Exodus 18:21

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

But select capable men from among all the people—men who fear God, are trustworthy, and hate dishonest gain. Appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וְאַתָּ֣ה תֶחֱזֶ֣ה מִכָּל־הָ֠עָם אַנְשֵׁי־חַ֜יִל יִרְאֵ֧י אֱלֹהִ֛ים אַנְשֵׁ֥י אֱמֶ֖ת שֹׂ֣נְאֵי בָ֑צַע וְשַׂמְתָּ֣ עֲלֵהֶ֗ם שָׂרֵ֤י אֲלָפִים֙ שָׂרֵ֣י מֵא֔וֹת שָׂרֵ֥י חֲמִשִּׁ֖ים וְשָׂרֵ֥י עֲשָׂרֹֽת׃

Transliteration

And-you teḥĕzeh from-all-hāʿām ʾanšê-ḥayil yirʾê ʾĕlōhîm ʾanšê ʾĕmet śōnəʾê bāṣaʿ wə-śamtā over-them śārê ʾălāpîm śārê mēʾôt śārê ḥămiššîm and-śārê ʿăśārōt

Grammar Details

• *teḥĕzeh*: imperfect, 2nd masculine singular - you shall select/see
• *hāʿām*: article with noun, masculine singular - the people
• *ʾanšê*-*ḥayil*: noun, masculine plural construct with noun - men of ability
• *yirʾê*: adjective, masculine plural construct - fearers of
• *ʾĕlōhîm*: noun, masculine plural - God
• *ʾanšê*: noun, masculine plural construct - men of
• *ʾĕmet*: noun, feminine singular - truth
• *śōnəʾê*: participle, masculine plural construct - haters of
• *bāṣaʿ*: noun, masculine singular - unjust gain
• *wə*-*śamtā*: conjunction with perfect, 2nd masculine singular - and you shall set
• *śārê*: noun, masculine plural construct - rulers of
• *ʾălāpîm*: noun, masculine plural - thousands
• *mēʾôt*: noun, feminine plural - hundreds
• *ḥămiššîm*: numeral, common plural - fifties
• *ʿăśārōt*: noun, feminine plural - tens

Word Meanings

• *teḥĕzeh*: select/provide/look out/see
• *ʾanšê*-*ḥayil*: men of ability/capable men/men of valor
• *bāṣaʿ*: unjust gain/dishonest profit/covetousness

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  Moreover, you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place them over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  Morouer seke out amonge all the people, men of actiuite which feare God and men that are true ad hate covetuousnes: and make them heedes ouer the people, captaynes ouer thousandes, ouer hundredes, ouer fyftie, and ouer ten.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  But loke out amonge all the people, for honest men, that feare God, soch as are true, & hate couetousnes: make these rulers ouer them, some ouer thousandes, ouer hundredes, ouer fiftie, and ouer ten,

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Moreouer, prouide thou among al the people men of courage, fearing God, men dealing truely, hating couetousnesse: and appoynt such ouer them to be rulers ouer thousandes, rulers ouer hundreths, rulers ouer fifties, and rulers ouer tennes.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Moreouer, thou shalt seeke out among all the people, men of actiuitie and such as feare God, true men hating couetousnes, and place of these ouer the people rulers of thousandes, rulers of hundrethes, rulers of fiftithes, and rulers of tennes,

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place [such] over them, [to be] rulers of thousands, [and] rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Moreover you shall provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God: men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  `And thou -- thou dost provide out of all the people men of ability, fearing God, men of truth, hating dishonest gain, and hast placed `these' over them, heads of thousands, heads of hundreds, heads of fifties, and heads of tens,

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  But for the rest, take from among the people able men, such as have the fear of God, true men hating profits wrongly made; and put such men over them, to be captains of thousands, captains of hundreds and of fifties and of tens;

• World English Bible (2000)

  Moreover you shall provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God: men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  But you choose from the people capable men, God-fearing, men of truth, those who hate bribes, and put them over the people as rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

Referenced Verses

• Acts 6:3 : 3 Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we can appoint to this responsibility.
• 2 Chr 19:5-9 : 5 He appointed judges throughout the land, in all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city. 6 He said to the judges, 'Consider carefully what you do, because you are not judging for mere mortals, but for the LORD, who is with you whenever you give a judgment.' 7 Now let the fear of the LORD be upon you. Be careful and act, for with the LORD our God there is no injustice, partiality, or taking of bribes. 8 In Jerusalem also, Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites, priests, and heads of the Israelite families to administer the law of the LORD and settle disputes. And they lived in Jerusalem. 9 He gave them these orders: 'You must act in the fear of the LORD, faithfully and with a whole heart.' 10 Whatever case comes to you from your fellow Israelites living in their cities—whether of bloodshed or other matters of the law, commands, statutes, or decrees—you are to warn them not to sin against the LORD; otherwise, His wrath will come upon you and your people. Do this, and you will not sin.
• Deut 16:18-19 : 18 Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in every town the Lord your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly. 19 Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.
• Gen 42:18 : 18 On the third day, Joseph said to them, 'Do this, and you will live; for I fear God.'
• Exod 18:25 : 25 He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.
• 2 Sam 23:3 : 3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me: 'The one who rules over people must be righteous, ruling in the fear of God.'
• Ezek 18:8 : 8 He does not lend at interest or take a profit; he withholds his hand from injustice and judges fairly between parties.
• Ezek 22:12 : 12 In you, they accept bribes to shed blood; they take interest and increase unlawfully. You have gained profit in extorting your neighbors, and you have forgotten me, declares the Sovereign LORD.
• Zech 7:9 : 9 Thus says the LORD of Hosts: 'Administer true justice. Show kindness and compassion to one another.
• Zech 8:16 : 16 These are the things you must do: Speak the truth to one another, render true and just judgments in your gates,
• Luke 18:2 : 2 He said, 'There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected people.'
• Luke 18:4 : 4 For a while, he refused. But later, he said to himself, 'Even though I do not fear God or respect people, I will give her justice.'
• 1 Kgs 3:9-9 : 9 So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between good and evil, for who is able to govern this great people of yours? 10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked this. 11 God said to him, "Since you have asked for this and not for long life, wealth for yourself, or the death of your enemies, but for discernment in administering justice, 12 behold, I have done what you asked. I have given you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has never been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.
• 1 Kgs 18:3 : 3 Ahab summoned Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. (Now Obadiah revered the LORD greatly.)
• 1 Kgs 18:12 : 12 But I, your servant, fear that if I leave, the Spirit of the LORD will carry you off to some place I don't know, and when I go to tell Ahab and he cannot find you, he will kill me. Yet I, your servant, have feared the LORD from my youth.
• Acts 20:33 : 33 I have not coveted anyone’s silver, gold, or clothing.
• 1 Tim 3:3 : 3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and not a lover of money.
• 1 Tim 6:9-9 : 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains. 11 But you, man of God, flee from these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness.
• 2 Pet 2:14-15 : 14 They have eyes full of adultery, never ceasing from sin. They entice unstable souls and have hearts trained in greed. They are accursed children. 15 They have abandoned the straight way and gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness.
• Gen 22:12 : 12 The angel said, 'Do not lay a hand on the boy. Do not harm him in any way, for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.'
• Exod 23:2-9 : 2 Do not follow the majority to do evil, and do not testify in a dispute to turn aside after the majority to pervert justice. 3 Do not show partiality to a poor person in his lawsuit. 4 If you come across your enemy's ox or donkey wandering off, you must certainly return it to him. 5 If you see the donkey of someone who hates you collapsing under its load, and you would refrain from helping, you must surely help with it. 6 Do not deny justice to your poor among you in their lawsuit. 7 Stay far from a false accusation; do not kill the innocent and the righteous, for I will not justify the wicked. 8 Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous. 9 Do not oppress a foreigner; you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.
• Num 10:4 : 4 If only one is blown, then the leaders, the heads of Israel's clans, shall gather to you.
• Deut 1:13-17 : 13 Choose for yourselves wise, discerning, and known men from your tribes, and I will appoint them as your leaders. 14 And you answered me and said, 'What you have proposed is good for us to do.' 15 So I took the leaders of your tribes, wise and known men, and appointed them as heads over you—leaders over thousands, hundreds, fifties, tens, and officers for your tribes. 16 At that time, I commanded your judges, saying, 'Hear the disputes between your brothers and judge fairly between a man and his brother or the foreigner who is residing among them.' 17 Do not show partiality in judgment; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of anyone, for judgment belongs to God. Bring any case that is too difficult for you to me, and I will hear it.
• Josh 22:14 : 14 With him, they sent ten leaders—one leader for each tribe of Israel, each the head of a family division among the Israelite clans.
• 1 Sam 8:3 : 3 However, his sons did not follow his ways. They turned aside to dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.
• 1 Sam 8:12 : 12 He will appoint them as commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties. Some will plow his fields, reap his harvest, and make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.
• 1 Sam 12:3-4 : 3 Here I am. Testify against me before the LORD and before His anointed: Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I defrauded or oppressed? From whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes to wrongdoing? If so, I will restore it to you. 4 They replied, 'You have not defrauded us, oppressed us, or taken anything from anyone’s hand.'
• Neh 5:9 : 9 Then I said, 'What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of the nations, our enemies?'
• Neh 7:2 : 2 I put my brother Hanani and Hananiah, the commander of the fortress, in charge of Jerusalem, because he was a faithful man who feared God more than most people.
• Job 29:16 : 16 I was a father to the needy, and I searched out the case of one I did not know.
• Job 31:13 : 13 If I have denied justice to my male or female servants when they had a grievance against me,
• Ps 15:5 : 5 Who does not lend money at interest or accept a bribe against the innocent. The one who does these things will never be shaken.
• Ps 26:9-9 : 9 Do not sweep away my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloodthirsty people, 10 whose hands are full of wicked schemes, and whose right hand is filled with bribes.
• Prov 28:2 : 2 When a land is in rebellion, it has many rulers, but with a man of understanding and knowledge, its stability will endure.
• Eccl 12:13 : 13 Now that all has been heard, here is the conclusion: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.
• Isa 16:5 : 5 Then a throne will be established in steadfast love, and one will sit on it in faithfulness, in the tent of David—a judge who seeks justice and is quick to do what is right.
• Isa 33:15 : 15 The one who walks in righteousness, speaks what is right, rejects gain from extortion, shakes his hands to refuse bribes, stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed, and shuts his eyes from looking at evil.
• Isa 59:4 : 4 No one calls for justice, and no one pleads with integrity. They rely on empty words and speak lies; they conceive trouble and give birth to iniquity.
• Isa 59:14-15 : 14 Justice is driven back, and righteousness stands far off, for truth has stumbled in the streets, and honesty cannot enter. 15 Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey. The LORD saw this and was displeased, for there was no justice.
• Jer 5:1 : 1 Roam through the streets of Jerusalem, look and understand, search in her squares. If you find one person who acts justly and seeks truth, I will forgive the city.