Deuteronomy 1:14 records the people of Israel agreeing with Moses that a plan to share the work of leadership was a good one. Moses had said he could not carry the weight of the nation alone, and the people answered that his proposal to appoint wise leaders was sound. The verse is a short report of that moment of agreement, spoken by the Israelites in response to Moses, the leader who is recounting Israel’s history to the nation on the plains of Moab.
You answered me, and said, “The thing which you have spoken is good to do.”
Deuteronomy 1:14 (WEB)
What Deuteronomy 1:14 Means
The phrase “you answered me” tells us this was a real exchange, not a decree handed down. Moses had put a question of practical need before the people, and they gave their assent. The words “the thing which you have spoken” point back to his suggestion that capable men be chosen from among the tribes to help him judge disputes. The people judged that suggestion “good to do,” meaning wise and workable.
The verse does not promise that every plan a community agrees on will turn out well, nor does it say that leadership is easy once it is shared. It records one moment of consensus about a sensible step. What it does show is that God’s people could recognize good counsel and act on it together.
The Context of Deuteronomy 1:14
Deuteronomy is the fifth book of the Torah and is presented as a series of speeches by Moses to Israel just before they enter the promised land. Tradition attributes the book to Moses, and it is addressed to a new generation that had grown up in the wilderness. Verse 14 sits inside a longer passage in which Moses recalls how the burden of governing had become too heavy for one man.
Just before the verse, Moses explains that he cannot bear their problems, burdens, and strife alone, and he asks that wise and respected men be chosen from each tribe. Just after it, he reports that he did exactly that and appointed captains of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. Read in that setting, verse 14 is the hinge between a need and its solution, which makes its agreement feel less like a formality and more like a community recognizing its own limits.
Key Phrases in Deuteronomy 1:14
Exodus 18:21
Moreover you shall provide out of all the people able men which fear God: men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
(WEB)
This verse describes the same arrangement of capable leaders over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, given at the suggestion of Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law. It shows the origin of the idea and reinforces that wise delegation was part of God’s provision for Israel’s governance.
Proverbs 11:14
Where there is no wise guidance, the nation falls, but in the multitude of counselors there is victory.
(WEB)
This proverb affirms that safety and success come through wise counsel and many advisers. It supports the principle that the people’s agreement with Moses reflects a broader biblical conviction about the value of seeking good advice.
A Short Prayer From Deuteronomy 1:14
Lord, you know the weight we carry and the decisions that press on us each day. Help us to speak honestly about what is too heavy for us alone, and give us the humility to listen when others offer wise and good counsel. Make us people who can recognize a sound plan and act on it together, for your glory and the good of those around us. Give us patience with one another and trust in you as we share the burdens of our lives. Amen.
