Exodus 18:26

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

They judged the people under normal circumstances; the difficult cases they would bring to Moses, but every small case they would judge themselves.

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Exod 18:22 : 22 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.
  • Deut 17:8 : 8 Appeal to a Higher Court If a matter is too difficult for you to judge– bloodshed, legal claim, or assault– matters of controversy in your villages– you must leave there and go up to the place the LORD your God chooses.
  • 1 Kgs 3:16-28 : 16 Solomon Demonstrates His Wisdom Then two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. 17 One of the women said,“My master, this woman and I live in the same house. I had a baby while she was with me in the house. 18 Then three days after I had my baby, this woman also had a baby. We were alone; there was no one else in the house except the two of us. 19 This woman’s child suffocated during the night when she rolled on top of him. 20 She got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side, while your servant was sleeping. She put him in her arms, and put her dead son in my arms. 21 I got up in the morning to nurse my son, and there he was, dead! But when I examined him carefully in the morning, I realized it was not my baby.” 22 The other woman said,“No! My son is alive; your son is dead!” But the first woman replied,“No, your son is dead; my son is alive.” Each presented her case before the king. 23 The king said,“One says,‘My son is alive; your son is dead,’ while the other says,‘No, your son is dead; my son is alive.’” 24 The king ordered,“Get me a sword!” So they placed a sword before the king. 25 The king then said,“Cut the living child in two, and give half to one and half to the other!” 26 The real mother spoke up to the king, for her motherly instincts were aroused. She said,“My master, give her the living child! Whatever you do, don’t kill him!” But the other woman said,“Neither one of us will have him! Let them cut him in two!” 27 The king responded,“Give the first woman the living child; don’t kill him. She is the mother.” 28 When all Israel heard about the judicial decision which the king had rendered, they respected the king, for they realized that he possessed divine wisdom to make judicial decisions.
  • 1 Kgs 10:1 : 1 Solomon Entertains a Queen When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon, she came to challenge him with difficult questions.
  • Job 29:16 : 16 I was a father to the needy, and I investigated the case of the person I did not know;
  • Exod 18:14-15 : 14 When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said,“What is this that you are doing for the people? Why are you sitting by yourself, and all the people stand around you from morning until evening?” 15 Moses said to his father-in-law,“Because the people come to me to inquire of God.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • Exod 18:13-25
    13 verses
    85%

    13On the next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning until evening.

    14When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said,“What is this that you are doing for the people? Why are you sitting by yourself, and all the people stand around you from morning until evening?”

    15Moses said to his father-in-law,“Because the people come to me to inquire of God.

    16When they have a dispute, it comes to me and I decide between a man and his neighbor, and I make known the decrees of God and his laws.”

    17Moses’ father-in-law said to him,“What you are doing is not good!

    18You will surely wear out, both you and these people who are with you, for this is too heavy a burden for you; you are not able to do it by yourself.

    19Now listen to me, I will give you advice, and may God be with you: You be a representative for the people to God, and you bring their disputes to God;

    20warn them of the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do.

    21But 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.

    22They 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.

    23If 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.”

    24Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he had said.

    25Moses 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.

  • Deut 16:18
    73%

    18Provision for Justice You must appoint judges and civil servants for each tribe in all your villages that the LORD your God is giving you, and they must judge the people fairly.

  • Deut 1:13-18
    6 verses
    72%

    13Select wise and practical men, those known among your tribes, whom I may appoint as your leaders.”

    14You replied to me that what I had said to you was good.

    15So I chose as your tribal leaders wise and well-known men, placing them over you as administrators of groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, and also as other tribal officials.

    16I furthermore admonished your judges at that time that they should pay attention to issues among your fellow citizens and judge fairly, whether between one person and a native Israelite or a resident foreigner.

    17They must not discriminate in judgment, but hear the lowly and the great alike. Nor should they be intimidated by human beings, for judgment belongs to God. If the matter being adjudicated is too difficult for them, they should bring it before me for a hearing.

    18Instructions at Kadesh Barnea So I instructed you at that time regarding everything you should do.

  • 2 Chr 19:6
    69%

    6He told the judges,“Be careful what you do, for you are not judging for men, but for the LORD, who will be with you when you make judicial decisions.

  • Deut 17:8-10
    3 verses
    69%

    8Appeal to a Higher Court If a matter is too difficult for you to judge– bloodshed, legal claim, or assault– matters of controversy in your villages– you must leave there and go up to the place the LORD your God chooses.

    9You will go to the Levitical priests and the judge in office in those days and seek a solution; they will render a verdict.

    10You must then do as they have determined at that place the LORD chooses. Be careful to do just as you are taught.

  • Exod 18:27
    69%

    27Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and so Jethro went to his own land.

  • Num 27:5
    69%

    5So Moses brought their case before the LORD.

  • Deut 25:1
    69%

    1If controversy arises between people, they should go to court for judgment. When the judges hear the case, they shall exonerate the innocent but condemn the guilty.

  • Exod 21:1
    69%

    1The Decisions“These are the decisions that you will set before them:

  • Judg 2:18-19
    2 verses
    69%

    18When the LORD raised up leaders for them, the LORD was with each leader and delivered the people from their enemies while the leader remained alive. The LORD felt sorry for them when they cried out in agony because of what their harsh oppressors did to them.

    19When a leader died, the next generation would again act more wickedly than the previous one. They would follow after other gods, worshiping them and bowing down to them. They did not give up their practices or their stubborn ways.

  • 2 Chr 19:8
    68%

    8In Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed some Levites, priests, and Israelite family leaders to judge on behalf of the LORD and to settle disputes among the residents of Jerusalem.

  • Exod 24:3
    67%

    3Moses came and told the people all the LORD’s words and all the decisions. All the people answered together,“We are willing to do all the words that the LORD has said,”

  • Exod 18:8
    67%

    8Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to Egypt for Israel’s sake, and all the hardship that had come on them along the way, and how the LORD had delivered them.

  • Judg 2:16
    67%

    16The LORD raised up leaders who delivered them from these robbers.

  • Num 25:5
    67%

    5So Moses said to the judges of Israel,“Each of you must execute those of his men who were joined to Baal-peor.”

  • Exod 19:7
    67%

    7So Moses came and summoned the elders of Israel. He set before them all these words that the LORD had commanded him,

  • Num 30:1
    66%

    1Vows Made by Men Moses told the leaders of the tribes concerning the Israelites,“This is what the LORD has commanded:

  • Deut 19:17
    66%

    17then both parties to the controversy must stand before the LORD, that is, before the priests and judges who will be in office in those days.

  • Exod 24:14
    66%

    14He told the elders,“Wait for us in this place until we return to you. Here are Aaron and Hur with you. Whoever has any matters of dispute can approach them.”

  • 1 Cor 6:4
    66%

    4So if you have ordinary lawsuits, do you appoint as judges those who have no standing in the church?

  • Exod 18:1
    66%

    1The Advice of Jethro Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard about all that God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.

  • Num 29:40
    66%

    40(30:1) So Moses told the Israelites everything, just as the LORD had commanded him.

  • Num 32:28
    66%

    28So Moses gave orders about them to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua son of Nun, and to the heads of the families of the Israelite tribes.

  • Acts 13:18
    66%

    18For a period of about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness.

  • Num 31:48
    66%

    48Then the officers who were over the thousands of the army, the commanders over thousands and the commanders over hundreds, approached Moses

  • Lev 26:46
    65%

    46Summary Colophon These are the statutes, regulations, and instructions which the LORD established between himself and the Israelites at Mount Sinai through Moses.

  • 1 Sam 7:16
    65%

    16Year after year he used to travel the circuit of Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah; he used to judge Israel in all of these places.

  • Num 11:16
    65%

    16The Response of God The LORD said to Moses,“Gather to me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know are elders of the people and officials over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting; let them take their position there with you.

  • Ezek 44:24
    65%

    24“‘In a controversy they will act as judges; they will judge according to my ordinances. They will keep my laws and my statutes regarding all my appointed festivals and will observe my Sabbaths.

  • 1 Cor 6:2
    65%

    2Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you not competent to settle trivial suits?