29 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel,.... Jethro being the elder man, and of some character and figure, being either a priest or prince of Midian, or both, might, without incurring a censure, take upon him to give advice to Moses, a younger man, and his son-in-law, though he was superior to him in office and in parts; and especially...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws,.... Both with respect to things civil and religious, which he should receive from God: and shalt show them the way wherein they must walk; the path of faith and duty, the way of truth, holiness, and righteousness: and the work that they must do; both with respect to God, and one another, the various...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Moreover, thou shalt provide out of all the people,.... Or look out (t) from among them; see Acts 6:3, able men; or "men of power" (u); meaning not so much men of strong and robust constitutions, who, as Aben Ezra says, are able to bear labour; but men that have strength of heart, as Ben Gersom expresses it, men of spirit and courage, and are not...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And let them judge the people at all times,.... In their several districts, whenever a matter of difference between man and man arises, and the case is brought before them, let them judge impartially between them, and determine what is right and wrong, and execute judgment and justice truly; which would take off a great deal of business from the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
If thou shall do this thing,.... Hearken to the advice given, and put it in execution, by choosing out of the people, and placing over them, judges qualified, as directed: and God command thee so; for he did not desire him to follow his advice any further than it appeared to be according to the will of God, which he doubted not he would inquire...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law,.... Considered what he said, weighed it well in his mind, and judged it good advice, and determined to follow it: and did all that he had said; by choosing such men as he directed to, and committing the judgment of the people to them, as follows:
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Moses chose able men out of all Israel,.... He looked among them, and selected the best of them, such as most answered to the qualifications it was requisite they should have; and though only one of them is here mentioned, which is the first Jethro gave, yet no doubt they were all attended to, though not expressed: and made them heads over the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And they judged the people at all seasons,.... Any day in the week, or any time in the day, whenever there was any occasion for them, and cases were brought before them: the hard cases they brought unto Moses; that is, the judges brought them to Moses when such came before them which were too hard for them, it was difficult to them to determine...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Moses let his father in law depart,.... After he had been with him some time, and desired leave to go into his own country, which was granted; or he "dismissed" (y) him in an honourable way: and as he went out to meet him when he came, if he did not attend him, when he went, some way in person, yet sent a guard along with him, both for honour...