easy-to-Read Version
Moses chose good men from among the Israelites. He made them leaders over the people. There were rulers over 1000 people, 100 people, 50 people, and ten people.
English Standard Version
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.
George Lamsa Translation
And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and appointed them officers over the people, officers of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
Good News Translation
and chose capable men from among all the Israelites. He appointed them as leaders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.
Christian Standard Bible®
So Moses chose able men from all Israel and made them leaders over the people as commanders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.
Literal Translation
And Moses chose men of ability from all Israel and made them heads over the people; rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And he chose honest men out of all Israel, and made them heades ouer the people, some ouer thousandes, ouer hundredes, ouer fiftie, and ouer ten,
American Standard Version
And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
Bible in Basic English
And he made selection of able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, captains of thousands, captains of hundreds and of fifties and of tens.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Moyses chose actiue men out of all Israel, and made them as heades ouer the people, namely rulers of thousandes, rulers of hundrethes, rulers of fiftithes, and rulers of tennes,
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
King James Version (1611)
And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads ouer the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tennes.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Moses chose out able men out of all Israel, and he made them captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, and captains of fifties and captains of tens over the people.
English Revised Version
And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And whanne noble men of al Israel weren chosun Moises ordeynede hem princis of the puple, tribunes, and centuriouns, and quinquagenaries, and denes,
Young's Literal Translation
and Moses chooseth men of ability out of all Israel, and maketh them chiefs over the people, heads of thousands, heads of hundreds, heads of fifties, and heads of tens,
Update Bible Version
And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
Webster's Bible Translation
And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
World English Bible
Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
New King James Version
And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people: rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
New Living Translation
He chose capable men from all over Israel and appointed them as leaders over the people. He put them in charge of groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten.
New Life Bible
Moses chose able men out of all Israel. And he made them leaders over the people, leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens.
New Revised Standard
Moses chose able men from all Israel and appointed them as heads over the people, as officers over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
and Moses chose men of ability out of all Israel, and set them to be heads over the people, - rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And choosing able men out of all Israel, he appointed them rulers of the people, rulers over thousands, and over hundreds, and over fifties, and over tens.
Revised Standard Version
Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens.

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

Exodus 18:21, Deuteronomy 1:15, Acts 6:5

Reciprocal: Exodus 24:14 - if any man Numbers 1:4 - General Numbers 1:16 - heads Numbers 13:2 - a ruler Numbers 25:4 - all the heads Numbers 25:5 - judges Numbers 30:1 - General Deuteronomy 16:18 - Judges Deuteronomy 31:28 - Gather unto me Joshua 22:14 - an head Joshua 24:1 - called 1 Chronicles 27:1 - captains 2 Chronicles 19:7 - let the 2 Chronicles 25:5 - captains over thousands Micah 5:2 - thousands

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 18:5
And I will bring a bit of bread so that you may refresh yourselves. This is why you have passed your servant's way. After that, you may continue on your way." "Yes," they replied, "you may do as you have said."
Genesis 18:6
So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, "Quick! Prepare three seahs of fine flour, knead it, and bake some bread."
Genesis 18:7
Meanwhile, Abraham ran to the herd, selected a tender, choice calf, and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it.
Genesis 18:10
Then the LORD said, "I will surely return to you at this time next year, and your wife Sarah will have a son!" Now Sarah was behind him, listening at the entrance to the tent.
Genesis 18:11
And Abraham and Sarah were already old and well along in years. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.
Genesis 18:12
So she laughed to herself, saying, "After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?"
Genesis 18:13
And the LORD asked Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Can I really bear a child when I am old?'
Genesis 18:17
And the LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Moses chose able men out of all Israel,.... He looked among them, and selected the best of them, such as most answered to the qualifications it was requisite they should have; and though only one of them is here mentioned, which is the first Jethro gave, yet no doubt they were all attended to, though not expressed:

and made them heads over the people; rulers, governors, judges, and officers; this is a general word, comprehending their several particular offices they sustained; which seem to be chiefly distinguished by the different numbers of people, or families, under them, otherwise their work and office were much the same:

rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens; just as Jethro advised, Exodus 18:21. According to the Targum of Jonathan, the rulers of thousands were six hundred, rulers of hundreds 6000, rulers of fifties 12,000, and the rulers of tens 60,000; and so Jarchi; and the like account is given in both the Talmuds x, where the whole is summed up, amounting to 78,600; which account Aben Ezra disapproves of, and thinks not credible: it is built upon the number of Israel at this time, when they came out of Egypt, being 600,000 men; and so if there was a ruler to every thousand men, there must be six hundred of them, and so on; but these thousands may intend not individual persons, but families, that these were appointed over, as the families of Israel and Judah are called their thousands, Micah 5:2 and this will serve greatly to reduce the number of these judges and officers.

x T. Hieros. Sanhedrin, fol. 19. 3. T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 18. 1.


 
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