Deuteronomy 16:18
New International Version
Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in every town the LORD your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly.

New Living Translation
“Appoint judges and officials for yourselves from each of your tribes in all the towns the LORD your God is giving you. They must judge the people fairly.

English Standard Version
“You shall appoint judges and officers in all your towns that the LORD your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.

Berean Standard Bible
You are to appoint judges and officials for your tribes in every town that the LORD your God is giving you. They are to judge the people with righteous judgment.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
“You shall appoint judges and officers in all your gates, which the LORD your God gives you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with just judgment.

New American Standard Bible
“You shall appoint for yourself judges and officers in all your towns which the LORD your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.

NASB 1995
“You shall appoint for yourself judges and officers in all your towns which the LORD your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.

NASB 1977
“You shall appoint for yourself judges and officers in all your towns which the LORD your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.

Legacy Standard Bible
“You shall appoint for yourself judges and officers in all your gates of the towns which Yahweh your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.

Amplified Bible
“You shall appoint judges and officers in all your cities (gates) which the LORD your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.

Christian Standard Bible
“Appoint judges and officials for your tribes in all your towns the LORD your God is giving you. They are to judge the people with righteous judgment.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Appoint judges and officials for your tribes in all your towns the LORD your God is giving you. They are to judge the people with righteous judgment.

American Standard Version
Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which Jehovah thy God giveth thee, according to thy tribes; and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.

English Revised Version
Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, according to thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Appoint judges and officers for your tribes in every city that the LORD your God is giving you. They are to judge the people fairly.

Good News Translation
"Appoint judges and other officials in every town that the LORD your God gives you. These men are to judge the people impartially.

International Standard Version
"Appoint judges and civil servants according to your tribes in all your cities that the LORD your God is about to give you, so they may judge the people impartially.

Majority Standard Bible
You are to appoint judges and officials for your tribes in every town that the LORD your God is giving you. They are to judge the people with righteous judgment.

NET Bible
You must appoint judges and civil servants for each tribe in all your villages that the LORD your God is giving you, and they must judge the people fairly.

New Heart English Bible
You shall make judges and officers in all your gates, which the LORD your God gives you, according to your tribes; and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

World English Bible
You shall make judges and officers in all your gates, which Yahweh your God gives you, according to your tribes; and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
You set for yourself judges and authorities within all your gates which your God YHWH is giving to you, for your tribes; and they have judged the people [with] a righteous judgment.

Young's Literal Translation
'Judges and authorities thou dost make to thee within all thy gates which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee, for thy tribes; and they have judged the people -- a righteous judgment.

Smith's Literal Translation
Judges and scribes shall thou give to thee in all thy gates which Jehovah thy God gave to thee according to thy tribes: and they judged the people just judgment.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Thou shalt appoint judges and magistrates in all thy gates, which the Lord thy God shall give thee, in all thy tribes: that they may judge the people with just judgment,

Catholic Public Domain Version
You shall appoint judges and magistrates at all your gates, which the Lord your God will give to you, throughout each of your tribes, so that they may judge the people with a just judgment,

New American Bible
In all the communities which the LORD, your God, is giving you, you shall appoint judges and officials throughout your tribes to administer true justice for the people.

New Revised Standard Version
You shall appoint judges and officials throughout your tribes, in all your towns that the LORD your God is giving you, and they shall render just decisions for the people.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
You shall appoint to yourselves judges and scribes in all your cities, which the LORD your God gives you, throughout your tribes; and they shall judge the people with just judgment.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Make for yourself Judges and Scribes in all your cities that LORD JEHOVAH your God gives to you for your tribes, and they shall judge the people with the judgment of righteousness.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, tribe by tribe; and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Thou shalt make for thyself judges and officers in thy cities, which the Lord thy God gives thee in thy tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Judges and Justice
18You are to appoint judges and officials for your tribes in every town that the LORD your God is giving you. They are to judge the people with righteous judgment. 19Do not deny justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.…

Cross References
Exodus 18:21-22
Furthermore, select capable men from among the people—God-fearing, trustworthy men who are averse to dishonest gain. Appoint them over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. / 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.

2 Chronicles 19:5-7
He appointed judges in the land, in each of the fortified cities of Judah. / Then he said to the judges, “Consider carefully what you do, for you are not judging for man, but for the LORD, who is with you when you render judgment. / And now, may the fear of the LORD be upon you. Be careful what you do, for with the LORD our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery.”

Romans 13:1-4
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God. / Consequently, whoever resists authority is opposing what God has set in place, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. / For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Then do what is right, and you will have his approval. ...

Proverbs 29:2
When the righteous flourish, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan.

1 Peter 2:13-14
Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to the king as the supreme authority, / or to governors as those sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right.

Isaiah 1:26
I will restore your judges as at first, and your counselors as at the beginning. After that you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City.”

Matthew 23:23
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin. But you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.

1 Samuel 8:1-3
When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel. / The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second was Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba. / But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside toward dishonest gain, accepting bribes and perverting justice.

Micah 6:8
He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

Acts 6:3
Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men confirmed to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will assign this responsibility to them

Leviticus 19:15
You must not pervert justice; you must not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the rich; you are to judge your neighbor fairly.

James 2:8-9
If you really fulfill the royal law stated in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. / But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.

Jeremiah 22:3
This is what the LORD says: Administer justice and righteousness. Rescue the victim of robbery from the hand of his oppressor. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow. Do not shed innocent blood in this place.

Luke 18:1-8
Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray at all times and not lose heart: / “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected men. / And there was a widow in that town who kept appealing to him, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ ...

Amos 5:14-15
Seek good, not evil, so that you may live. And the LORD, the God of Hosts, will be with you, as you have claimed. / Hate evil and love good; establish justice in the gate. Perhaps the LORD, the God of Hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.”


Treasury of Scripture

Judges and officers shall you make you in all your gates, which the LORD your God gives you, throughout your tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment.

Judges

Deuteronomy 1:15-17
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 17:9,12
And thou shalt come unto the priests the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days, and inquire; and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgment: …

Deuteronomy 19:17,18
Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days; …

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Deuteronomy 16
1. The feast of the Passover
9. of weeks
13. of tabernacles
16. Every male must offer, as he is able, at these three feasts
18. Of judges and justice
21. Asherah poles and images are forbidden














You are to appoint
The Hebrew root for "appoint" is "שׁוּם" (sum), which means to set, place, or establish. This directive emphasizes the intentional and deliberate action required by the Israelites to establish a system of governance. It underscores the importance of leadership and order within the community, reflecting God's desire for structured and just societies. The act of appointing is not merely administrative but a divine mandate to ensure justice and righteousness prevail.

judges and officials
The Hebrew words used here are "שֹׁפְטִים" (shoftim) for judges and "שֹׁטְרִים" (shotrim) for officials. Judges were responsible for interpreting and applying the law, while officials assisted in the administration and enforcement of these judgments. This dual role highlights the need for both wisdom and practical governance. Historically, these roles were crucial in maintaining order and justice, ensuring that the community lived according to God's laws.

for your tribes
The phrase "for your tribes" indicates the decentralized nature of governance in ancient Israel. Each tribe was responsible for appointing its own leaders, reflecting the tribal structure of Israelite society. This system allowed for governance that was both local and personal, ensuring that leaders were familiar with the specific needs and circumstances of their communities. It also emphasizes the importance of community involvement in leadership selection.

in every town
The instruction to appoint judges and officials "in every town" underscores the comprehensive nature of this command. Justice was to be accessible to all, not just those in major cities or central locations. This reflects God's concern for equity and fairness, ensuring that every individual, regardless of their location, had access to righteous judgment. It also highlights the importance of local governance and the presence of justice in everyday life.

the LORD your God is giving you
This phrase serves as a reminder of the divine origin of the land and the authority to govern it. The land is a gift from God, and with it comes the responsibility to uphold His standards of justice. This acknowledgment of divine sovereignty reinforces the idea that all authority and governance are ultimately accountable to God. It also serves as a reminder of the covenant relationship between God and His people.

and they are to judge
The Hebrew word for "judge" is "שָׁפַט" (shaphat), which means to govern, vindicate, or punish. This role is not merely about making decisions but involves a deep commitment to justice and righteousness. Judges were to reflect God's character in their judgments, serving as His representatives on earth. This responsibility required wisdom, integrity, and a deep understanding of God's laws.

the people with righteous judgment
The phrase "righteous judgment" is central to the verse, emphasizing the standard by which judges were to operate. The Hebrew word for "righteous" is "צֶדֶק" (tsedeq), which denotes justice, fairness, and integrity. This standard reflects God's own nature and His desire for His people to live in a society marked by justice and equity. Righteous judgment ensures that the vulnerable are protected, the guilty are held accountable, and the community reflects God's holiness.

(18) Judges and officers.--A fresh section of the book, as read in the synagogues, begins with these words.

The land is now considered as the seat of the Kingdom of Jehovah, to the end of ch. 18. See Introduction for a complete analysis, and comp. Joshua 23:2, which shows that these magistrates were already appointed.

Verses 18-20. - Moses had at an earlier period appointed judges to settle disputes among the people, and had given instructions to them for the discharge of their duty (Exodus 18; Deuteronomy 1:12-18). Whilst the people were in the wilderness, united as one body and under the leadership of Moses, this arrangement was sufficient; but a more extended arrangement would be required when they came to be settled in Canaan and dispersed in towns and villages over the whole land. In prospect of this, Moses here enacts that judges and officers were to be appointed by the people in all their gates, in all their places of residence, which the Lord should give them. Verse 18. - Judges and officers. The "officers" (shoterim, writers) associated with the judges both in the earlier arrangements and in that which was to succeed were secretaries and clerks of court, and acted also as assessors and advisers of the judges. No instruction is given as to the number of judges and officers, or as to the mode of appointing them; nor was this necessary. The former would be determined by the size and population of the place where they were appointed, and the latter would, as a matter of course, follow the method instituted by Moses in the earlier arrangement (see Deuteronomy 1:13-15; Exodus 18:21-26).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
You are to appoint
תִּֽתֶּן־ (tit·ten-)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

judges
שֹׁפְטִ֣ים (šō·p̄ə·ṭîm)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 8199: To judge, pronounce sentence, to vindicate, punish, to govern, to litigate

and officials
וְשֹֽׁטְרִ֗ים (wə·šō·ṭə·rîm)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 7860: A scribe, an official superintendent, magistrate

for your tribes
לִשְׁבָטֶ֑יךָ (liš·ḇā·ṭe·ḵā)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 7626: Rod, staff, club, scepter, tribe

in every
בְּכָל־ (bə·ḵāl)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

town
שְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ (šə·‘ā·re·ḵā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 8179: An opening, door, gate

the LORD
יְהוָ֧ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

your God
אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ (’ĕ·lō·he·ḵā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

is giving you.
נֹתֵ֥ן (nō·ṯên)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

They are to judge
וְשָׁפְט֥וּ (wə·šā·p̄ə·ṭū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 8199: To judge, pronounce sentence, to vindicate, punish, to govern, to litigate

the people
הָעָ֖ם (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

with righteous
צֶֽדֶק׃ (ṣe·ḏeq)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6664: The right, equity, prosperity

judgment.
מִשְׁפַּט־ (miš·paṭ-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4941: A verdict, a sentence, formal decree, divine law, penalty, justice, privilege, style


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OT Law: Deuteronomy 16:18 You shall make judges and officers (Deut. De Du)
Deuteronomy 16:17
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