¹³ And so it was, on the next day, that Moses ^(A)sat to judge the people; and the people stood before Moses from morning until evening. ¹⁴ So when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did for the people, he said, “What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone ^[a]sit, and all the people stand before you from morning until evening?”

¹⁵ And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because ^(B)the people come to me to inquire of God. ¹⁶ When they have ^(C)a ^[b]difficulty, they come to me, and I judge between one and another; and I make known the statutes of God and His laws.”

¹⁷ So Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you do is not good. ¹⁸ Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you; ^(D)you are not able to perform it by yourself. ¹⁹ Listen now to my voice; I will give you ^[c]counsel, and God will be with you: Stand ^(E)before God for the people, so that you may ^(F)bring the difficulties to God. ²⁰ And you shall ^(G)teach them the statutes and the laws, and show them the way in which they must walk and ^(H)the work they must do. ²¹ Moreover you shall select from all the people ^(I)able men, such as ^(J)fear God, ^(K)men of truth, ^(L)hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. ²² And let them judge the people at all times. ^(M)Then it will be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they themselves shall judge. So it will be easier for you, for ^(N)they will bear the burden with you. ²³ If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all this people will also go to their ^(O)place in peace.”

²⁴ So Moses heeded the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said. ²⁵ And ^(P)Moses 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. ²⁶ So they judged the people at all times; the ^(Q)hard^[d] cases they brought to Moses, but they judged every small case themselves.

Tribal Leaders Appointed^(A)

⁹ “And ^(B)I spoke to you at that time, saying: ‘I ^[a]alone am not able to bear you. ¹⁰ The Lord your God has multiplied you, ^(C)and here you are today, as the stars of heaven in multitude. ^11 (D)May the Lord God of your fathers make you a thousand times more numerous than you are, and bless you ^(E)as He has promised you! ^12 (F)How can I alone bear your problems and your burdens and your complaints? ¹³ Choose wise, understanding, and knowledgeable men from among your tribes, and I will make them ^[b]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 ^(G)the heads of your tribes, wise and knowledgeable men, and ^[c]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 ^(H)judge righteously between a man and his ^(I)brother or the stranger who is with him. ^17 (J)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 ^(K)the judgment is God’s. The case that is too hard for you, ^(L)bring to me, and I will hear it.’ ¹⁸ And I commanded you at that time all the things which you should do.