Exodus 18:17-27

New American Standard Bible

¹⁷Moses’ father-in-law then said to him, “The thing that you are doing is not good. ¹⁸^(A)You will surely wear out, both yourself and ^[a]these people who are with you, because the ^[b]task is too heavy for you; ^(B)you cannot do it alone. ¹⁹Now listen to ^[c]me: I will give you counsel, and God be with you. ^[d]You be the people’s representative before God, and you ^(C)bring the ^[e]disputes to God, ²⁰^(D)then admonish them about the statutes and the laws, and make known to them ^(E)the way in which they are to walk and the work they are to do. ²¹Furthermore, you shall ^[f]select out of all the people ^(F)able men ^(G)who fear God, men of truth, those who ^(H)hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them as leaders of thousands, ^[g]of hundreds, ^[h]of fifties, and ^[i]of tens. ²²Let them judge the people at all times; and let it be ^(I)that they will bring to you every major matter, but they will judge every minor matter themselves. So it will be easier for you, and ^(J)they will carry the burden with you. ²³If you do this thing and God so commands you, then you will be able to ^[j]endure, and all ^[k]these people also will go to ^[l]their places in peace.”

²⁴So Moses listened ^[m]to his father-in-law and did everything that he had said. ²⁵Moses chose ^(K)able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, leaders of thousands, ^[n]of hundreds, ^[o]of fifties, and ^[p]of tens. ²⁶Then they judged the people at all times; ^(L)they would bring the difficult matter to Moses, but they would judge every minor matter themselves. ²⁷Then Moses ^[q]^(M)said goodbye to his father-in-law, and ^[r]Jethro went his way to his own land.

Read full chapter

Notas al pie

Exodus 18:18 Lit this
Exodus 18:18 Lit matter
Exodus 18:19 Lit my voice
Exodus 18:19 Lit You be for the people in front of God
Exodus 18:19 Lit matters
Exodus 18:21 Lit see
Exodus 18:21 Lit leaders of
Exodus 18:21 Lit leaders of
Exodus 18:21 Lit leaders of
Exodus 18:23 Lit stand
Exodus 18:23 Lit this
Exodus 18:23 Lit his
Exodus 18:24 Lit to the voice of
Exodus 18:25 Lit leaders of
Exodus 18:25 Lit leaders of
Exodus 18:25 Lit leaders of
Exodus 18:27 Lit sent off his father-in-law
Exodus 18:27 Lit he

Exodus 18:17-27

New International Version

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

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