Exodus 18:13–23

¹³And so it was, on the next day, that Moses ^rsat to judge the people; and the people stood before Moses from morning until evening. ¹⁴So when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did for the people, he said, “What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone ⁶sit, and all the people stand before you from morning until evening?”

¹⁵And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because ^sthe people come to me to inquire of God. ¹⁶When they have ^ta ⁷difficulty, they come to me, and I judge between one and another; and I make known the statutes of God and His laws.”

¹⁷So Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you do is not good. ¹⁸Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you; ^uyou are not able to perform it by yourself. ¹⁹Listen now to my voice; I will give you ⁸counsel, and God will be with you: Stand ^vbefore God for the people, so that you may ^wbring the difficulties to God. ²⁰And you shall ^xteach them the statutes and the laws, and show them the way in which they must walk and ^ythe work they must do. ²¹Moreover you shall select from all the people ^zable men, such as ^afear God, ^bmen of truth, ^chating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. ²²And let them judge the people at all times. ^dThen it will be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they themselves shall judge. So it will be easier for you, for ^ethey will bear the burden with you. ²³If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all this people will also go to their ^fplace in peace.”