Exodus 18 · Verse 13

Exodus 18:13

And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening.
Exodus 18:13, King James Version

Exodus 18:13 in other translations

BSBThe next day Moses took his seat to judge the people, and they stood around him from morning until evening.
WEBOn the next day, Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from the morning to the evening.
ASVAnd it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood about Moses from the morning unto the evening.
YLTAnd it cometh to pass on the morrow, that Moses sitteth to judge the people, and the people stand before Moses, from the morning unto the evening;
DARBYAnd it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people; and the people stood by Moses from the morning to the evening.
BBENow on the day after, Moses took his seat to give decisions for the people: and the people were waiting before Moses from morning till evening.
WebsterAnd it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning to the evening.

What does Exodus 18:13 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Exodus 18:13-26
13-26. on the morrow ... Moses sat to judge the people, &c.--We are here presented with a specimen of his daily morning occupations; and among the multifarious duties his divine legation imposed, it must be considered only a small portion of his official employments. He appears in this attitude as a type of Christ in His legislative and judicial characters. the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening, &c.--Governors in the East seat themselves at the most public gate of their palace or the city, and there, amid a crowd of applicants, hear causes, receive petitions, redress grievances, and adjust the claims of contending parties.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 13 To judge the people - To hear and determine controversies between man and man, and to give them instruction in things appertaining to God. From the morning unto the evening - Moses was obliged to sit all day, and the people were continually coming and going.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Exodus 18:13-27
Here is the great zeal and the toil of Moses as a magistrate. Having been employed to redeem Israel out of the house of bondage, he is a further type of Christ, that he is employed as a lawgiver and a judge among them. If the people were as quarrelsome one with another as they were with God, no doubt Moses had many causes brought before him. This business Moses was called to; it appears that he did it with great care and kindness. The meanest Israelite was welcome to bring his cause before him. Moses kept to his business from morning to night. Jethro thought it was too much for him to undertake alone; also it would make the administration of justice tiresome to the people. There may be over-doing even in well-doing. Wisdom is profitable to direct, that we may neither content ourselves with less than our duty, nor task ourselves beyond our strength. Jethro advised Moses to a better plan. Great men should not only study to be useful themselves, but contrive to make others useful. Care must be taken in the choice of the persons admitted into such a trust. They should be men of good sense, that understood business, and that would not be daunted by frowns or clamours, but abhorred the thought of a bribe. Men of piety and religion; such as fear God, who dare not to do a base thing, though they could do it secretly and securely. The fear of God will best fortify a man against temptations to injustice. Moses did not despise this advice. Those are not wise, who think themselves too wise to be counselled.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Exodus 18:13 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.

וַיְהִי֙vay.Hiand it wasH1961
מִֽמָּחֳרָ֔תmi.mo.cho.Ratfrom [the] next dayH4283
וַיֵּ֥שֶׁבvai.Ye.shevand he satH3427
מֹשֶׁ֖הmo.ShehMosesH4872
לִשְׁפֹּ֣טlish.Potto judgeH8199
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הָעָ֑םha.'Amthe peopleH5971
וַיַּעֲמֹ֤דvai.ya.'a.Modand it stoodH5975
הָעָם֙ha.'Amthe peopleH5971
עַל\־'al-atH5921
מֹשֶׁ֔הmo.ShehMosesH4872
מִן\־min-fromH4480
הַבֹּ֖קֶרha.Bo.kerthe morningH1242
עַד\־'ad-untilH5704
הָעָֽרֶב\׃ha.'A.revthe eveningH6153

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

Cross references for Exodus 18:13

  • Romans 12:8

    Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

  • Joel 3:12

    Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.

  • Job 29:7

    When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!

  • Isaiah 16:5

    And in mercy shall the throne be established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness.

  • Romans 13:6

    For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.

  • Judges 5:10

    Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way.

  • Matthew 23:2

    Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat:

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jud 5:10; Job 29:7; Isa 16:5; Joe 3:12; Mt 23:2; Ro 12:8; 13:6

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

Context

  • Exodus 18:12

    And Jethro, Moses’ father in law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses’ father in law before God.

  • Exodus 18:13

    And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening.

  • Exodus 18:14

    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?

Read all of Exodus 18

Exodus 18:13 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y aconteció que otro día se sentó Moisés á juzgar al pueblo; y el pueblo estuvo delante de Moisés desde la mañana hasta la tarde.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il arriva, le lendemain, que Moïse s’assit pour juger le peuple; et le peuple se tint auprès de Moïse depuis le matin jusqu’au soir;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und es geschah am anderen Tage, da setzte sich Mose, um das Volk zu richten; und das Volk stand bei Mose vom Morgen bis zum Abend.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Altera autem die sedit Moyses ut judicaret populum, qui assistebat Moysi a mane usque ad vesperam.