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Read the Bible

Christian Standard Bible ®

Exodus 18:23

If you do this, and God so directs you, you will be able to endure, and also all these people will be able to go home satisfied.”

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

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

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Jethro;   Justice;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Judge;   Moses;   Ruler;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Elder;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Appeal;   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;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Government of the Hebrews;  

Encyclopedias:

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

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
If you will do this thing, and God commands you so, then you will be able to endure, and all of these people also will go to their place in shalom."
King James Version
If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.
Lexham English Bible
If you will do this thing and God will command you, then you will be able to endure, and also each of the people will go to his home in peace."
New Century Version
If you do this as God commands you, then you will be able to do your job, and all the people will go home with their disagreements solved."
New English Translation
If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people will be able to go home satisfied."
Amplified Bible
"If you will do this thing and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure [the responsibility], and all these people will also go [back] to their tents in peace."
New American Standard Bible
"If you do this thing and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people also will go to their places in peace."
Geneva Bible (1587)
If thou do this thing, (& God so command thee) both thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shal also go quietly to their place.
Legacy Standard Bible
If you do this thing and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people also will go to their place in peace."
Contemporary English Version
This is the way God wants it done. You won't be under nearly as much stress, and everyone else will return home feeling satisfied.
Complete Jewish Bible
If you do this — and God is directing you to do it — you will be able to endure; and all these people too will arrive at their destination peacefully."
Darby Translation
If thou do this thing, and God command thee [so], thou wilt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.
Easy-to-Read Version
If you do this as God directs you, then you will be able to do your job without tiring yourself out. And the people can still have all their problems solved before they return home."
English Standard Version
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."
George Lamsa Translation
If you shall do this thing, and God commands you so, then you shall be able to endure, and all this people shall also go each one to his own house in peace.
Good News Translation
If you do this, as God commands, you will not wear yourself out, and all these people can go home with their disputes settled."
Literal Translation
If you do this thing, and God command you, you will be able to stand; and also this people will go in peace to their place.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Yf thou shalt do this, then mayest thou endure the thinge that God chargeth the withall, and all this people maie go peaceably vnto their place.
American Standard Version
If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people also shall go to their place in peace.
Bible in Basic English
If you do this, and God gives approval, then you will be able to go on without weariness, and all this people will go to their tents in peace.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
If thou shalt do this thing, and God charge thee withall, thou shalt be able to endure, and yet the people shall come to their place in peace.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people also shall go to their place in peace.'
King James Version (1611)
If thou shalt doe this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt bee able to endure, and all this people shall also goe to their place in peace.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
If thou wilt do this thing, God shall strengthen thee, and thou shalt be able to attend, and all this people shall come with peace into their own place.
English Revised Version
If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people also shall go to their place in peace.
Berean Standard Bible
If you follow this advice and God so directs you, you will be able to endure, and all these people can go home in peace."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
If thou schalt do this, thou schalt fille the comaundement of God, and thou schalt mowe bere hise comaundementis; and al this puple schal turne ayen with pees to her places.
Young's Literal Translation
If thou dost this thing, and God hath commanded thee, then thou hast been able to stand, and all this people also goeth in unto its place in peace.'
Update Bible Version
If you shall do this thing, and God commands you so, then you shall be able to endure, and all this people also shall go to their place in peace.
Webster's Bible Translation
If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee [so], then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.
World English Bible
If you will do this thing, and God commands you so, then you will be able to endure, and all of these people also will go to their place in peace."
New King James Version
If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all this people will also go to their place in peace."
New Living Translation
If you follow this advice, and if God commands you to do so, then you will be able to endure the pressures, and all these people will go home in peace."
New Life Bible
If you do this and God tells you to do it, then you will be able to keep your strength. And all these people will go to their place in peace."
New Revised Standard
If you do this, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people will go to their home in peace."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
If, this thing, thou wilt do, and God shall command thee, then shalt thou be able to endure, - yea, moreover, all this people, shall go in, unto their dwellings, contented.
Douay-Rheims Bible
If thou dost this, thou shalt fulfil the commandment of God, and shalt be able to bear his precepts: and all this people shall return to their places with peace.
Revised Standard Version
If you do this, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"If you do this thing and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people also will go to their place in peace."

Contextual Overview

13The next day Moses sat down to judge the people, and they stood around Moses from morning until evening. 14When Moses’s father-in-law saw everything he was doing for them he asked, “What is this thing you’re doing for the people? Why are you alone sitting as judge, while all the people stand around you from morning until evening?” 15Moses replied to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God. 16Whenever they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I make a decision between one man and another. I teach them God’s statutes and laws.” 17“What you’re doing is not good,” Moses’s father-in-law said to him. 18“You will certainly wear out both yourself and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you. You can’t do it alone. 19Now listen to me; I will give you some advice, and God be with you. You be the one to represent the people before God and bring their cases to him. 20Instruct them about the statutes and laws, and teach them the way to live and what they must do. 21But you should select from all the people able men, God-fearing, trustworthy, and hating dishonest profit. Place them over the people as commanders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. 22They 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.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

God: Exodus 18:18, Genesis 21:10-12, 1 Samuel 8:6, 1 Samuel 8:7, 1 Samuel 8:22, Acts 15:2, Galatians 2:2

and all this: Exodus 16:29, Genesis 18:33, Genesis 30:25, 2 Samuel 18:3, 2 Samuel 19:39, 2 Samuel 21:17, Philippians 1:24, Philippians 1:25

Reciprocal: Leviticus 24:12 - that the mind of the Lord might be showed them 1 Chronicles 13:2 - and that it be Matthew 23:3 - whatsoever 2 Peter 3:9 - not willing

Cross-References

Genesis 18:4
Let a little water be brought, that you may wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree.
Genesis 18:5
I will bring a bit of bread so that you may strengthen yourselves. This is why you have passed your servant’s way. Later, you can continue on.”
Genesis 18:6
So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick! Knead three measures of fine flour and make bread.”
Genesis 18:7
Abraham ran to the herd and got a tender, choice calf. He gave it to a young man, who hurried to prepare it.
Genesis 18:25
You could not possibly do such a thing: to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. You could not possibly do that! Won’t the Judge of the whole earth do what is just?”
Genesis 20:4
Now Abimelech had not approached her, so he said, “Lord, would you destroy a nation even though it is innocent?
2 Samuel 24:17
When David saw the angel striking the people, he said to the Lord, “Look, I am the one who has sinned; I am the one who has done wrong. But these sheep, what have they done? Please, let your hand be against me and my father’s family.”
Job 8:3
Does God pervert justice?Does the Almighty pervert what is right?
Job 34:17
Could one who hates justice govern the world?Will you condemn the mighty Righteous One,
Psalms 73:28
But as for me, God’s presence is my good.I have made the Lord God my refuge,so I can tell about all you do.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

If thou shall do this thing,.... Hearken to the advice given, and put it in execution, by choosing out of the people, and placing over them, judges qualified, as directed: and God command thee so; for he did not desire him to follow his advice any further than it appeared to be according to the will of God, which he doubted not he would inquire about; and if he found it was agreeable to it, and should pursue it:

then thou shall be able to endure; to continue in his office and post, and hold on for years to come, God granting him life and health; whereas otherwise, in all human probability, he must waste and wear away apace:

and all this people shall also go to their place in peace; having had their cases heard and tried, and their differences adjusted to satisfaction; and quick dispatch being made, they would return to their tents or places of abode in much peace of mind, and sit down contented with the determination made, and pleased that the lawsuit was not protracted to any unreasonable length of time. Jarchi interprets all this people, of Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and the seventy elders that came with him, as if they by this means would be eased, and so pleased with it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

To their place - i. e. to Canaan, which is thus recognized by Jethro as the appointed and true home of Israel. Compare Numbers 10:29-30.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Exodus 18:23. If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee — Though the measure was obviously of the utmost importance, and plainly recommended itself by its expediency and necessity; yet Jethro very modestly leaves it to the wisdom of Moses to choose or reject it; and, knowing that in all things his relative was now acting under the immediate direction of God, intimates that no measure can be safely adopted without a positive injunction from God himself. As the counsel was doubtless inspired by the Divine Spirit, we find that it was sanctioned by the same, for Moses acted in every respect according to the advice he had received.


 
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