The Meaning of Deuteronomy 16:18 Explained

Deuteronomy 16:18

KJV: 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.

YLT: 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.

Darby: Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which Jehovah thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes, that they may judge the people with just judgment.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Deuteronomy 16:18 Mean?

Verse Meaning

As in the other sections of Deuteronomy , here too Moses" emphasized underlying principles more than procedures. Here he stressed the principle of justice.

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 16:18 mean?

Judges and officers you shall appoint to you in all your gates which Yahweh your God gives you according to your tribes and they shall judge - the people with judgment just
שֹׁפְטִ֣ים וְשֹֽׁטְרִ֗ים תִּֽתֶּן־ לְךָ֙ בְּכָל־ שְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ לִשְׁבָטֶ֑יךָ וְשָׁפְט֥וּ אֶת־ הָעָ֖ם מִשְׁפַּט־ צֶֽדֶק

שֹׁפְטִ֣ים  Judges 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: שָׁפַט  
Sense: to judge, govern, vindicate, punish.
וְשֹֽׁטְרִ֗ים  and  officers 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁטַר  
Sense: (Qal) official, officer.
תִּֽתֶּן־  you  shall  appoint 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
לְךָ֙  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
בְּכָל־  in  all 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
שְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ  your  gates 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: שַׁעַר  
Sense: gate.
יְהוָ֧ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
נֹתֵ֥ן  gives 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
לִשְׁבָטֶ֑יךָ  according  to  your  tribes 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁבֶט  
Sense: rod, staff, branch, offshoot, club, sceptre, tribe.
וְשָׁפְט֥וּ  and  they  shall  judge 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: שָׁפַט  
Sense: to judge, govern, vindicate, punish.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָעָ֖ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
מִשְׁפַּט־  with  judgment 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
צֶֽדֶק  just 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: צֶדֶק  
Sense: justice, rightness, righteousness.