Dominic Bnonn Tennant (the B is silent)

Exodus 18

19

Now, hearken to my voice, I counsel thee, and God is with thee: be thou for the people over-against God, and thou hast brought in the things unto God;

20

and thou hast warned them concerning the statutes and the laws, and hast made known to them the way in which they go, and the work which they do.

21

And thou, perceive1 out of all the people men of substance,2 fearers of God, men of trueness,3 hating profit, and set these upon them, principals of thousands, principals of hundreds, principals of fifties, and principals of tens,

22

and they shall judge the people in every time; and it shall be, every big thing they ‹bring in› unto thee, and every little thing they judge themselves; and thou shalt reduce it from upon thyself, and they shall bear it with thee.

23

If thou dost this thing, and God hath commanded thee, then thou hast been able to stand, and all this people also goeth in unto its place in peace.

Footnotes

  1. perceive (chazah). Or “behold.” The root is most commonly used of prophetic visions, and those who have them (Ex 24:11; Num 24:16; 1 Sam 3:1; 2 Sam 24:11 etc). It is also rare in narrative, being primarily used in the later poetic and prophetic literature. ↩

  2. substance (chayil). See note on Jdg 11:1. ↩

  3. trueness (emet). Or “men who are true.” See note on Jdg 9:15. ↩