Exodus 18:13-24

New American Standard Bible 1995

¹³ It came about the next day that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood about Moses from the morning until the evening. ¹⁴ Now when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge and all the people stand about you from morning until evening?” ¹⁵ Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me ^(A)to inquire of God. ¹⁶ When they have a ^[a](B)dispute, it comes to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor and make known the statutes of God and His laws.”

Jethro Counsels Moses

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

²⁴ So Moses listened ^[p]to his father-in-law and did all that he had said.