Exodus 18:17-23

New American Bible (Revised Edition)

¹⁷ “What you are doing is not wise,” Moses’ father-in-law replied. ¹⁸ “You will surely wear yourself out, both you and these people with you. The task is too heavy for you;^(A) you cannot do it alone. ^19 [a]Now, listen to me, and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. Act as the people’s representative before God, and bring their disputes to God. ²⁰ Enlighten them in regard to the statutes and instructions, showing them how they are to conduct themselves and what they are to do. ²¹ But you should also look among all the people for able and God-fearing men, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain, and set them over the people as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.^{(B) 22} Let these render decisions for the people in all routine cases. Every important case they should refer to you, but every lesser case they can settle themselves. Lighten your burden by letting them bear it with you! ²³ If you do this, and God so commands you,^[b] you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people, too, will go home content.”