The Meaning of Exodus 18:21 Explained

Exodus 18:21

KJV: 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:

YLT: And thou -- thou dost provide out of all the people men of ability, fearing God, men of truth, hating dishonest gain, and hast placed these over them, heads of thousands, heads of hundreds, heads of fifties, and heads of tens,

Darby: But do thou provide among all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place them over them, chiefs of thousands, chiefs of hundreds, chiefs of fifties, and chiefs of tens,

ASV: Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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: 

What does Exodus 18:21 Mean?

Study Notes

fear
.
fear of the Lord
The "fear of the Lord," a phrase of the O.T. piety, meaning reverential trust, with hatred of evil.

Context Summary

Exodus 18:13-27 - Moses Appoints Rulers To Judge Israel
Jethro's frank acknowledgment of God's supremacy and lovingkindness was extremely beautiful. Oh, for more wisdom to discern, and humble reverence to acknowledge the divine goodness wherever we encounter it. His advice also was most sagacious. It is far better to set a thousand people to work than attempt to do the work of a thousand. The greatest and most useful men are those who know how to devolve on others work for which these are quite competent, while they concentrate themselves on matters of the highest moment, which the others cannot undertake. Thus character is created. It is the highest service of all to bring men's requests and causes to God, and then to show them the way in which they should walk and the work they should do. In the best sense this is what Jesus does for us all. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 18

1  Jethro brings his wife and two sons to Moses
7  Moses entertains him, and relates the goodness of the Lord
9  Jethro rejoices, blesses God, and offers sacrifice
13  He gives good counsel, which is accepted
27  Jethro departs

What do the individual words in Exodus 18:21 mean?

Moreover you shall select from all the people men able [such as] fear God men of truth hating covetousness and place [such] over them [to be] rulers of thousands rulers of hundreds of fifty and rulers of ten
וְאַתָּ֣ה תֶחֱזֶ֣ה מִכָּל־ הָ֠עָם אַנְשֵׁי־ חַ֜יִל יִרְאֵ֧י אֱלֹהִ֛ים אַנְשֵׁ֥י אֱמֶ֖ת שֹׂ֣נְאֵי בָ֑צַע וְשַׂמְתָּ֣ עֲלֵהֶ֗ם שָׂרֵ֤י אֲלָפִים֙ שָׂרֵ֣י מֵא֔וֹת חֲמִשִּׁ֖ים וְשָׂרֵ֥י עֲשָׂרֹֽת

וְאַתָּ֣ה  Moreover  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
תֶחֱזֶ֣ה  shall  select 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: חָזָה  
Sense: to see, perceive, look, behold, prophesy, provide.
מִכָּל־  from  all 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הָ֠עָם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
אַנְשֵׁי־  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
חַ֜יִל  able 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חַיִל 
Sense: strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army.
יִרְאֵ֧י  [such  as]  fear 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural construct
Root: יָרֵא  
Sense: fearing, reverent, afraid.
אֱלֹהִ֛ים  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
אַנְשֵׁ֥י  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
אֱמֶ֖ת  of  truth 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֱמֶת  
Sense: firmness, faithfulness, truth.
שֹׂ֣נְאֵי  hating 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: שָׂנֵא  
Sense: to hate, be hateful.
בָ֑צַע  covetousness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֶּצַע  
Sense: profit, unjust gain, gain (profit) acquired by violence.
וְשַׂמְתָּ֣  and  place  [such] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
עֲלֵהֶ֗ם  over  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
שָׂרֵ֤י  [to  be]  rulers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: סָרַר 
Sense: prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain.
אֲלָפִים֙  of  thousands 
Parse: Number, masculine plural
Root: אֶלֶף 
Sense: a thousand.
שָׂרֵ֣י  rulers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: סָרַר 
Sense: prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain.
מֵא֔וֹת  of  hundreds 
Parse: Number, feminine plural
Root: מֵאָה 
Sense: hundred.
חֲמִשִּׁ֖ים  of  fifty 
Parse: Number, common plural
Root: חֲמִשִּׁים 
Sense: fifty.
וְשָׂרֵ֥י  and  rulers 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: סָרַר 
Sense: prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain.
עֲשָׂרֹֽת  of  ten 
Parse: Number, masculine plural
Root: עֶשֶׂר 
Sense: ten.