Exodus 18:19-27
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.
18:27 Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and so Jethro went to his own land.