Exodus 18:13-27

13 The next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning till evening.

14 When Moses' father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, "What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning till evening?"

15 And Moses said to his father-in-law, "Because ¹the people come to me to inquire of God;

16 ²when they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between one person and another, and I ³make them know the statutes of God and his laws."

17 Moses' father-in-law said to him, "What you are doing is not good.

18 You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. ⁴You are not able to do it alone.

19 Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall ⁵represent the people before God and ⁶bring their cases to God,

20 and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know ⁷the way in which they must walk and ⁸what they must do.

21 Moreover, look for ⁹able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.

22 And ¹⁰let them judge the people at all times. ¹¹Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will ¹²bear the burden with you.

23 If you do this, God will direct you, you will be ¹³able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace."

24 So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said.

25 ¹⁴Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.

26 And ¹⁵they judged the people at all times. Any hard case they brought to Moses, but any small matter they decided themselves.

27 Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and ¹⁶he went away to his own country.

Exodus 18:13-27 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 18

This chapter gives an account of Jethro, Moses's father-in-law, with Zipporah his daughter, the wife of Moses, and her two sons, meeting him in the wilderness, who was kindly received by him, Ex 18:1-7 and on Moses' relating the great things God had done for Israel, Jethro expressed his joy on that account, gave praise to God, offered sacrifice, and kept a feast with the elders of Israel, Ex 18:8-12, and observing the constant and fatiguing business Moses had on his hands from morning to evening in judging the people, Ex 18:13-18, he gave him advice to appoint persons under him to receive laws and ordinances from him, he should have from God, and, according to them, judge and govern the people under them, some being rulers of thousands, others of hundreds, others of fifties, and some of tens, Ex 18:19-23, which counsel was acceptable to Moses, and he took it, Ex 18:24-26 and the chapter is concluded with their friendly parting, Ex 18:27.

Cross References

• 1. [Leviticus 24:12; Numbers 15:34]
• 2. Exodus 24:14; Deuteronomy 17:8; [2 Samuel 15:2, 3; 1 Corinthians 6:1]
• 3. Deuteronomy 4:5; Deuteronomy 5:1
• 4. Numbers 11:14, 17; Deuteronomy 1:9, 12
• 5. Exodus 4:16; [Exodus 20:19; Deuteronomy 5:5]
• 6. Numbers 27:5
• 7. Psalms 143:8
• 8. Deuteronomy 1:18
• 9. Deuteronomy 1:15; Deuteronomy 16:18; See 2 Chronicles 19:5-10; [Acts 6:3]
• 10. ver. 26
• 11. Leviticus 24:11; Numbers 15:33; Numbers 27:2; Numbers 36:1; Deuteronomy 1:17; Deuteronomy 17:8
• 12. Numbers 11:17
• 13. ver. 18
• 14. Deuteronomy 1:15
• 15. ver. 22
• 16. [Numbers 10:29, 30]