Exodus 18:12-27

¹²Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God. Aaron came with all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God. ¹³On the next day, Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from the morning to the evening. ¹⁴When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said, “What is this thing that you do for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning to evening?” ¹⁵Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God. ¹⁶When they have a matter, they come to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor, and I make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.” ¹⁷Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you do is not good. ¹⁸You will surely wear away, both you, and this people that is with you; for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to perform it yourself alone. ¹⁹Listen now to my voice. I will give you counsel, and God be with you. You represent the people before God, and bring the causes to God. ²⁰You shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and shall show them the way in which they must walk, and the work that they must do. ²¹Moreover 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. ²²Let them judge the people at all times. It shall be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall judge themselves. So shall it be easier for you, and they shall share the load with you. ²³If you will do this thing, and God commands you so, then you will be able to endure, and all these people also will go to their place in peace.” ²⁴So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said. ²⁵Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. ²⁶They judged the people at all times. They brought the hard causes to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves. ²⁷Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way into his own land. Exodus 18:12-27