Study Desk

"And I spoke to you at that time, saying, 'I am not able to endure you alone.

And I spake unto you at that time, saying, I am not able to bear you myself alone:

'The LORD your God has multiplied you, and behold, you are this day like the stars of heaven in number.

The Lord your God hath multiplied you, and, behold, ye are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude.

'May the LORD, the God of your fathers increase you a thousand times more than you are, and bless you, just as He has promised you!

(The Lord God of your fathers make you a thousand times so many more as ye are, and bless you, as he hath promised you!)

'How can I alone endure the burden and weight of you and your strife?

How can I myself alone bear your cumbrance, and your burden, and your strife?

'Obtain for yourselves men who are wise, discerning, and informed from your tribes, and I will appoint them as your heads.'

Take you wise men, and understanding, and known among your tribes, and I will make them rulers over you.

"And you answered me and said, 'The thing which you have said to do is good.'

And ye answered me, and said, The thing which thou hast spoken is good for us to do.

"So I took the heads of your tribes, wise and informed men, and appointed them as heads over you, commanders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, and officers for your tribes.

So I took the chief of your tribes, wise men, and known, and made them heads over you, captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes.

"Then I ordered your judges at that time, saying, 'Hear the cases between your fellow countrymen and judge righteously between a person and his fellow countryman, or the stranger who is with him.

And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him.

'You are not to show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small and the great alike. You are not to be afraid of any person, for the judgment is God's. The case that is too difficult for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it.'

Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God's: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.

"At that time I commanded you all the things that you were to do.

And I commanded you at that time all the things which ye should do.