Bible Verses About Court

But you should choose from among all the people competent men who are God-fearing, honest and incorruptible to be their leaders, in charge of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.

Normally, they will settle the people's disputes. They should bring you the difficult cases; but ordinary matters they should decide themselves. In this way, they will make it easier for you and share the load with you.

If you do this - and God is directing you to do it - you will be able to endure; and all these people too will arrive at their destination peacefully."

Moshe paid attention to his father-in-law's counsel and did everything he said.

Moshe chose competent men from all Isra'el and made them heads over the people, in charge of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.

As a general rule, they settled the people's disputes - the difficult cases they brought to Moshe, but every simple matter they decided themselves.

So I took the heads of your tribes, men wise and knowledgable, and made them heads over you - leaders in charge of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens, and officers, tribe by tribe.

At that time I commissioned your judges, 'Hear the cases that arise between your brothers; and judge fairly between a man and his brother, and the foreigner who is with him.

You are not to show favoritism when judging, but give equal attention to the small and to the great. No matter how a person presents himself, don't be afraid of him; because the decision is God's. The case that is too hard for you, bring to me and I will hear it.'

"If a case comes before you at your city gate which is too difficult for you to judge, concerning bloodshed, civil suit, personal injury or any other controversial issue; you are to get up, go to the place which ADONAI your God will choose,

and appear before the cohanim, who are L'vi'im, and the judge in office at the time. Seek their opinion, and they will render a verdict for you.

You will then act according to what they have told you there in that place which ADONAI will choose; you are to take care to act according to all their instructions.

In accordance with the Torah they teach you, you are to carry out the judgment they render, not turning aside to the right or the left from the verdict they declare to you.

Anyone presumptuous enough not to pay attention to the cohen appointed there to serve ADONAI your God or to the judge - that person must die. Thus you will exterminate such wickedness from Isra'el -

all the people will hear about it and be afraid to continue acting presumptuously.

Sh'mu'el continued in office as judge of Isra'el as long as he lived.

Year by year he would travel in a circuit that included Beit-El, Gilgal and Mitzpah; and in all these places he served as judge over Isra'el.

Then he would return to Ramah, because that's where his home was, and he would judge Isra'el there too. He also built an altar there to ADONAI.

He appointed judges throughout the land in all the fortified cities of Y'hudah, city by city,

and instructed the judges, "Think about what you are doing: you are not dispensing justice by merely human standards but on behalf of ADONAI; he is with you when you deliver a verdict.

Therefore, let the fear of ADONAI be upon you; be careful what you do; for ADONAI our God does not allow dishonesty, partiality or bribe-taking."

In Yerushalayim Y'hoshafat appointed some of the L'vi'im, cohanim and clan heads of Isra'el to judge in matters concerning ADONAI and in civil cases. After they had returned to Yerushalayim,

he charged them, "Here is what you are to do faithfully and wholeheartedly, in fear of ADONAI:

when an issue comes before you from your brothers who live in their cities, whether it's a case involving bloodshed or a question as to which teaching, mitzvah, law or ruling applies, you must warn them; so that they won't incur guilt toward ADONAI and thereby bring anger on both you and your kinsmen. Do this, and you won't incur guilt.

Sha’ul looked straight at them and said, “Brothers, I have been discharging my obligations to God with a perfectly clear conscience, right up until today.”