How can I myself alone bear your cumbrance, and your burden, and your strife? His meaning is, that he could not hear and try all their causes, and determine all their law suits, and decide the strifes and controversies which arose between them; it was too heavy for him, and brought too much trouble and incumbrance upon him. read more
Take ye wise men, and understanding, and known among your tribes ,.... Not only whose persons were well known, but their characters and qualifications, for their probity and integrity, for their wisdom and prudence in the management of affairs, for their skill and knowledge in things divine and human, civil and religious, and for their capacity in judging and determining matters in difference; see Exodus 18:21 . and I will make them rulers over you ; the people were allowed to choose... read more
And ye answered me and said ,.... As the speech of Moses to the people is not expressed before, so neither this answer of theirs to him: the thing which thou hast spoken is good for us to do ; to look out for and present persons to him as before described; this they saw was for their own good and profit, as well as for the ease of Moses, and therefore readily agreed to it. read more
So I took the chief of your tribes, wise men, and known ,.... The principal persons among them, that were remarkable and well known for their wisdom and understanding, whom the people presented to him: and made them heads over you ; rulers of them, as follows: captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens ; see Exodus 18:21 . and officers among your tribes ; which Jarchi interprets of such that bind malefactors and... read more
And I charged your judges at that time ,.... When they were appointed and constituted, even the heads and rulers before spoken of; this charge is also new, and not recorded before: saying, hear the causes between your brethren ; hear both sides, and all that each of them have to say; not suffer one to say all he has to say, and oblige the other to cut his words short, as the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it; but give them leave and time to tell their case, and give the best evidence... read more
Ye shall not respect persons in judgment ,.... Or pass judgment, and give sentence according to the outward appearances, circumstances, and relations of men; as whether they be friends or foes, rich or poor, old or young, men or women, learned or unlearned; truth and justice should always take place, without any regard to what persons are: but you shall hear the small as well as the great ; persons in low, life, and in mean circumstances, as well as great and noble personages; or little... read more
Take you wise men - חכמים chachamim , such as had gained knowledge by great labor and study. Understanding נבנים nebonim , persons of discernment, judicious men. Known, ידעים yeduim , persons practiced in the operations of nature, capable of performing curious and important works. read more
Captains over thousands, etc. - What a curious and well-regulated economy was that of the Israelites! See its order and arrangement: God, the King and Supreme Judge; Moses, God's prime minister; The priests, consulting him by Urim and Thummim; The chiefs or princes of the twelve tribes; Chilliarchs, or captains over thousands; Centurions, or captains over hundreds; Tribunes, or captains over fifty men; Decurions, or captains over ten men; and, Officers, persons who might be... read more
Ye shall not respect persons - Heb. faces. Let not the bold, daring countenance of the rich or mighty induce you to give an unrighteous decision; and let not the abject look of the poor man induce you either to favor him in an unrighteous cause, or to give judgment against him at the demand of the oppressor. Be uncorrupt and incorruptible, for the judgment is God's; ye minister in the place of God, act like Him. read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 1:9-18
Moses here reminds them of the happy constitution of their government, which was such as might make them all safe and easy if it was not their own fault. When good laws were given them good men were entrusted with the execution of them, which, as it was an instance of God's goodness to them, so it was of the care of Moses concerning them; and, it should seem, he mentions it here to recommend himself to them as a man that sincerely sought their welfare, and so to make way for what he was about... read more