The Meaning of Exodus 18:25 Explained

Exodus 18:25

KJV: And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

YLT: and Moses chooseth men of ability out of all Israel, and maketh them chiefs over the people, heads of thousands, heads of hundreds, heads of fifties, and heads of tens,

Darby: And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, chiefs of thousands, chiefs of hundreds, chiefs of fifties, and chiefs of tens.

ASV: And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Moses  chose  able  men  out of all Israel,  and made  them heads  over the people,  rulers  of thousands,  rulers  of hundreds,  rulers  of fifties,  and rulers  of tens. 

What does Exodus 18:25 Mean?

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 18:25 mean?

And chose Moses men able out of all Israel and made them heads over the people rulers of thousands of hundreds of fifty and rulers of ten
וַיִּבְחַ֨ר מֹשֶׁ֤ה אַנְשֵׁי־ חַ֙יִל֙ מִכָּל־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיִּתֵּ֥ן אֹתָ֛ם רָאשִׁ֖ים עַל־ הָעָ֑ם שָׂרֵ֤י אֲלָפִים֙ מֵא֔וֹת חֲמִשִּׁ֖ים וְשָׂרֵ֥י עֲשָׂרֹֽת

וַיִּבְחַ֨ר  And  chose 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּחוּר 
Sense: to choose, elect, decide for.
מֹשֶׁ֤ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
אַנְשֵׁי־  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱנׄושׁ 
Sense: man, mortal man, person, mankind.
חַ֙יִל֙  able 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חַיִל 
Sense: strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army.
מִכָּל־  out  of  all 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
וַיִּתֵּ֥ן  and  made 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
רָאשִׁ֖ים  heads 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
עַל־  over 
Parse: Preposition
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.
הָעָ֑ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
שָׂרֵ֤י  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.
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.

What are the major concepts related to Exodus 18:25?

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