Tribal Leaders Appointed

9 “And iI spoke to you at that time, saying: ‘I 6alone am not able to bear you. 10 The Lord your God has multiplied you, jand here you are today, as the stars of heaven in multitude. 11 kMay the Lord God of your fathers make you a thousand times more numerous than you are, and bless you las He has promised you! 12 mHow can I alone bear your problems and your burdens and your complaints? 13 Choose wise, understanding, and knowledgeable men from among your tribes, and I will make them 7heads over you.’ 14 And you answered me and said, ‘The thing which you have told us to do is good.’ 15 So I took nthe heads of your tribes, wise and knowledgeable men, and 8made them heads over you, leaders of thousands, leaders of hundreds, leaders of fifties, leaders of tens, and officers for your tribes.

16 “Then I commanded your judges at that time, saying, ‘Hear the cases between your brethren, and ojudge righteously between a man and his pbrother or the stranger who is with him. 17 qYou shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small as well as the great; you shall not be afraid in any man’s presence, for rthe judgment is God’s. The case that is too hard for you, sbring to me, and I will hear it.’ 18 And I commanded you at that time all the things which you should do.