Exodus 18:20

Teach them the statutes and laws, and show them the way to live and the work they must do.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Jethro advises Moses on organizing the Israelite community, instructing him to delegate judicial and instructional responsibilities to capable, God-fearing men.

The words — The Hebrew foregrounds וְהִזְהַרְתָּה (ve-hizhar tah, "and you will warn") and וְהוֹדַעְתָּ (ve-hoda' ta, "and you will make known") as the active verbs governing the teaching of statutes (חֻקִּים) and laws (תּוֹרֹת).

The thread — This directive parallels Deuteronomy 5:1, where Moses commands Israel to hear statutes and ordinances, and Deuteronomy 1:18, where he reiterates the specific commands given for the people to execute.

Why it lands — The passage demands that readers identify the explicit requirement to instruct others in divine statutes and to demonstrate the practical conduct and duties those statutes entail.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְהִזְהַרְתָּ֣הve./hiz.har.Tahand/ you will warn אֶתְהֶ֔ם'et./Hem<obj.>/ them אֶת־'et-<obj.>הַחֻקִּ֖יםha./chu.Kimthe/ statutes וְאֶת־ve./'Etand/ <obj.>הַתּוֹרֹ֑תha./to.Rotthe/ laws וְהוֹדַעְתָּ֣ve./ho.da'.Taand/ you will make knownלָהֶ֗םla./Hemto/ themאֶת־'et-<obj.>הַדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ha./De.rekhthe/ way יֵ֣לְכוּYe.le.khu[which] they will walkבָ֔הּVa/hin/ itוְאֶת־ve./'Etand/ <obj.>הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֖הha./ma.'a.Sehthe/ work אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.Sherwhich יַעֲשֽׂוּן׃ya.'a.Su/nthey will do/ !

King James Version

And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 5:1 Then Moses summoned all Israel and said to them: Hear, O Israel, the statutes and ordinances that I declare in your hearing this day. Learn them and observe them carefully.
Psalms 143:8 Let me hear Your loving devotion in the morning, for I have put my trust in You. Teach me the way I should walk, for to You I lift up my soul.
Deuteronomy 1:18 And at that time I commanded you all the things you were to do.
Deuteronomy 4:1 Hear now, O Israel, the statutes and ordinances I am teaching you to follow, so that you may live and may enter and take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you.
Deuteronomy 4:5 See, I have taught you statutes and ordinances just as the LORD my God has commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land that you are about to enter and possess.
Psalms 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will give you counsel and watch over you.
Exodus 18:16 “Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me to judge between one man and another, and I make known to them the statutes and laws of God.”
Deuteronomy 6:1 These are the commandments and statutes and ordinances that the LORD your God has instructed me to teach you to follow in the land that you are about to enter and possess,
Deuteronomy 7:11 So keep the commandments and statutes and ordinances that I am giving you to follow this day.
1 Samuel 12:23 As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you. And I will continue to teach you the good and right way.