Events at Horeb

1:6 The Lord our God spoke to us at Horeb and said, “You have stayed28 in the area of this mountain long enough. 1:7 Get up now,29 resume your journey, heading for30 the Amorite hill country, to all its areas31 including the arid country,32 the highlands, the Shephelah,33 the Negev,34 and the coastal plain—all of Canaan and Lebanon as far as the Great River, that is, the Euphrates. 1:8 Look! I have already given the land to you.35 Go, occupy the territory that I,36 the Lord, promised37 to give to your ancestors38 Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and to their descendants.”39 1:9 I also said to you at that time, “I am no longer able to sustain you by myself. 1:10 The Lord your God has increased your population40 to the point that you are now as numerous as the very stars of the sky.41 1:11 Indeed, may the Lord, the God of your ancestors, make you a thousand times more numerous than you are now, blessing you42 just as he said he would! 1:12 But how can I alone bear up under the burden of your hardship and strife? 1:13 Select wise and practical43 men, those known among your tribes, whom I may appoint as your leaders.” 1:14 You replied to me that what I had said to you was good. 1:15 So I chose44 as your tribal leaders wise and well-known men, placing them over you as administrators of groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, and also as other tribal officials. 1:16 I furthermore admonished your judges at that time that they45 should pay attention to issues among your fellow citizens46 and judge fairly,47 whether between one citizen and another48 or a citizen and a resident foreigner.49 1:17 They50 must not discriminate in judgment, but hear the lowly51 and the great alike. Nor should they be intimidated by human beings, for judgment belongs to God. If the matter being adjudicated is too difficult for them, they should bring it before me for a hearing.