Exodus 18:22

Exo 18:22 And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, [that] every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear [the burden] with thee.

Ver. 22. So shall it be easier, &c.] How thankless is their labour that do wilfully overspend themselves in their ordinary vocations!

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

(22) At all seasons.—Not on occasional court days, as had been the custom of Moses, but day by day continually.

Every great matter they shall bring unto thee.—It must have been left to the judges themselves to decide what were “great” and what were “small matters.” Under ordinary circumstances, courts would be inclined to extend their jurisdiction, and take enlarged views of their competency; but the difficulties of desert life were such as to counteract this inclination, and induce men to contract, rather than widen, their responsibilities. When the wilderness life was ended, the judicial system of Jethro came to an end also, and a system at once simpler and more elastic was adopted.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

22. at all seasons] i.e. in all ordinary cases.

so &c.] Heb. and make it light off thyself, i.e. relieve thyself.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

If thou shall do this thing,.... Hearken to the advice given, and put it in execution, by choosing out of the people, and placing over them, judges qualified, as directed: and God command thee so; for he did not desire him to follow his advice any further than it appeared to be according to the will of God, which he doubted not he would inquire about; and if he found it was agreeable to it, and should pursue it:

then thou shall be able to endure; to continue in his office and post, and hold on for years to come, God granting him life and health; whereas otherwise, in all human probability, he must waste and wear away apace:

and all this people shall also go to their place in peace; having had their cases heard and tried, and their differences adjusted to satisfaction; and quick dispatch being made, they would return to their tents or places of abode in much peace of mind, and sit down contented with the determination made, and pleased that the lawsuit was not protracted to any unreasonable length of time. Jarchi interprets all this people, of Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and the seventy elders that came with him, as if they by this means would be eased, and so pleased with it.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

22. Great matter… small matter — See note on Exo_18:19.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Let them judge the people at all seasons. Instead of occasional court-days, on which Moses sat from morning to evening hearing causes, judgments were to be given continually by the rulers of tens, fifties, etc., the accumulation of untried causes being thus avoided, and punishment following promptly on the committal of an offence. The elaborately minute organisation was only suited for the period of the wanderings, and was of a semi-military character, such as might have suited an army on the march When the Israelites became settled dwellers in Palestine, such a multiplicity of judges was unnecessary, and was discontinued. So shall it be easier. Literally, "So make it easier." Compare ver. 18.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

ושפטו — Onkelos translates this by וידונון AND LET THEM JUDGE (not “and they judged”, as in v. 26) — the word expresses a command.

והקל מעליך lit., AND TO LIGHTEN the burden FROM OFF YOU — this thing will serve to lighten it from off you. והקל — the grammatical form is similar to (Exodus 8:11) ”and to harden (והכבד) his heart”; (2 Kings 3:24) “and to smite (והכות) Moab” — both of which words are infinitives expressing present time.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

AND LET THEM JUDGE THE PEOPLE AT ALL TIMES. The meaning thereof is that “when there will be many judges available, the oppressed one will go to the judge at any time he desires and he will find him ready [to listen to his grievance]. He cannot come near you [i.e., Moses] at any time because of the great multitude of people before you and on account of your many preoccupations. The result of this is that many of them will rather tolerate the violence committed against them because they have no opportunity to tell it to you. They do not want to abandon their work and affairs to wait for a free moment when they will be able to approach you.” This is the sense of the expression, each one shall go to his place in peace. At present, because they cannot come near for judgment at all times, they will not rest in peace, since this opens a door for unjust people to commit violence and for oppressors to cause contention. And the meaning of the expression to his place is that to whatever place they will come, [they will live in peace] as long as they are in the camp in the wilderness.From the language, And let them judge the people ‘at all times,’ our Rabbis have derived the principle that in civil cases, the verdict may be reached even during the night, 32 a). The trial itself, in both capital and non-capital cases, must be held during the daytime (ibid.) since it does not say here, “[and let them judge the people] the whole day.”

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.