Deuteronomy 1:16
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Notice that the charge isn't just about fairness between Israelites, but specifically includes the "stranger" living among them. This highlights God's deep concern for justice extending even to those outside the covenant community, ensuring they receive the same righteous treatment. It’s a profound reminder that true justice, in God's eyes, leaves no one behind.
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Moses is explaining the foundational instructions he gave the newly appointed judges as they prepared to enter the Promised Land. After recounting how he felt overwhelmed by the people's disputes, he details the structure of the judicial system he established and the core principles they were to uphold. This charge emphasizes fair and impartial judgment for all, including non-Israelites living among them, setting the stage for the legal and ethical framework of their nation.
When Moses appointed judges for Israel, he laid down a core principle for their work. It wasn't just about resolving disputes, but about how they resolved them.
Moses' charge to the judges in Deuteronomy 1:16 is a powerful reminder that justice must be blind to status.
Hear All Sides
First, the command to 'hear the causes between your brethren' emphasizes the importance of listening. This means giving both parties a full opportunity to present their case, not cutting them short or pre-judging the situation. It's about patient listening before delivering a verdict.
Equal Scales for All
Crucially, Moses extends this principle beyond fellow Israelites: 'and judge righteously between a man and his brother or the alien who is with him.' This was revolutionary! It meant that non-Israelites living among them, the 'strangers' or 'sojourners' (often called gerim), were to receive the same fair treatment under the law as any Israelite. This wasn't just a nice idea; it was a divine mandate, crucial for Israel's integrity and reflecting God’s heart for all people.
Why was impartial justice so vital for Israel? Moses connects the judges' decisions directly to the very nature and honor of God.
The charge to judge righteously, especially including the alien, wasn't just about maintaining social order. It was about reflecting God's own character and rule.
Ask a follow-up
Honoring God's Name
When Israel administered justice fairly, it brought honor to God among the surrounding nations. It demonstrated that their God was a God of righteousness and justice, not favoritism. The well-being and rights of every person, including the vulnerable stranger, were to be protected, showing the world the character of the God they served.
The Divine Mandate
As Calvin noted, the judges were acting as God's representatives. They were reminded that 'the judgment is God's.' This meant their decisions weren't merely human opinions but had divine backing and accountability. To fail in this duty was to dishonor God and betray the sacred trust placed in them.
Understand the original words
shophetim · Hebrew Noun
Men appointed to exercise authority, discern the truth, and settle disputes among the people of God according to His Law. Their role was to uphold justice and reflect God's own character in their rulings.
tzedeq · Hebrew Adverb
Acting in accordance with God’s standards of fairness, truth, and moral integrity. It refers to a standard of equity that is derived from the character of God rather than human preference.
ger · Hebrew Noun
A resident foreigner or sojourner who does not belong to the covenant nation by blood but lives within its borders. Biblical law mandates that they be treated with justice and fairness equal to that afforded to native Israelites.
This instruction from Moses to his newly appointed judges occurs during the Israelites' 40-year journey in the wilderness. It highlights God's desire for justice and impartiality to be established from the very beginning of their national life, even before they settled in the land.
c. 1446 BC
The Exodus from Egypt
Millions of Israelites leave Egypt after centuries of slavery, embarking on a 40-year journey through the wilderness.
c. 1446-1406 BC— this verse
Wilderness Wanderings
The Israelites wander in the Sinai desert for 40 years. During this time, God establishes laws and a covenant with them, and Moses appoints judges.
c. 1406 BC
Entry into Canaan
After Moses' death, Joshua leads the Israelites into the Promised Land, beginning the conquest and subsequent settlement.
This passage shares the theme of protecting the vulnerable, specifically commanding justice for the 'sojourner' (stranger), mirroring Deuteronomy's charge to judges.
Leviticus 19:15This verse directly instructs against showing partiality in judgment, echoing Deuteronomy's command to judge righteously and without favoritism, whether between brothers or strangers.
Isaiah 1:17This prophetic passage calls for justice and righteousness to be pursued, aligning with the core command given to the judges in Deuteronomy to 'judge righteously'.
Matthew 7:12Jesus' Golden Rule, 'do to others what you would have them do to you,' encapsulates the spirit of righteous judgment and fairness commanded to the judges, extending it to all human interactions.
2 Chronicles 19:6-7King Jehoshaphat reiterates a similar charge to his judges, reminding them that their judgment is not for men but for the Lord, underscoring the divine authority and impartiality required in justice, just as Moses did.
bensonDeuteronomy 1:16: "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."
Deuteronomy 1:16 . The stranger — That converseth or dealeth with him. To such God would have justice equally administered as to his own people, partly for the honour of religion, and partly for the interest which every man hath in matters of common right.
wesleyDeuteronomy 1:16: "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."
1:16 The stranger - That converseth or dealeth with himn. To Such God would have justice equally adtninistred as to his own people, partly for the honour of religion, and partly for the interest which every man hath in matters of common right.
Notice that the charge isn't just about fairness between Israelites, but specifically includes the "stranger" living among them. This highlights God's deep concern for justice extending even to those outside the covenant community, ensuring they receive the same righteous treatment. It’s a profound reminder that true justice, in God's eyes, leaves no one behind.
Moses is explaining the foundational instructions he gave the newly appointed judges as they prepared to enter the Promised Land. After recounting how he felt overwhelmed by the people's disputes, he details the structure of the judicial system he established and the core principles they were to uphold. This charge emphasizes fair and impartial judgment for all, including non-Israelites living among them, setting the stage for the legal and ethical framework of their nation.
Moses is explaining the foundational instructions he gave the newly appointed judges as they prepared to enter the Promised Land. After recounting how he felt overwhelmed by the people's disputes, he details the structure of the judicial system he established and the core principles they were to uphold. This charge emphasizes fair and impartial judgment for all, including non-Israelites living among them, setting the stage for the legal and ethical framework of their nation.
"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." — Notice that the charge isn't just about fairness between Israelites, but specifically includes the "stranger" living among them. This highlights God's deep concern for justice extending even to those…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
