Exodus 18:17-26

English Standard Version

¹⁷ Moses' father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. ¹⁸ You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. ^(A)You are not able to do it alone. ¹⁹ Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall ^(B)represent the people before God and ^(C)bring their cases to God, ²⁰ and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know ^(D)the way in which they must walk and ^(E)what they must do. ²¹ Moreover, look for ^(F)able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. ²² And ^(G)let them judge the people at all times. ^(H)Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will ^(I)bear the burden with you. ²³ If you do this, God will direct you, you will be ^(J)able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace.”

²⁴ So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said. ^25 (K)Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. ²⁶ And ^(L)they judged the people at all times. Any hard case they brought to Moses, but any small matter they decided themselves.