Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes. Do it in every town the Lord your God is giving you. They must judge the people fairly.

“你要在耶和华你神所赐的各城里，按着各支派设立审判官和官长。他们必按公义的审判判断百姓。

“你要在耶和华—你上帝所赐的各城中，为各支派设立审判官和官长。他们要按公义的判断审判百姓，

“你要在耶和华—你神所赐的各城中，为各支派设立审判官和官长。他们要按公义的判断审判百姓，

“要在你们的上帝耶和华将要赐给你们的各城中，按支派委任审判官及其他官员。官员们要秉公审判，

“在耶和华你的神赐给你的各城里，你要按着各支派设立审判官和官长；他们要按着公义的判断审判人民。

「你要在耶和華－你神所賜的各城裏，按着各支派設立審判官和官長。他們必按公義的審判判斷百姓。

「你要在耶和華－你上帝所賜的各城中，為各支派設立審判官和官長。他們要按公義的判斷審判百姓，

「你要在耶和華－你神所賜的各城中，為各支派設立審判官和官長。他們要按公義的判斷審判百姓，

「要在你們的上帝耶和華將要賜給你們的各城中，按支派委任審判官及其他官員。官員們要秉公審判，

“在耶和華你的神賜給你的各城裡，你要按著各支派設立審判官和官長；他們要按著公義的判斷審判人民。

『你要在永恆主你的上帝所賜給你的各城內、按着你的族派、為自己設立審判官和官吏；他們要按公義的判斷審判人民。

於爾上帝耶和華所賜之邑、按各支派、設立士師、有司、秉公鞫民、

於爾上帝耶和華所賜爾諸邑、各支派中、當立刑官族長、使其秉公鞫民、

當於各邑主爾天主所賜爾者、循爾諸支派設立士師有司、使其秉公鞫民、

Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in every town the Lord your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly.

“ You shall appoint judges and officers in all your towns that the Lord your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.

“ Appoint judges and officials for yourselves from each of your tribes in all the towns the Lord your God is giving you. They must judge the people fairly.

“ Appoint judges and officials for your tribes in all your towns the LORD your God is giving you. They are to judge the people with righteous judgment.

“ You shall appoint for yourself judges and officers in all your towns which the Lord your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.

“ You shall appoint judges and officers in all your gates, which the Lord your God gives you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with just judgment.

Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which Jehovah thy God giveth thee, according to thy tribes; and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.

“ Appoint judges and officials for your tribes in all your towns the Lord your God is giving you. They are to judge the people with righteous judgment.

Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment.

You must appoint judges and civil servants for each tribe in all your villages that the LORD your God is giving you, and they must judge the people fairly.

You shall make judges and officers in all your gates, which Yahweh your God gives you, according to your tribes; and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.

David said,“ From them, 24,000 will be in charge of the work of the Lord’ s temple. And 6,000 will be officials and judges.

He chose men of ability from the whole community of Israel. He made them leaders of the people. They became officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.They judged the people at all times. They brought the hard cases to Moses. But they decided the easy ones themselves.

Then the two people in the case must stand in front of the Lord. They must stand in front of the priests and the judges who are in office at that time.The judges must check out the matter carefully. And suppose the witness is proved to be lying. Then he has said something false in court against another Israelite.

From the family line of Izhar came Kenaniah and his sons. They were given duties that were away from the temple. They were officials and judges over Israel.

Someone might show that they don’t respect the judge. Or they will show that they don’t respect the priest. The priest will serve the Lord your God at the place God will choose. If anyone doesn’t show respect for these people, that person must be put to death. Remove that evil person from Israel.

Then your elders and judges will go out to the field. They will measure the distance from the body to the nearby towns.

Go to a priest, who is a Levite. And go to the judge who is in office at that time. Ask them for their decision. They will give it to you.

So I chose the leading men of your tribes who were wise and respected. I appointed them to have authority over you. I made them commanders of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. I appointed them to be officials over the tribes.Here is what I commanded your judges at that time. I said,“ Listen to your people’s cases when they argue with one another. Judge them fairly. It doesn’t matter whether the case is between two Israelites or between an Israelite and an outsider living among you.When you judge them, treat everyone the same. Listen to those who are important and those who are not. Don’t be afraid of anyone. God is the highest judge. Bring me any case that is too hard for you. I’ll listen to it.”

All of you must obey those who rule over you. There are no authorities except the ones God has chosen. Those who now rule have been chosen by God.So whoever opposes the authorities opposes leaders whom God has appointed. Those who do that will be judged.If you do what is right, you won’t need to be afraid of your rulers. But watch out if you do what is wrong! You don’t want to be afraid of those in authority, do you? Then do what is right, and you will be praised.The one in authority serves God for your good. But if you do wrong, watch out! Rulers don’t carry a sword for no reason at all. They serve God. And God is carrying out his anger through them. The ruler punishes anyone who does wrong.You must obey the authorities. Then you will not be punished. You must also obey them because you know it is right.That’s also why you pay taxes. The authorities serve God. Ruling takes up all their time.

Then his master must take him to the judges. His master must take him to the door or doorpost of his master’s house. His master must poke a hole through his servant’s earlobe into the door or doorpost. Then he will become his servant for life.

Jehoshaphat appointed judges in the land. He put them in all the cities of Judah that had high walls around them.He told the judges,“ Think carefully about what you do. After all, you aren’t judging for human beings. You are judging for the Lord. He’s with you every time you make a decision.Have respect for the Lord. Judge carefully. He is always right. He treats everyone the same. Our God doesn’t want his judges to take money from people who want special favors.”In Jerusalem, Jehoshaphat chose some Levites and priests. He also chose some leaders of Israelite families. He appointed all of them to apply the law of the Lord fairly. He wanted them to decide cases. He wanted them to settle matters between people. All those judges lived in Jerusalem.Here are the orders Jehoshaphat gave them. He said,“ Have respect for the Lord. Serve him faithfully. Do it with all your heart.Cases will come to you from your people who live in the other cities. The cases might be about murder or other matters dealt with by the law, commands, directions and rules. Warn the people not to sin against the Lord. If you don’t warn them, he will be angry with you and your people. Do what I say. Then you won’t sin.“ Amariah the chief priest will be over you in any matter that concerns the Lord. Zebadiah is the leader of the tribe of Judah. He is the son of Ishmael. Zebadiah will be over you in any matter that concerns the king. The Levites will serve as your officials. Be brave. And may the Lord be with those of you who do well.”

He says,“ How long will you stand up for those who aren’t fair to others? How long will you show mercy to sinful people?Stand up for the weak and for children whose fathers have died. Protect the rights of people who are poor or treated badly.