Bible Verses About Courts of Justice

Thus the field of 'Efron in Makhpelah, which is by Mamre - the field, its cave and all the trees in and around it - were deeded

to Avraham as his possession in the presence of the sons of Het who belonged to the ruling council of the city.

Then Avraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Makhpelah, by Mamre, also known as Hevron, in the land of Kena'an

The field and its cave had been purchased by Avraham from the sons of Het as a burial-site which would belong to him.

The following day Moshe sat to settle disputes for the people, while the people stood around Moshe from morning till evening.

When Moshe's father-in-law saw all that he was doing to the people, he said, "What is this that you are doing to the people? Why do you sit there alone, with all the people standing around you from morning till evening?"

Moshe answered his father-in-law, "It's because the people come to me seeking God's guidance.

Whenever they have a dispute, it comes to me; I judge between one person and another, and I explain to them God's laws and teachings."

Moshe's father-in-law said to him, "What you are doing isn't good.

You will certainly wear yourself out - and not only yourself, but these people here with you as well. It's too much for you - you can't do it alone, by yourself.

So listen now to what I have to say. I will give you some advice, and God will be with you. You should represent the people before God, and you should bring their cases to God.

You should also teach them the laws and the teachings, and show them how to live their lives and what work they should do.

Moshe went out and told the people what ADONAI had said. Then he collected seventy of the leaders of the people and placed them all around the tent.

ADONAI came down in the cloud, spoke to him, took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy leaders. When the Spirit came to rest on them, they prophesied -then but not afterwards.

There were two men who stayed in the camp, one named Eldad and the other Medad, and the Spirit came to rest on them. They were among those listed to go out to the tent, but they hadn't done so, and they prophesied in the camp.

A young man ran and told Moshe, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!"

Y'hoshua, the son of Nun, who from his youth up had been Moshe's assistant, answered, "My lord, Moshe, stop them!"

But Moshe replied, "Are you so zealous to protect me? I wish all of ADONAI's people were prophets! I wish ADONAI would put his Spirit on all of them!"

Moshe and the leaders of Isra'el went back into the camp;

"At that time I told you, 'You are too heavy a burden for me to carry alone.

ADONAI your God has multiplied your numbers, so that there are as many of you today as there are stars in the sky.

May ADONAI, the God of your ancestors, increase you yet a thousandfold and bless you, as he has promised you!

But you are burdensome, bothersome and quarrelsome! How can I bear it by myself alone?

Pick for yourselves from each of your tribes men who are wise, understanding and knowledgeable; and I will make them heads over you.'

"You answered me, 'What you have said would be a good thing for us to do.'