Deuteronomy 1 · Verse 15

Deuteronomy 1:15

So I took the chief of your tribes, wise men, and known, and made them heads over you, captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes.
Deuteronomy 1:15, King James Version

Deuteronomy 1:15 in other translations

BSBSo I took the leaders of your tribes, wise and respected men, and appointed them as leaders over you—as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens, and as officers for your tribes.
WEBSo I took the heads of your tribes, wise and respected men, and made them heads over you, captains of thousands, captains of hundreds, captains of fifties, captains of tens, and officers, according to your tribes.
ASVSo I took the heads of your tribes, wise men, and known, and made them heads over you, captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds, and captains of fifties, and captains of tens, and officers, according to your tribes.
YLT‘And I take the heads of your tribes, men, wise and known, and I appoint them heads over you, princes of thousands, and princes of hundreds, and princes of fifties, and princes of tens, and authorities, for your tribes.
DARBYSo I took the chiefs of your tribes, wise men and known, and made them chiefs over you, captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds, and captains of fifties, and captains of tens, and officers for your tribes.
BBESo I took the heads of your tribes, wise men and respected, and made them rulers over you, captains of thousands and captains of hundreds and captains of fifties and captains of tens, and overseers of your tribes.
WebsterSo I took the chief of your tribes, wise men, and known, and made them heads over you, captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes.

What does Deuteronomy 1:15 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Deuteronomy 1:9-18

9-18. I spake unto you at that time, saying, I am not able to bear you myself alone--a little before their arrival in Horeb. Moses addresses that new generation as the representatives of their fathers, in whose sight and hearing all the transactions he recounts took place. A reference is here made to the suggestion of Jethro (Ex 18:18). In noticing his practical adoption of a plan by which the administration of…

Read the full comment on Deuteronomy 1:9-18 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 15 Captains over thousands, etc. - What a curious and well-regulated economy was that of the Israelites! See its order and arrangement: 1. God, the King and Supreme Judge; 2. Moses, God's prime minister; 3. The priests, consulting him by Urim and Thummim; 4. The chiefs or princes of the twelve tribes; 5. Chilliarchs, or captains over thousands; 6. Centurions, or captains over hundreds; 7. Tribunes, or captains over fifty men; 8. Decurions, or captains over ten men; and, 9. Officers, persons who might be employed by the different chiefs in executing particular commands. All these held their authority from God, and yet were subject and accountable to each other. See the notes on Numbers 2 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Deuteronomy 1:9-18

Moses reminds the people of the happy constitution of their government, which might make them all safe and easy, if it was not their own fault. He owns the fulfilment of God's promise to Abraham, and prays for the further accomplishment of it. We are not straitened in the power and goodness of God; why should we be straitened in our own faith and hope? Good laws were given to the Israelites, and good men were to see…

Read the full comment on Deuteronomy 1:9-18 →

Deuteronomy 1:15 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וָאֶקַּ֞חva.'e.Kachand I tookH3947
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
רָאשֵׁ֣יra.Shei[the] chiefs ofH7218
שִׁבְטֵיכֶ֗םshiv.tei.Khemtribes yourH7626
אֲנָשִׁ֤ים'a.na.ShimmenH582
חֲכָמִים֙cha.kha.MimwiseH2450
וִֽידֻעִ֔יםvi.du.'Imand knownH3045
וָאֶתֵּ֥ןva.'e.Tenand I appointedH5414
אֹתָ֛ם'o.Tam<obj.> themH853
רָאשִׁ֖יםra.ShimchiefsH7218
עֲלֵיכֶ֑ם'a.lei.Khemover youH5921
שָׂרֵ֨יsa.Reileaders ofH8269
אֲלָפִ֜ים'a.la.FimthousandsH505
וְשָׂרֵ֣יve.sa.Reiand leaders ofH8269
מֵא֗וֹתme.'othundredsH3967
וְשָׂרֵ֤יve.sa.Reiand leaders ofH8269
חֲמִשִּׁים֙cha.mi.ShimfiftiesH2572
וְשָׂרֵ֣יve.sa.Reiand leaders ofH8269
עֲשָׂרֹ֔ת'a.sa.RottensH6235
וְשֹׁטְרִ֖יםve.sho.te.Rimand officialsH7860
לְשִׁבְטֵיכֶֽם\׃le.shiv.tei.Khemof tribes yourH7626

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Deuteronomy 1:15

  • Exodus 18:25-26

    And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

  • Deuteronomy 16:18

    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.

  • Ephesians 4:11

    And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

  • 1 Samuel 8:12

    And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.

  • 1 Samuel 22:7

    Then Saul said unto his servants that stood about him, Hear now, ye Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds;

  • 1 Samuel 17:18

    And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.

  • Numbers 31:14

    And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, with the captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, which came from the battle.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
I took.
16:18; Ex 18:25,26
made. Heb. gave.
Eph 4:11
captains over thousands.
Nu 31:14; 1Sa 8:12; 17:18; 22:7

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Deuteronomy 1:14

    And ye answered me, and said, The thing which thou hast spoken is good for us to do.

  • Deuteronomy 1:15

    So I took the chief of your tribes, wise men, and known, and made them heads over you, captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes.

  • Deuteronomy 1:16

    And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him.

Read all of Deuteronomy 1

Deuteronomy 1:15 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y tomé los principales de vuestras tribus, varones sabios y expertos, y púselos por jefes sobre vosotros, jefes de millares, y jefes de cientos, y jefes de cincuenta, y cabos de diez, y gobernadores á vuestras tribus.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et je pris les chefs de vos tribus, des hommes sages et connus, et je les établis chefs sur vous, chefs de milliers, et chefs de centaines, et chefs de cinquantaines, et chefs de dizaines, et officiers sur vos tribus.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und ich nahm die Häupter eurer Stämme, weise und bekannte Männer, und setzte sie als Häupter über euch, als Oberste über tausend und Oberste über hundert und Oberste über fünfzig und Oberste über zehn, und als Vorsteher eurer Stämme.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Tulique de tribubus vestris viros sapientes et nobiles, et constitui eos principes, tribunos, et centuriones, et quinquagenarios ac decanos, qui docerent vos singula.