Exodus 18:26
New International Version
They served as judges for the people at all times. The difficult cases they brought to Moses, but the simple ones they decided themselves.

New Living Translation
These men were always available to solve the people’s common disputes. They brought the major cases to Moses, but they took care of the smaller matters themselves.

English Standard Version
And they judged the people at all times. Any hard case they brought to Moses, but any small matter they decided themselves.

Berean Standard Bible
And they judged the people at all times; they would bring the difficult cases to Moses, but any minor issue they would judge themselves.

King James Bible
And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

New King James Version
So they judged the people at all times; the hard cases they brought to Moses, but they judged every small case themselves.

New American Standard Bible
Then they judged the people at all times; they would bring the difficult matter to Moses, but they would judge every minor matter themselves.

NASB 1995
They judged the people at all times; the difficult dispute they would bring to Moses, but every minor dispute they themselves would judge.

NASB 1977
And they judged the people at all times; the difficult dispute they would bring to Moses, but every minor dispute they themselves would judge.

Legacy Standard Bible
And they judged the people at all times; the difficult matter they would bring to Moses, but every minor matter they themselves would judge.

Amplified Bible
And they judged the people at all times; they would bring the difficult cases to Moses, but every minor dispute they judged and decided themselves.

Christian Standard Bible
They judged the people at all times; they would bring the hard cases to Moses, but they would judge every minor case themselves.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
They judged the people at all times; they would bring the hard cases to Moses, but they would judge every minor case themselves.

American Standard Version
And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And they were judging the people at all times, and they were bringing difficult matters to Moshe, and they were judging little matters.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And they judged the people at all times; and every too burdensome matter they brought to Moses, but every light matter they judged themselves.

Contemporary English Version
They served as judges, deciding the easy cases themselves, but bringing the more difficult ones to Moses.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And they judged the people at all times: and whatsoever was of greater difficulty they referred to him, and they judged the easier cases only.

English Revised Version
And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
These men were the ones who usually settled disagreements among the people. They would bring difficult cases to Moses, but they settled all minor ones themselves.

Good News Translation
They served as judges for the people on a permanent basis, bringing the difficult cases to Moses but deciding the smaller disputes themselves.

International Standard Version
They judged the people at all times; the difficult matters they brought to Moses, but every minor matter they judged.

JPS Tanakh 1917
And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

Literal Standard Version
and they have judged the people at all times; they bring the hard matter to Moses, and they judge every small matter themselves.

Majority Standard Bible
And they judged the people at all times; they would bring the difficult cases to Moses, but any minor issue they would judge themselves.

New American Bible
They rendered decisions for the people in all routine cases. The more difficult cases they referred to Moses, but all the lesser cases they settled themselves.

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

New Revised Standard Version
And they judged the people at all times; hard cases they brought to Moses, but any minor case they decided themselves.

New Heart English Bible
They judged the people at all times. They brought the hard causes to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

Webster's Bible Translation
And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

World English Bible
They judged the people at all times. They brought the hard cases to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

Young's Literal Translation
and they have judged the people at all times; the hard matter they bring in unto Moses, and every small matter they judge themselves.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jethro Advises Moses
25So Moses chose capable men from all Israel and made them heads over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. 26And they judged the people at all times; they would bring the difficult cases to Moses, but any minor issue they would judge themselves. 27Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro returned to his own land.…

Cross References
Exodus 18:22
Have these men judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you any major issue, but all minor cases they can judge on their own, so that your load may be lightened as they share it with you.

Deuteronomy 1:17
Show no partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be intimidated by anyone, for judgment belongs to God. And bring to me any case too difficult for you, and I will hear it."


Treasury of Scripture

And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

at all

Exodus 18:14,22
And when Moses' father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even? …

the hard causes

Exodus 18:15,22
And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to inquire of God: …

Deuteronomy 17:8
If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within thy gates: then shalt thou arise, and get thee up into the place which the LORD thy God shall choose;

1 Kings 3:16-28
Then came there two women, that were harlots, unto the king, and stood before him…

Jump to Previous
Cases Causes Decided Difficult Dispute Hard Judge Judged Judges Matter Minor Moses Ones Point Questions Seasons Served Simple Small Themselves Times
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Cases Causes Decided Difficult Dispute Hard Judge Judged Judges Matter Minor Moses Ones Point Questions Seasons Served Simple Small Themselves Times
Exodus 18
1. Jethro brings his wife and two sons to Moses
7. Moses entertains him, and relates the goodness of the Lord
9. Jethro rejoices, blesses God, and offers sacrifice
13. He gives good counsel, which is accepted
27. Jethro departs














Verse 26. - At all seasons. See the comment on verse 22. The hard causes they brought unto Moses. It must have been left to the discretion of the judges to determine whether a cause was hard or easy, a great or a little matter. Probably only those causes which seemed "hard" to the "rulers of thousands" were brought before Moses for decision.

CHAPTER 18:27

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And they judged
וְשָׁפְט֥וּ (wə·šā·p̄ə·ṭū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 8199: To judge, pronounce sentence, to vindicate, punish, to govern, to litigate

the people
הָעָ֖ם (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

at all
בְּכָל־ (bə·ḵāl)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

times;
עֵ֑ת (‘êṯ)
Noun - common singular
Strong's 6256: Time, now, when

they would bring
יְבִיא֣וּן (yə·ḇî·’ūn)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | Paragogic nun
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

the difficult
הַקָּשֶׁה֙ (haq·qā·šeh)
Article | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7186: Hard, severe

cases
הַדָּבָ֤ר (had·dā·ḇār)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Moses,
מֹשֶׁ֔ה (mō·šeh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4872: Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiver

but any
וְכָל־ (wə·ḵāl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

minor
הַקָּטֹ֖ן (haq·qā·ṭōn)
Article | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 6996: Small, young, unimportant

issue
הַדָּבָ֥ר (had·dā·ḇār)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

they would judge
יִשְׁפּוּט֥וּ (yiš·pū·ṭū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 8199: To judge, pronounce sentence, to vindicate, punish, to govern, to litigate

themselves.
הֵֽם׃ (hêm)
Pronoun - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1992: They


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OT Law: Exodus 18:26 They judged the people at all times (Exo. Ex)
Exodus 18:25
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