Thematic Bible: Administrative and judicial system
Thematic Bible
Government » Mosaic » Administrative and judicial system
And it came to pass another day that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood before Moses from the morning unto the evening. And when Moses' father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this that thou doest to the people? Why sittest thou thyself alone and all the people stand before thee from morning unto evening? And Moses said unto his father-in-law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God. read more.
When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I declare unto them the statutes of God and his laws. Then Moses' father-in-law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good. Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou and this people that is with thee; for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone. Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people before God that thou may submit the causes unto God. And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws and shalt show them the way in which they must walk and the work that they must do. Moreover thou shalt consider out of all the people men of virtue, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness, and place princes over them, of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. And let them judge the people at all seasons; and it shall be that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge, so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee. If thou shalt do this thing and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace. So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said. And Moses chose men of virtue out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, princes over thousands, over hundreds, over fifties, and over tens. And they judged the people at all seasons; the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.
When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I declare unto them the statutes of God and his laws. Then Moses' father-in-law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good. Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou and this people that is with thee; for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone. Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people before God that thou may submit the causes unto God. And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws and shalt show them the way in which they must walk and the work that they must do. Moreover thou shalt consider out of all the people men of virtue, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness, and place princes over them, of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. And let them judge the people at all seasons; and it shall be that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge, so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee. If thou shalt do this thing and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace. So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said. And Moses chose men of virtue out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, princes over thousands, over hundreds, over fifties, and over tens. And they judged the people at all seasons; the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.
Then the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be elders of the people, and their princes; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the testimony that they may stand there with thee. And I will come down and talk with thee there, and I will take of the spirit which is in thee and will put it upon them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.
And Moses went out and told the people the words of the LORD and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people and set them round about the tabernacle. Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke unto him and took of the spirit that was in him and gave it unto the seventy elders, and it came to pass that when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied and did not cease.
And I spoke unto you at that time, saying, I am not able to bear you myself alone; the LORD your God has multiplied you, and, behold, ye are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude. Let the LORD God of your fathers add upon you a thousand times so many more as ye are and bless you, as he has promised! read more.
How can I myself alone bear your troubles and your burdens and your strife? Give me from among you, of your tribes, wise and understanding and expert men, and I will make them the head over you. And ye answered me and said, The thing which thou hast spoken is good for us to do. So I took the principals of your tribes, wise men and experts, and made them princes over you, princes over thousands and princes over hundreds and princes over fifties and princes over tens and officers among your tribes. And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren and judge righteously between every man and his brother and the stranger that is with him. Ye shall not respect persons in judgment, but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man, for the judgment is God's; and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.
How can I myself alone bear your troubles and your burdens and your strife? Give me from among you, of your tribes, wise and understanding and expert men, and I will make them the head over you. And ye answered me and said, The thing which thou hast spoken is good for us to do. So I took the principals of your tribes, wise men and experts, and made them princes over you, princes over thousands and princes over hundreds and princes over fifties and princes over tens and officers among your tribes. And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren and judge righteously between every man and his brother and the stranger that is with him. Ye shall not respect persons in judgment, but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man, for the judgment is God's; and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.