Exodus 18:13–26

¹³The next day Moses solved disagreements among the people, and the people stood around him from morning until night. ¹⁴When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he asked, “What is all this you are doing for the people? Why are you the only one to solve disagreements? All the people are standing around you from morning until night!”

¹⁵Then Moses said to his father-in-law, “It is because the people come to me for God’s help in solving their disagreements. ¹⁶When people have a disagreement, they come to me, and I decide who is right. I tell them God’s laws and teachings.”

¹⁷Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “You are not doing this right. ¹⁸You and the people who come to you will get too tired. This is too much work for you; you can’t do it by yourself. ¹⁹Now listen to me, and I will give you some advice. I want God to be with you. You must speak to God for the people and tell him about their disagreements. ²⁰Warn them about the laws and teachings, and teach them the right way to live and what they should do. ²¹But choose some capable men from among the people—men who respect God, who can be trusted, and who will not change their decisions for money. Make these men officers over the people, to rule over groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. ²²Let these officers solve the disagreements among the people all the time. They can bring the hard cases to you, but they can decide the simple cases themselves. That will make it easier for you, because they will share the work with you. ²³If you do this as God commands you, then you will be able to do your job, and all the people will go home with their disagreements solved.”

²⁴So Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. ²⁵He chose capable men from all the Israelites and made them leaders over the people; they were officers over groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. ²⁶These officers solved disagreements among the people all the time. They brought the hard cases to Moses, but they decided the simple cases themselves.