Exodus 18:17-26
18:17 Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good!
18:18 You will surely wear out, both you and these people who are with you, for this is too heavy a burden for you; you are not able to do it by yourself.
18:19 Now listen to me, I will give you advice, and may God be with you: You be a representative for the people to God, and you bring their disputes to God;
18:20 warn them of the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do.
18:21 But you choose from the people capable men, God-fearing, men of truth, those who hate bribes, and put them over the people as rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
18:22 They will judge the people under normal circumstances, and every difficult case they will bring to you, but every small case they themselves will judge, so that you may make it easier for yourself, and they will bear the burden with you.
18:23 If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people will be able to go home satisfied.”
18:24 Moses listened to 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 to Moses, but every small case they would judge themselves.
Numbers 11:11-13
11:11 And Moses said to the
Lord, “Why have you afflicted
your servant? Why have I not found favor in your sight, that
you lay the burden of this entire people on me?
11:12 Did I conceive this entire people?
Did I give birth to
them, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your arms, as a foster father
bears a nursing child,’ to the land which you swore to their fathers?
11:13 From where shall I get
meat to give to this entire people, for they cry to me, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat!’
Deuteronomy 1:9-14
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 population
to the point that you are now as numerous as the very stars of the sky.
1:11 Indeed, may the
Lord, the God of your ancestors, make you a thousand times more numerous than you are now, blessing you
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 practical
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.
Nehemiah 6:3
6:3 So I sent messengers to them saying, “I am engaged in an important work, and I am unable to come down. Why should the work come to a halt when I leave it to come down to you?”
Nehemiah 6:2
6:2 Sanballat and Geshem sent word to me saying, “Come on! Let’s set up a time to meet together at Kephirim
in the plain of Ono.” Now they intended to do me harm.
Nehemiah 2:4
2:4 The king responded,
“What is it you are seeking?” Then I quickly prayed to the God of heaven