Bible Strands
Exodus 18:21
Furthermore, select capable men from among the people—God-fearing, trustworthy men who are averse to dishonest gain. Appoint them over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, speaks to Moses after watching him adjudicate the people from morning to evening (Ex 18:13). He is proposing a tiered judicial system to relieve Moses of the full burden.
The words — חַיִל (ḥayil), rendered "capable," literally means strength or valor; it is the word used for warriors and for God's power, not merely competence.
The thread — Moses himself repeats this counsel to Israel in Deuteronomy 1:13, and the pattern recurs in Acts 6:3 and 2 Chronicles 19:5.
Why it lands — The selection criteria are negative as much as positive: the men must be "averse to dishonest gain," a disqualifier rather than a virtue to cultivate. It asks the reader to test candidates against what they will not do, not only what they will do.
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
King James Version
Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:
Cross-references
- Acts 6:3 Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men confirmed to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will assign this responsibility to them
- Deuteronomy 1:13 Choose for yourselves wise, understanding, and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will appoint them as your leaders.”
- 2 Chronicles 19:5 He appointed judges in the land, in each of the fortified cities of Judah.
- Deuteronomy 16:18 You are to appoint judges and officials for your tribes in every town that the LORD your God is giving you. They are to judge the people with righteous judgment.
- 2 Samuel 23:3 The God of Israel spoke; the Rock of Israel said to me, ‘He who rules the people with justice, who rules in the fear of God,
- Genesis 22:12 “Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him,” said the angel, “for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from me.”
- Exodus 18:25 So 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.
- Exodus 23:2 You shall not follow the crowd in wrongdoing. When you testify in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd.
- 1 Samuel 8:3 But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside toward dishonest gain, accepting bribes and perverting justice.
- Nehemiah 5:9 So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our foreign enemies?