Exode 18:22-27

22 Qu'ils jugent le peuple en tout temps; qu'ils portent devant toi toutes les affaires importantes, et qu'ils prononcent eux-mêmes sur les petites causes. Allège ta charge, et qu'ils la portent avec toi.
23 Si tu fais cela, et que Dieu te donne des ordres, tu pourras y suffire, et tout ce peuple parviendra heureusement à sa destination.
24 Moïse écouta la voix de son beau-père, et fit tout ce qu'il avait dit.
25 Moïse choisit des hommes capables parmi tout Israël, et il les établit chefs du peuple, chefs de mille, chefs de cent, chefs de cinquante et chefs de dix.
26 Ils jugeaient le peuple en tout temps; ils portaient devant Moïse les affaires difficiles, et ils prononçaient eux-mêmes sur toutes les petites causes.
27 Moïse laissa partir son beau-père, et Jéthro s'en alla dans son pays.

Exode 18:22-27 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.

The Louis Segond 1910 is in the public domain.