²¹ Moreover you shall select from all the people ^(A)able men, such as ^(B)fear God, ^(C)men of truth, ^(D)hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

³ Therefore, brethren, ^(A)seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this ^(B)business;

⁵ Then he set ^(A)judges in the land throughout all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city, ⁶ and said to the judges, “Take heed to what you are doing, for ^(B)you do not judge for man but for the Lord, ^(C)who is with you ^[a]in the judgment. ⁷ Now therefore, let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take care and do it, for ^(D)there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, no ^(E)partiality, nor taking of bribes.”

⁸ Moreover in Jerusalem, for the judgment of the Lord and for controversies, Jehoshaphat ^(F)appointed some of the Levites and priests, and some of the chief fathers of Israel, ^[b]when they returned to Jerusalem. ⁹ And he commanded them, saying, “Thus you shall act ^(G)in the fear of the Lord, faithfully and with a loyal heart: ^10 (H)Whatever case comes to you from your brethren who dwell in their cities, whether of bloodshed or offenses against law or commandment, against statutes or ordinances, you shall warn them, lest they trespass against the Lord and ^(I)wrath come upon ^(J)you and your brethren. Do this, and you will not be guilty.

¹³ Choose wise, understanding, and knowledgeable men from among your tribes, and I will make them ^[a]heads over you.’ ¹⁴ And you answered me and said, ‘The thing which you have told us to do is good.’ ¹⁵ So I took ^(A)the heads of your tribes, wise and knowledgeable men, and ^[b]made them heads over you, leaders of thousands, leaders of hundreds, leaders of fifties, leaders of tens, and officers for your tribes.

¹⁶ “Then I commanded your judges at that time, saying, ‘Hear the cases between your brethren, and ^(B)judge righteously between a man and his ^(C)brother or the stranger who is with him. ^17 (D)You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small as well as the great; you shall not be afraid in any man’s presence, for ^(E)the judgment is God’s. The case that is too hard for you, ^(F)bring to me, and I will hear it.’

Justice Must Be Administered

¹⁸ “You shall appoint ^(A)judges and officers in all your ^[a]gates, which the Lord your God gives you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with just judgment. ^19 (B)You shall not pervert justice; ^(C)you shall not ^[b]show partiality, ^(D)nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and ^[c]twists the words of the righteous.