⁹At that time I said to you, “You are too heavy a burden^c for me to carry alone.^d ¹⁰The Lord your God has increased^e your numbers^f so that today you are as numerous^g as the stars in the sky.^h ¹¹May the Lord, the God of your ancestors, increaseⁱ you a thousand times and bless you as he has promised!^j ¹²But how can I bear your problems and your burdens and your disputes all by myself?^k ¹³Choose some wise, understanding and respected men^l from each of your tribes, and I will set them over you.”

¹⁴You answered me, “What you propose to do is good.”

¹⁵So I took^m the leading men of your tribes,ⁿ wise and respected men,^o and appointed them to have authority over you—as commanders^p of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens and as tribal officials.^q ¹⁶And I charged your judges at that time, “Hear the disputes between your people and judge^r fairly,^s whether the case is between two Israelites or between an Israelite and a foreigner residing among you.^t ¹⁷Do not show partiality^u in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of anyone,^v for judgment belongs to God. Bring me any case too hard for you, and I will hear it.”^w ¹⁸And at that time I told you everything you were to do.^x

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Cross references

cSee Nu 11:14; Ps 38:4
dSee Ex 18:18
ever 11; Eze 16:7
fSee Dt 7:13
gSee Ge 15:5; Isa 51:2; 60:22; Eze 33:24
hSee Ge 22:17; See Nu 10:36
iSee ver 10
jver 8; Ex 32:13; 2 Sa 24:3; 1 Ch 21:3
kSee Ex 5:22; See 18:18
lSee Ge 47:6
m Ex 18:25
n Ex 5:14; Nu 11:16; Jos 1:10; 3:2
oSee Ge 47:6
p Nu 31:14; 1 Sa 8:12; 22:7; 1 Ki 14:27
qSee Nu 1:4
r 1 Ki 3:9; Ps 72:1; Pr 2:9
sSee Ge 31:37; Jn 7:24
tSee Ex 12:19, 49; See 22:21
uSee Ex 18:16; See Lev 19:15; Ac 10:34; Jas 2:1
v Pr 29:25
w Ex 18:26
xSee Ge 39:11