Exodus 18 · Verse 20

Exodus 18:20

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.
Exodus 18:20, King James Version

Exodus 18:20 in other translations

BSBTeach them the statutes and laws, and show them the way to live and the work they must do.
WEBYou shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and shall show them the way in which they must walk, and the work that they must do.
ASVand thou shalt teach them the statutes and the laws, and shalt show them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.
YLTand thou hast warned them concerning the statutes and the laws, and hast made known to them the way in which they go, and the work which they do.
DARBYand teach them the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they must walk, and the work that they must do.
BBETeaching them his rules and his laws, guiding them in the way they have to go, and making clear to them the work they have to do.
WebsterAnd thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt show them the way in which they must walk, and the work that they must do.

What does Exodus 18:20 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…

Read the full comment on Exodus 18:13-26 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 Thou shalt teach them ordinances - חקים chukkim, all such precepts as relate to the ceremonies of religion and political economy. And laws, התורת hattoroth, the instructions relative to the whole system of morality. And shalt show them the way - אה הדרך eth hadderech, That very Way, that only way, which God himself has revealed, and in which they should walk in order to please him, and get their souls everlastingly saved. And the work that they must do - For it was not sufficient that they should know their duty both to God and man, but they must Do it too; יעשון yaasun, they must do it diligently, fervently, effectually; for the paragogic nun deepens and extends the meaning of the verb. What a very comprehensive form of a preacher's duty does this verse exhibit! 1. He must instruct the people in the nature, use, and importance of the ordinances of religion. 2. He must lay before them the whole moral law, and their obligations to fulfill all its precepts. 3. He must point out to each his particular duty, and what is expected of him in his situation, connections, etc. And, 4. He must set them all their work, and see that they do it. On such a plan as this he will have full opportunity to show the people, 1. Their sin, ignorance, and folly; 2. The pure and holy law which they have broken, and by which they are condemned; 3. The grace of God that bringeth salvation, by which they are to be justified and finally saved; and, 4. The necessity of showing their faith by their works; not only denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, but living soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ.

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…

Read the full comment on Exodus 18:13-27 →

Exodus 18:20 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.

וְהִזְהַרְתָּ֣הve.hiz.har.Tahand you will warnH2094
אֶתְהֶ֔ם'et.Hem<obj.> themH853
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הַחֻקִּ֖יםha.chu.Kimthe statutesH2706
וְאֶת\־ve.'Etand <obj.>H853
הַתּוֹרֹ֑תha.to.Rotthe lawsH8451
וְהוֹדַעְתָּ֣ve.ho.da'.Taand you will make knownH3045
לָהֶ֗םla.Hemto them
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הַדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ha.De.rekhthe wayH1870
יֵ֣לְכוּYe.le.khu[which] they will walkH1980
בָ֔הּVahin it
וְאֶת\־ve.'Etand <obj.>H853
הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֖הha.ma.'a.Sehthe workH4639
אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.SherwhichH834
יַעֲשֽׂוּן\׃ya.'a.Sunthey will do !H6213

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

Cross references for Exodus 18:20

  • Deuteronomy 5:1

    And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them.

  • Psalms 143:8

    Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.

  • Deuteronomy 1:18

    And I commanded you at that time all the things which ye should do.

  • Deuteronomy 4:1

    Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers giveth you.

  • Deuteronomy 4:5

    Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the Lord my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it.

  • Psalms 32:8

    I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

  • Exodus 18:16

    When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.

  • Jeremiah 42:3

    That the Lord thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do.

  • 1 Samuel 12:23

    Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:

  • Jeremiah 6:16

    Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

  • Deuteronomy 7:11

    Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them.

  • Deuteronomy 6:1-2

    Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it: That thou mightest fear the Lord thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
teach.
16; De 4:1,5; 5:1; 6:1,2; 7:11; Ne 9:13,14
the way.
1Sa 12:23; Ps 32:8; 143:8; Isa 30:21; Jer 6:16; 42:3; Mic 4:2
1Th 4:1
work.
De 1:18; Eze 3:17; Mt 28:20; Mr 13:34; 2Th 3:6-12

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

Context

  • Exodus 18:19

    Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God:

  • Exodus 18:20

    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.

  • Exodus 18:21

    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:

Read all of Exodus 18

Exodus 18:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y enseña á ellos las ordenanzas y las leyes, y muéstrales el camino por donde anden, y lo que han de hacer.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		et enseigne-leur les statuts et les lois, et fais-leur connaître la voie dans laquelle ils doivent marcher, et l’œuvre qu’ils ont à faire.
German
Elberfelder 1871		und erläutere ihnen die Satzungen und die Gesetze, und tue ihnen kund den Weg, auf dem sie wandeln, und das Werk, das sie tun sollen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		ostendasque populo cæremonias et ritum colendi, viamque per quam ingredi debeant, et opus quod facere debeant.