18:13 On the next day ¹  Moses sat to judge ²  the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning until evening. 18:14 When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this ³  that you are doing for the people? ⁴  Why are you sitting by yourself, and all the people stand around you from morning until evening?”

18:15 Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire ⁵  of God. 18:16 When they have a dispute, ⁶  it comes to me and I decide ⁷  between a man and his neighbor, and I make known the decrees of God and his laws.” ⁸ 

18:17 Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What ⁹  you are doing is not good! 18:18 You will surely wear out, ¹⁰  both you and these people who are with you, for this is too ¹¹  heavy a burden ¹²  for you; you are not able to do it by yourself. 18:19 Now listen to me, ¹³  I will give you advice, and may God be with you: You be a representative for the people to God, ¹⁴  and you bring ¹⁵  their disputes ¹⁶  to God; 18:20 warn ¹⁷  them of the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they must walk ¹⁸  and the work they must do. ¹⁹  18:21 But you choose ²⁰  from the people capable men, ²¹  God-fearing, ²²  men of truth, ²³  those who hate bribes, ²⁴  and put them over the people ²⁵  as rulers ²⁶  of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 18:22 They will judge ²⁷  the people under normal circumstances, ²⁸  and every difficult case ²⁹  they will bring to you, but every small case ³⁰  they themselves will judge, so that ³¹  you may make it easier for yourself, ³²  and they will bear the burden ³³  with you. 18:23 If you do this thing, and God so commands you, ³⁴  then you will be able ³⁵  to endure, ³⁶  and all these people ³⁷  will be able to go ³⁸  home ³⁹  satisfied.” ⁴⁰ 

18:24 Moses listened to ⁴¹  his father-in-law and did everything he had said. 18:25 Moses chose capable men from all Israel, and he made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 18:26 They judged the people under normal circumstances; the difficult cases they would bring ⁴²  to Moses, but every small case they would judge themselves.