¹³ The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. ¹⁴ When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, “What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?”

¹⁵ Moses answered him, “Because the people come to me to seek God’s will.^{(A) 16} Whenever they have a dispute,^(B) it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God’s decrees and instructions.”^(C)

¹⁷ Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good. ¹⁸ You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.^{(D) 19} Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you.^(E) You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes^(F) to him. ²⁰ Teach them his decrees and instructions,^(G) and show them the way they are to live^(H) and how they are to behave.^{(I) 21} But select capable men^(J) from all the people—men who fear^(K) God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain^(L)—and appoint them as officials^(M) over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. ²² Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case^(N) to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share^(O) it with you. ²³ If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.”

²⁴ Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. ²⁵ He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders^(P) of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.^{(Q) 26} They served as judges^(R) for the people at all times. The difficult cases^(S) they brought to Moses, but the simple ones they decided themselves.^(T)

¹⁶ The Lord said to Moses: “Bring me seventy of Israel’s elders^(A) who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people.^(B) Have them come to the tent of meeting,^(C) that they may stand there with you. ¹⁷ I will come down and speak with you^(D) there, and I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them.^(E) They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone.^(F)

¹⁸ “Tell the people: ‘Consecrate yourselves^(G) in preparation for tomorrow, when you will eat meat. The Lord heard you when you wailed,^(H) “If only we had meat to eat! We were better off in Egypt!”^(I) Now the Lord will give you meat,^(J) and you will eat it. ¹⁹ You will not eat it for just one day, or two days, or five, ten or twenty days, ²⁰ but for a whole month—until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it^(K)—because you have rejected the Lord,^(L) who is among you, and have wailed before him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?”’”^(M)

²¹ But Moses said, “Here I am among six hundred thousand men^(N) on foot, and you say, ‘I will give them meat to eat for a whole month!’ ²² Would they have enough if flocks and herds were slaughtered for them? Would they have enough if all the fish in the sea were caught for them?”^(O)

²³ The Lord answered Moses, “Is the Lord’s arm too short?^(P) Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you.^(Q)”

²⁴ So Moses went out and told the people what the Lord had said. He brought together seventy of their elders and had them stand around the tent. ²⁵ Then the Lord came down in the cloud^(R) and spoke with him,^(S) and he took some of the power of the Spirit^(T) that was on him and put it on the seventy elders.^(U) When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied^(V)—but did not do so again.

²⁶ However, two men, whose names were Eldad and Medad, had remained in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but did not go out to the tent. Yet the Spirit also rested on them,^(W) and they prophesied in the camp. ²⁷ A young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”

²⁸ Joshua son of Nun,^(X) who had been Moses’ aide^(Y) since youth, spoke up and said, “Moses, my lord, stop them!”^(Z)

²⁹ But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets^(AA) and that the Lord would put his Spirit^(AB) on them!”^{(AC) 30} Then Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

The Appointment of Leaders

⁹ At that time I said to you, “You are too heavy a burden^(A) for me to carry alone.^{(B) 10} The Lord your God has increased^(C) your numbers^(D) so that today you are as numerous^(E) as the stars in the sky.^{(F) 11} May the Lord, the God of your ancestors, increase^(G) you a thousand times and bless you as he has promised!^{(H) 12} But how can I bear your problems and your burdens and your disputes all by myself?^{(I) 13} Choose some wise, understanding and respected men^(J) from each of your tribes, and I will set them over you.”

¹⁴ You answered me, “What you propose to do is good.”

¹⁵ So I took^(K) the leading men of your tribes,^(L) wise and respected men,^(M) and appointed them to have authority over you—as commanders^(N) of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens and as tribal officials.^{(O) 16} And I charged your judges at that time, “Hear the disputes between your people and judge^(P) fairly,^(Q) whether the case is between two Israelites or between an Israelite and a foreigner residing among you.^{(R) 17} Do not show partiality^(S) in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of anyone,^(T) for judgment belongs to God. Bring me any case too hard for you, and I will hear it.”^{(U) 18} And at that time I told you everything you were to do.^(V)