1:15-17a - So I took the leading men of your tribes, wise and respected men, and appointed them to have authority over you—as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens and as tribal officials. And I charged your judges at that time: Hear the disputes between your brothers and judge fairly, whether the case is between brother Israelites or between one of them and an alien. Do not show partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of any man, for judgment belongs to God.

With the approval from the people Moses appoints the "leading men" into the offices of "leaders" (roshim), "commanders" (sarim) and "officials" (shoterim". These terms, of course, do not exhaust everything there was about the civil structure that Moses established; it is certain that they represent only the broad outline of the mechanism for lightening his burden. This is clear from the reference in the next verse about the judges; where, e.g., in the roshim-sarim-shoterim hierarchy the judges stand remains an open question.

With the structure established, Moses charges the judges with the responsibility of listening to the people's cases. The charge is framed in the form of a chiasma that serves to highlight two particular features that is to mark their services:

A. I commanded your judges at that time (w'tsw . . . b't hh')

B. "Adjudicate/listen (shm) between your fellow men

C. "Judge (shpt) rightly

D. Do not show favour (l'-tkru pnm)

E. Small or great, hear (shm) them alike

D'. Do not fear any man (l'-tgrw mpn-'sh)

C'. . . . for judgement (hmshpt) is God's

B'. Any matter that is too difficult for you . . . I will adjudicate/hear (shm) it

A'. I commanded you at that time (w'tsw . . . b't hh')

1. They were to "judge rightly" (v16). The Hebrew phrasing is more emphatic, "judging (in the sense of deciding) rightness (tsedeq)." Tsedeq refers to conformity to an ethical or moral standard, which in the Old Testament, is always referenced to the nature, character and will of Yahweh. The judges' action is paralleled in the chiasma by the assertion that "judgment belongs to God' (v17). The judges must be able to say that what he has decided is what, as far as he, with a clear conscience, is able to ascertain about the case is what God would Himself determine.

2. They were to show, in their judgment, no favour; the expression in the Hebrew is "do not recognize the face" (of the person whose case is being heard). They were to take into account neither social standing ("small or great") nor class ("Israelite or alien"). They were also to show no fear; the Hebrew expression is "do not fear the face of any man."

Viewed from the larger context of our globalized existence, we see how the dicta, so pervasive in the competitive market-place in which we now live, that every man has a price, that might is right and justice belongs to the highest bidder, sneers God's command in the face. At the same time, this command warns us against succumbing to the increasingly vocal tribal/sectarian authoritarianism that is budding everywhere, partly in reaction to globalization, where race and religion become key determinants in the process of judgment.

The motivational clause, "for judgment belongs to God," deserves more attention. Just as Yahweh's nature, character and will was to be the reference upon which the judges and leaders conform their ethical and moral standards, it was to Yahweh that they were ultimately accountable. Every situation brought before them for a verdict was to be view as Yahweh sees, and given a decision as from God. The same standard of righteousness is also demanded of us.

It is an undeniable fact that the claim to act in the name of God—"God wills it"—has frequently been subjected to horrendous and treacherous abuse. Yet it is the ideal towards which we strive, to discover the Lord's mind on every thing that matters, to walk in the centre of His will and pleasure. Is this not, in the end, one of the reasons why the Holy Spirit is given to us—"the Counsellor . . . whom the Father will send in my name [who] will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you . . .[who] when he comes . . . will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment . . . [who] will guide you into all truth . . . [for] he will not speak on his own; he speaks only what he hears"? (Jn.14:25; 16:8ff.)

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