Bible Strands
Exodus 18:26
And they judged the people at all times; they would bring the difficult cases to Moses, but any minor issue they would judge themselves.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Following Moses’ appointment of capable men as leaders over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, this verse records their ongoing judicial routine before Moses dismisses his father-in-law Jethro.
The words — The verb שָפְטוּ (sha.fetu) literally means "they judged," and the adjective קָשֶה (ka.shé) translates to "difficult" or "hard."
The thread — The escalation of unresolved disputes to higher authority mirrors Jethro’s earlier proposal in Exodus 18:22 and anticipates the legal framework in Deuteronomy 17:8.
Why it lands — The passage defines a tiered judicial system that requires local leaders to adjudicate routine matters independently while reserving complex cases for centralized oversight.
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
And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.
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.
- Exodus 18:14 When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he asked, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone as judge, with all the people standing around you from morning till evening?”
- Deuteronomy 17:8 If a case is too difficult for you to judge, whether the controversy within your gates is regarding bloodshed, lawsuits, or assaults, you must go up to the place the LORD your God will choose.
- 1 Kings 3:16 At that time two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him.
- 1 Kings 10:1 Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with difficult questions.
- Job 29:16 I was a father to the needy, and I took up the case of the stranger.