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.^{(A) 19} Listen 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. ²⁰ Teach them his decrees and instructions,^(D) and show them the way they are to live^(E) and how they are to behave.^{(F) 21} But 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. ²² Have 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. 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^(M) of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.^{(N) 26} They 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)

²⁷ Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro returned to his own country.^(R)

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)