^1:16I furthermore admonished your judges at that time that they⁴⁵ should pay attention to issues among your fellow citizens⁴⁶ and judge fairly,⁴⁷ whether between one citizen and another⁴⁸ or a citizen and a resident foreigner.⁴⁹^1:17They⁵⁰ must not discriminate in judgment, but hear the lowly⁵¹ and the great alike. Nor should they be intimidated by human beings, for judgment belongs to God. If the matter being adjudicated is too difficult for them, they should bring it before me for a hearing.

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Footnotes

45 Or “you.” A number of English versions treat the remainder of this verse and v. 17 as direct discourse rather than indirect discourse (cf. , , , , ).
46 Heb “brothers.” The term “brothers” could, in English, be understood to refer to siblings, so “fellow citizens” has been used in the translation.
47 The Hebrew word צֶדֶק (tsedeq, “fairly”) carries the basic idea of conformity to a norm of expected behavior or character, one established by God himself. Fair judgment adheres strictly to that norm or standard (see D. Reimer, 3:).
48 Heb “between a man and his brother.”
49 Heb “his stranger” or “his sojourner”; , “an alien”; “resident alien.” The Hebrew word גֵּר (ger) commonly means “foreigner.”
50 Heb “you,” and throughout the verse (cf. , ).
51 Heb “the small,” but referring to social status, not physical stature.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

And I charged your judges at that time, ‘Hear the cases between your brothers, and judge righteously between a man and his brother or the alien who is with him. You shall not be partial in judgment. You shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not be intimidated by anyone, for the judgment is God’s. And the case that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it.’

NIVNew International Version (2011)

And I charged your judges at that time, “Hear the disputes between your people and judge fairly, whether the case is between two Israelites or between an Israelite and a foreigner residing among you. Do not show partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of anyone, for judgment belongs to God. Bring me any case too hard for you, and I will hear it.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

I commanded your judges at that time: Hear the cases between your brothers, and judge rightly between a man and his brother or his resident alien. Do not show partiality when deciding a case; listen to small and great alike. Do not be intimidated by anyone, for judgment belongs to God. Bring me any case too difficult for you, and I will hear it.

NLTNew Living Translation

“At that time I instructed the judges, ‘You must hear the cases of your fellow Israelites and the foreigners living among you. Be perfectly fair in your decisions and impartial in your judgments. Hear the cases of those who are poor as well as those who are rich. Don’t be afraid of anyone’s anger, for the decision you make is God’s decision. Bring me any cases that are too difficult for you, and I will handle them.’

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And at that time I instructed your judges, saying, ‘hear out your fellow men, and then judge fairly between a man and between his brother and between his opponent who is a resident alien. You must not be partial in your judgment; hear out the small person as also the great person; do not be intimidated by any person, because the judgment is God’s; and the case that is too difficult for you, bring it to me, and I will hear it out.’

KJV 1900King James Version

And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him. Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God’s: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.

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