Deuteronomy 1:13

Letters to the Faithful - Deuteronomy 1:13

Berean Standard Bible

Choose for yourselves wise, understanding, and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will appoint them as your leaders.”

King James Bible

Take you wise men, and understanding, and known among your tribes, and I will make them rulers over you.

Hebrew Text:

הָב֣וּ לָ֠כֶם אֲנָשִׁ֨ים חֲכָמִ֧ים וּנְבֹנִ֛ים וִידֻעִ֖ים לְשִׁבְטֵיכֶ֑ם וַאֲשִׂימֵ֖ם בְּרָאשֵׁיכֶֽם

Transliteration:

Hāḇū lāḵem ’ănāšîm ḥăḵāmîm ūnəḇōnîm wîḏu‘îm ləšiḇṭêḵem wa’ăśîmêm bərašêḵem.

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Choose for yourselves

This directive emphasizes the importance of communal involvement in leadership selection. It reflects the biblical principle of shared responsibility and the value of collective discernment. The Israelites were encouraged to actively participate in the governance of their community, which aligns with the broader biblical theme of stewardship and accountability.

wise, understanding, and respected men

The criteria for leadership include wisdom, understanding, and respectability. Wisdom in the biblical sense often refers to the fear of the Lord and the application of knowledge in a godly manner (Proverbs 9:10). Understanding implies discernment and insight, qualities necessary for making just decisions. Being respected suggests a good reputation and moral integrity, which are essential for maintaining trust and authority. These qualities are echoed in the New Testament qualifications for church leaders (1 Timothy 3:1-7).

from each of your tribes

This phrase highlights the tribal structure of Israel, which was central to their identity and organization. Each tribe was to be represented, ensuring that leadership was inclusive and representative of the entire community. This tribal system is rooted in the patriarchal blessings and prophecies given to the sons of Jacob (Genesis 49).

and I will appoint them as your leaders

Moses, as the mediator of God's covenant, had the authority to appoint leaders. This reflects the biblical model of divinely sanctioned leadership, where God’s chosen leaders are recognized and affirmed by the community. It also prefigures the New Testament concept of Christ as the ultimate leader and mediator, who appoints leaders within the church through the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:11-12).

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Grace and peace be multiplied to you from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ, who has called us out of darkness and into His marvelous light. To all who are sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be saints, I write to you in the fear of God and with the joy that comes from the fellowship of the Spirit. May the eyes of your heart be enlightened, that you may know the hope of His calling and the riches of His inheritance among those who believe.

Beloved, we are part of a holy and chosen people, not because of our strength or wisdom or number, but because of the mercy of God who has made us His own. And because we are His, we are not to walk as those who have no direction, nor are we to live as a people without structure or purpose. For the God who created the heavens in wisdom also builds His people in wisdom, and He is not a God of confusion but of peace and order.

As it is written in the book of Deuteronomy, when Moses addressed the children of Israel in the wilderness, he spoke by command of the Lord and recalled the words, “Choose wise and understanding and experienced men from among your tribes, and I will appoint them as your heads” (Deut. 1:13). This charge was not given lightly, but in response to the burden of leading a great multitude—a people redeemed from bondage, yet still in need of guidance, correction, and care.

We must not overlook the significance of this instruction. The people were to choose—not according to favoritism or external appearance, but according to wisdom, discernment, and maturity. These men were to be raised up not by their own ambition but by the recognition of their character, and their appointment was to be affirmed and confirmed by the leadership God had already established.

So too must it be among us today. In the household of God, there must be order. In the body of Christ, there must be function and accountability. Each one has received a gift, and each one is to use it in service, but among the many members there must also be those who lead, who shepherd, who bear responsibility, not with pride or domination, but with humility and reverence.

Let us not seek titles or positions as though they were badges of honor in the world’s sense, but let us seek to be faithful, to be wise, to be those who serve well and live uprightly. For leadership in the kingdom is not a matter of control but of care, not of power but of stewardship. The wisdom required is not mere intellect or cleverness, but the fear of the Lord, sound judgment, spiritual maturity, and the fruit of the Spirit made manifest in daily conduct.

Brothers and sisters, it is a great tragedy when the people of God are left without guidance, or worse, are led by those unfit to lead. The Scriptures speak often of false shepherds and blind guides—those who serve themselves rather than the flock. This must not be so among us. We must be diligent in recognizing and affirming those who lead with integrity, who are tested and proven, who care for the body and hold firmly to sound doctrine.

It is not enough to be charismatic or gifted in speech. The wise and understanding man is one who walks uprightly, who governs his own house with dignity, who listens more than he speaks, who walks humbly with God, and who fears the Lord above all. Such are the ones we must seek out and support in every generation, in every church, in every place where God’s people gather.

And for those who are called to lead—let them not shrink back in fear or laziness. Let them rise up in faith and responsibility, not for their own glory but for the glory of God and the good of His people. Let them be examples to the flock in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, and in purity. Let them remember that they must give account, not to men, but to the Chief Shepherd, whose eyes search every heart.

You who are under authority, support your leaders with prayer, with honor, and with cooperation. And you who lead, remember that the greatest among you is the servant of all. Do not lord it over others, but tend the flock of God willingly and eagerly, not for selfish gain but as those entrusted with a sacred charge.

O Church of the living God, now is not the time for disorder or disunity. The days are evil, and the time is short. We must walk wisely, redeeming the time. We must be led by the Spirit, rooted in the Word, and shaped by the truth. Let us choose wisely those who guide us, and let those who guide us do so with fear and trembling, knowing that they serve the Lord Christ and not themselves.

In all these things, we give thanks to God who has given us all we need for life and godliness. He has not left us without instruction. He has given us His Spirit, His Word, and one another. Let us then walk worthy of our calling, building one another up in love, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ, and honoring those who labor among us for our good.

Now to Him who is able to establish you according to the gospel and the revelation of the mystery of Christ, to the only wise God, be glory and dominion forever and ever. May the peace of God guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, and may your steps be ordered in wisdom, with leaders raised up in righteousness, and the people walking in unity.

Amen and amen.

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O Sovereign Lord, God of our fathers, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, we bow before You in reverence and awe, acknowledging that all wisdom, authority, and understanding come from You alone. You are the everlasting King, the Judge of all the earth, the One who sits enthroned above the circle of the heavens, and yet who dwells among the humble and contrite of heart. We thank You that You have not left us to wander in confusion or govern ourselves in chaos, but You have spoken to us through Your Word, through Your Spirit, and through faithful servants You have appointed.

We remember Your words through Moses, Your servant, saying to the people of Israel, “Choose for your tribes wise, understanding, and experienced men, and I will appoint them as your heads.” Lord, this instruction was not given for one time only, nor for one people only, but it echoes through the generations, calling Your people to order, to discernment, and to faithful stewardship under Your lordship.

We confess, O Lord, that too often we have walked according to our own ways. We have followed charisma instead of character. We have honored the loud over the wise, the popular over the prudent. Forgive us, O Lord, for failing to seek out those whom You have prepared and appointed. Forgive us for failing to pray for them, support them, and submit to them in humility. Cleanse us from pride and from the spirit of independence that resists godly leadership.

Father, we ask You now to raise up among us men and women of wisdom—those who fear You above all, who are full of understanding, and who have been seasoned by experience in both trial and triumph. Raise up leaders in homes, in churches, in cities, and in nations—leaders who know Your Word, who love Your people, who hate injustice, and who walk humbly with their God. Let them not be lovers of self, but lovers of truth. Let them not seek position, but service. Let them not speak flattering words, but sound instruction and holy rebuke when needed.

O Lord, pour out upon us the spirit of discernment. Teach us to recognize what is good, what is noble, what is pure, and what is fitting for those who bear the name of Christ. Help us to see beyond outward appearances and hear beyond persuasive speech, and to recognize the fruit of righteousness in quiet obedience, in self-control, in compassion, and in steadfastness.

We pray for those who lead already, in every capacity to which You have called them. Strengthen them, Lord. Keep them from temptation, from discouragement, from pride, and from compromise. Let them serve not for the praise of men, but for the honor of Your name. Let them shepherd not as hirelings, but as those who love the sheep. Let them lead not with fear of man, but with the fear of God. Give them wisdom from above—first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.

And Lord, for those who are being formed in the secret places—those who are being shaped through trials, refined through obscurity, prepared in the wilderness—we ask for patience and perseverance. Remind them that You see them. Remind them that their preparation is not in vain. In due season, You will bring forth Your servants for Your purposes. May they be found faithful in the small things so that they may be entrusted with more.

Let Your Church, O Lord, be marked not by disorder or division, but by godly order and holy cooperation. Let every tribe and tongue and nation within the body of Christ reflect the beauty of Your design, with leaders raised up not by human ambition but by divine appointment. Let the people recognize and support them with joy and peace, that Your purposes may be fulfilled in our generation.

We pray not for the elevation of personalities but for the exaltation of Christ. May every leader in Your Church reflect His character—His servanthood, His truth, His courage, His compassion. May we all, whether leading or following, look to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls, who gave Himself up for us to present us holy and blameless before You.

Now, Lord, establish us in righteousness. Set wise and understanding men and women among us. Let them lead with justice and truth. Let them teach with clarity and conviction. Let them protect the flock, equip the saints, and glorify Your name. And let us, as Your people, be eager to follow, to learn, to grow, and to honor those You have placed over us in love and good works.

All this we ask in the name of Your Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to whom be glory in the Church, both now and forever. Amen.