Exodus 18:21-26

Good News Translation

²¹ But in addition, you should choose some capable men and appoint them as leaders of the people: leaders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. They must be God-fearing men who can be trusted and who cannot be bribed. ²² Let them serve as judges for the people on a permanent basis. They can bring all the difficult cases to you, but they themselves can decide all the smaller disputes. That will make it easier for you, as they share your burden. ²³ If you do this, as God commands, you will not wear yourself out, and all these people can go home with their disputes settled.”

²⁴ Moses took Jethro's advice ²⁵ and chose capable men from among all the Israelites. He appointed them as leaders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. ²⁶ They served as judges for the people on a permanent basis, bringing the difficult cases to Moses but deciding the smaller disputes themselves.