Exodus 18:13-26

13And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people; and the people stood by Moses from the morning to the evening.

14And Moses' father-in-law saw all that he did with the people, and said, What is this thing which thou art doing with the people? why dost thou sit alone, and all the people are standing by thee from morning to evening?

15And Moses said to his father-in-law, Because the people come to me to enquire of 1God.

16When they have a matter, they come to me, and I judge between one and another; and I make known [to them] the statutes of 2God, and his laws.

17And Moses' father-in-law said to him, The thing that thou art doing is not good.

18Thou wilt be quite exhausted, both thou and this people that is with thee; for the thing is too heavy for thee: thou canst not perform it alone.

19Hearken now to my voice: I will give thee counsel, and 3God shall be with thee. Be thou for the people with 4God, and bring the matters before 5God;

20and teach them the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they must walk, and the work that they must do.

21But do thou provide among all the people able men, such as fear 6God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place [them] over them, chiefs of thousands, chiefs of hundreds, chiefs of fifties, and chiefs of tens,

22that they may judge the people at all times; and it shall be [that] they shall bring to thee every great matter, and that they shall judge every small matter, and they shall lighten [the task] on thee, and they shall bear [it] with thee.

23If thou do this thing, and 7God command thee [so], thou wilt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.

24And Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said.

25And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, chiefs of thousands, chiefs of hundreds, chiefs of fifties, and chiefs of tens.

26And they judged the people at all times: the hard matters they brought to Moses, but every small matter they judged.