Exodus 18:13–23

¹³The next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning till evening. ¹⁴When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning till evening?” ¹⁵And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because ^zthe people come to me to inquire of God; ^16awhen they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between one person and another, and I ^bmake them know the statutes of God and his laws.” ¹⁷Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. ¹⁸You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. ^cYou are not able to do it alone. ¹⁹Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall ^drepresent the people before God and ^ebring their cases to God, ²⁰and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know ^fthe way in which they must walk and ^gwhat they must do. ²¹Moreover, look for ^hable 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. ²²And ⁱlet them judge the people at all times. ^jEvery 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 ^kbear the burden with you. ²³If you do this, God will direct you, you will be ^lable to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace.”