16 When they have a matter, H1697 they come H935 unto me; and I judge H8199 between one H376 and another, H7453 and I do make them know H3045 the statutes H2706 of God, H430 and his laws. H8451
And he said H559 unto the elders, H2205 Tarry H3427 ye here H2088 for us, until we come again H7725 unto you: and, behold, Aaron H175 and Hur H2354 are with you: if any H4310 man H1167 have any matters H1697 to do, H1167 let him come H5066 unto them.
And Moses H4872 called H7121 all Israel, H3478 and said H559 unto them, Hear, H8085 O Israel, H3478 the statutes H2706 and judgments H4941 which I speak H1696 in your ears H241 this day, H3117 that ye may learn H3925 them, and keep, H8104 and do H6213 them.
Furthermore G3063 then G3767 we beseech G2065 you, G5209 brethren, G80 and G2532 exhort G3870 you by G1722 the Lord G2962 Jesus, G2424 that as G2531 ye have received G3880 of G3844 us G2257 how G4459 ye G5209 ought G1163 to walk G4043 and G2532 to please G700 God, G2316 so G2443 ye would abound G4052 more and more. G3123 For G1063 ye know G1492 what G5101 commandments G3852 we gave G1325 you G5213 by G1223 the Lord G2962 Jesus. G2424
And G1161 when Paul G3972 was now about G3195 to open G455 his mouth, G4750 Gallio G1058 said G2036 unto G4314 the Jews, G2453 If G1487 G3303 G3767 it were G2258 a G5100 matter of wrong G92 or G2228 wicked G4190 lewdness, G4467 O G5599 ye Jews, G2453 reason G2596 G3056 would G302 that I should bear G430 with you: G5216 But G1161 if G1487 it be G2076 a question G2213 of G4012 words G3056 and G2532 names, G3686 and G2532 of G2596 your G5209 law, G3551 look ye G3700 G846 to it; for G1063 I G1473 will be G1014 G1511 no G3756 judge G2923 of such G5130 matters.
And when he went out H3318 the second H8145 day, H3117 behold, two H8147 men H582 of the Hebrews H5680 strove H5327 together: and he said H559 to him that did the wrong, H7563 Wherefore smitest H5221 thou thy fellow? H7453
Moreover as for me, H595 God forbid H2486 that I should sin H2398 against the LORD H3068 in ceasing H2308 to pray H6419 for you: H1157 but I will teach H3384 you the good H2896 and the right H3477 way: H1870
If there arise a matter H1697 too hard H6381 for thee in judgment, H4941 between blood H1818 and blood, H1818 between plea H1779 and plea, H1779 and between stroke H5061 and stroke, H5061 being matters H1697 of controversy H7379 within thy gates: H8179 then shalt thou arise, H6965 and get thee up H5927 into the place H4725 which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 shall choose; H977 And thou shalt come H935 unto the priests H3548 the Levites, H3881 and unto the judge H8199 that shall be in those days, H3117 and enquire; H1875 and they shall shew H5046 thee the sentence H1697 of judgment: H4941 And thou shalt do H6213 according to the sentence, H6310 H1697 which they of that place H4725 which the LORD H3068 shall choose H977 shall shew H5046 thee; and thou shalt observe H8104 to do H6213 according to all that they inform H3384 thee: According to the sentence H6310 of the law H8451 which they shall teach H3384 thee, and according to the judgment H4941 which they shall tell H559 thee, thou shalt do: H6213 thou shalt not decline H5493 from the sentence H1697 which they shall shew H5046 thee, to the right hand, H3225 nor to the left. H8040 And the man H376 that will do H6213 presumptuously, H2087 and will not hearken H8085 unto the priest H3548 that standeth H5975 to minister H8334 there before the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 or unto the judge, H8199 even that man H376 shall die: H4191 and thou shalt put away H1197 the evil H7451 from Israel. H3478
Now these are the commandments, H4687 the statutes, H2706 and the judgments, H4941 which the LORD H3068 your God H430 commanded H6680 to teach H3925 you, that ye might do H6213 them in the land H776 whither ye go H5674 to possess H3423 it:
This is the thing H1697 which the LORD H3068 doth command H6680 concerning the daughters H1323 of Zelophehad, H6765 saying, H559 Let them marry H802 to whom they think H5869 best; H2896 only to the family H4940 of the tribe H4294 of their father H1 shall they marry. H802 So shall not the inheritance H5159 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 remove H5437 from tribe H4294 to tribe: H4294 for every one H376 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 shall keep H1692 himself to the inheritance H5159 of the tribe H4294 of his fathers. H1 And every daughter, H1323 that possesseth H3423 an inheritance H5159 in any tribe H4294 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 shall be wife H802 unto one H259 of the family H4940 of the tribe H4294 of her father, H1 that the children H1121 of Israel H3478 may enjoy H3423 every man H376 the inheritance H5159 of his fathers. H1 Neither shall the inheritance H5159 remove H5437 from one tribe H4294 to another H312 tribe; H4294 but every one H376 of the tribes H4294 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 shall keep H1692 himself to his own inheritance. H5159
And the LORD H3068 spake H559 unto Moses, H4872 saying, H559 The daughters H1323 of Zelophehad H6765 speak H1696 right: H3651 thou shalt surely H5414 give H5414 them a possession H272 of an inheritance H5159 among H8432 their father's H1 brethren; H251 and thou shalt cause the inheritance H5159 of their father H1 to pass H5674 unto them. And thou shalt speak H1696 unto the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 saying, H559 If a man H376 die, H4191 and have no son, H1121 then ye shall cause his inheritance H5159 to pass H5674 unto his daughter. H1323 And if he have no daughter, H1323 then ye shall give H5414 his inheritance H5159 unto his brethren. H251 And if he have no brethren, H251 then ye shall give H5414 his inheritance H5159 unto his father's H1 brethren. H251 And if his father H1 have no brethren, H251 then ye shall give H5414 his inheritance H5159 unto his kinsman H7607 that is next H7138 to him of his family, H4940 and he shall possess H3423 it: and it shall be unto the children H1121 of Israel H3478 a statute H2708 of judgment, H4941 as the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 Moses. H4872
And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Moses, H4872 The man H376 shall be surely H4191 put to death: H4191 all the congregation H5712 shall stone H7275 him with stones H68 without H2351 the camp. H4264
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Exodus 18
Commentary on Exodus 18 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 18
Ex 18:1-27. Visit of Jethro.
1-5. Jethro … came … unto Moses, &c.—It is thought by many eminent commentators that this episode is inserted out of its chronological order, for it is described as occurring when the Israelites were "encamped at the mount of God." And yet they did not reach it till the third month after their departure from Egypt (Ex 19:1, 2; compare De 1:6, 9-15).
6. and thy wife, and her two sons—See Ex 4:20.
7. Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, &c.—Their salutations would be marked by all the warm and social greetings of Oriental friends (see on Ex 4:27)—the one going out to "meet" the other, the "obeisance," the "kiss" on each side of the head, the silent entrance into the tent for consultation; and their conversation ran in the strain that might have been expected of two pious men, rehearsing and listening to a narrative of the wonderful works and providence of God.
12. Jethro … took a burnt offering—This friendly interview was terminated by a solemn religious service—the burnt offerings were consumed on the altar, and the sacrifices were peace offerings, used in a feast of joy and gratitude at which Jethro, as priest of the true God, seems to have presided, and to which the chiefs of Israel were invited. This incident is in beautiful keeping with the character of the parties, and is well worthy of the imitation of Christian friends when they meet in the present day.
13-26. on the morrow … Moses sat to judge the people, &c.—We are here presented with a specimen of his daily morning occupations; and among the multifarious duties his divine legation imposed, it must be considered only a small portion of his official employments. He appears in this attitude as a type of Christ in His legislative and judicial characters.
the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening, &c.—Governors in the East seat themselves at the most public gate of their palace or the city, and there, amid a crowd of applicants, hear causes, receive petitions, redress grievances, and adjust the claims of contending parties.
17. Moses' father-in-law said unto him, The thing … is not good—not good either for Moses himself, for the maintenance of justice, or for the satisfaction and interests of the people. Jethro gave a prudent counsel as to the division of labor [Ex 18:21, 22], and universal experience in the Church and State has attested the soundness and advantages of the principle.
23. If thou shalt do this thing, &c.—Jethro's counsel was given merely in the form of a suggestion; it was not to be adopted without the express sanction and approval of a better and higher Counsellor; and although we are not informed of it, there can be no doubt that Moses, before appointing subordinate magistrates, would ask the mind of God, as it is the duty and privilege of every Christian in like manner to supplicate the divine direction in all his ways.