Commentary— Tyndale Open Study Notes (plain English)
16:18–17:13 The community of Israel, like any political entity, needed leaders of different kinds to provide cohesion and guidance. The Lord directed Moses to establish an appropriate leadership structure. He also laid out the criteria for selecting the leaders and the responsibilities of each office. 16:18 The combination of the words judges and officials might suggest that here the two terms are functionally synonymous. Usually officials is a generic title applied to any public leader, but here it seems to refer to an administrator of law and justice or something like police officers, as in modern Hebrew. • fairly: The idea was to measure up to an objective standard of equity that neither public nor private pressure could alter.
Commentary— Tyndale Open Study Notes (plain English)
16:18–17:13 The community of Israel, like any political entity, needed leaders of different kinds to provide cohesion and guidance. The Lord directed Moses to establish an appropriate leadership structure. He also laid out the criteria for selecting the leaders and the responsibilities of each office. 16:18 The combination of the words judges and officials might suggest that here the two terms are functionally synonymous. Usually officials is a generic title applied to any public leader, but here it seems to refer to an administrator of law and justice or something like police officers, as in modern Hebrew. • fairly: The idea was to measure up to an objective standard of equity that neither public nor private pressure could alter.
Literal English (Darby)ⓘThe Darby Bible (1890) — a deliberately literal, word-for-word translation used here as the Old Testament comparison text.The Darby Bible (1890) — a deliberately literal, word-for-word translation used here as the Old Testament comparison text.
Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which Jehovah thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes, that they may judge the people with just judgment.
Hebrew (Masoretic Text)ⓘThe Masoretic Text — the authoritative Hebrew manuscript tradition behind most Old Testaments, standardized by Jewish scribes (the Masoretes) between roughly the 7th and 10th centuries AD.The Masoretic Text — the authoritative Hebrew manuscript tradition behind most Old Testaments, standardized by Jewish scribes (the Masoretes) between roughly the 7th and 10th centuries AD.
King James Version (1611) — the classic formal, word-for-word English translation. Historic and widely memorized, but uses Early Modern English vocabulary.
King James Version (1611) — the classic formal, word-for-word English translation. Historic and widely memorized, but uses Early Modern English vocabulary.
¶ Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment.
American Standard VersionⓘAmerican Standard Version (1901) — a more literal, precision-focused revision in the King James tradition.American Standard Version (1901) — a more literal, precision-focused revision in the King James tradition.
Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which Jehovah thy God giveth thee, according to thy tribes; and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.
World English BibleⓘWorld English Bible — a modern, public-domain update to the KJV/ASV formal style, without archaic language.World English Bible — a modern, public-domain update to the KJV/ASV formal style, without archaic language.
You shall make judges and officers in all your gates, which Yahweh your God gives you, according to your tribes; and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.
Bible in Basic EnglishⓘBible in Basic English (1949) — deliberately written using a limited vocabulary of about 1,000 words.Bible in Basic English (1949) — deliberately written using a limited vocabulary of about 1,000 words.
You are to make judges and overseers in all your towns which the Lord your God gives you, for every tribe: and they are to be upright men, judging the people in righteousness.