Thematic Bible: Administrative and judicial system
Thematic Bible
Government » Mosaic » Administrative and judicial system
And it chanced on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood about Moses from morning unto evening. When his father-in-law saw all that he did unto the people, he said, "What is this that thou doest unto the people? Why sittest thou thyself and lettest all the people stand about thee from morning unto even?" And Moses said unto his father-in-law, "Because the people came unto me to seek counsel of God. read more.
For when they have a matter, they come unto me, and I must judge between every man and his neighbor, and must show them the ordinances of God and his laws." And his father-in-law said unto him, "It is not well that thou doest. Thou doest unwisely and also this people that is with thee: because the thing is too grievous for thee, and thou art not able to do it thyself alone. But hear my voice, and I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee. Be thou unto the people to Godward, and bring the causes unto God, and provide them ordinances and laws, and show them the way wherein they must walk and the works that they must do. Moreover, seek out, among all the people, men of activity which fear God; and men that are true and hate covetousness: and make them heads over the people, captains over thousands, over hundreds, over fifty, and over ten. And let them judge the people at all seasons: If there be any great matter, let them bring that unto thee, and let them judge all small causes them selves, and ease thyself, and let them bear with thee. If thou shalt do this thing, then thou shalt be able to endure that which God chargeth thee with all, and all this people shall go to their places quietly." And Moses heard the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said, and chose active men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, captains over thousands, over hundreds, over fifty and over ten. And they judged the people at all seasons, and brought the hard causes unto Moses: and judged all small matters themselves.
For when they have a matter, they come unto me, and I must judge between every man and his neighbor, and must show them the ordinances of God and his laws." And his father-in-law said unto him, "It is not well that thou doest. Thou doest unwisely and also this people that is with thee: because the thing is too grievous for thee, and thou art not able to do it thyself alone. But hear my voice, and I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee. Be thou unto the people to Godward, and bring the causes unto God, and provide them ordinances and laws, and show them the way wherein they must walk and the works that they must do. Moreover, seek out, among all the people, men of activity which fear God; and men that are true and hate covetousness: and make them heads over the people, captains over thousands, over hundreds, over fifty, and over ten. And let them judge the people at all seasons: If there be any great matter, let them bring that unto thee, and let them judge all small causes them selves, and ease thyself, and let them bear with thee. If thou shalt do this thing, then thou shalt be able to endure that which God chargeth thee with all, and all this people shall go to their places quietly." And Moses heard the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said, and chose active men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, captains over thousands, over hundreds, over fifty and over ten. And they judged the people at all seasons, and brought the hard causes unto Moses: and judged all small matters themselves.
And the LORD said unto Moses, "Gather unto me seventy of the elders of Israel, which thou knowest that they are the elders of the people and officers over them, and bring them unto the tabernacle of witness, and let them stand there with thee. And I will come down and talk with thee there, and take of the spirit which is upon thee and put upon them, and they shall bear with thee in the burden of the people, and so shalt thou not bear alone.
And Moses went out and told the people the saying of the LORD, and gathered the seventy elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle. And the LORD came down in a cloud and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and put it upon the seventy elders. And as the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied and did nought else.
And I said unto you the same season, 'I am not able to bear you myself alone. For the LORD your God hath multiplied you: so that ye are this day as the stars of heaven in number.' - The LORD God of your fathers make you a thousand times so many more as ye are, and bless you as he hath promised you - read more.
'How,' said I, 'can I myself alone bear the cumbrance, charge, and strife that is among you? Bring therefore men of wisdom and of understanding and expert, known among your tribes, that I may make them rulers over you.' And ye answered me, and said, 'That which thou hast spoken is good to be done.' And then I took the heads of your tribes, men of wisdom and that were expert, and made them rulers over you: captains over thousands and over hundreds, over fifty and over ten, and officers among your tribes. And I charged your judges the same time, saying, 'Hear your brethren and judge righteously between every man and his brother and the stranger that is with him. See that ye know no man in judgment: but hear the small as well as the great and be afraid of no man, for the judgment is God's. And the cause that is too hard for you, bring unto me and I will hear it.'
'How,' said I, 'can I myself alone bear the cumbrance, charge, and strife that is among you? Bring therefore men of wisdom and of understanding and expert, known among your tribes, that I may make them rulers over you.' And ye answered me, and said, 'That which thou hast spoken is good to be done.' And then I took the heads of your tribes, men of wisdom and that were expert, and made them rulers over you: captains over thousands and over hundreds, over fifty and over ten, and officers among your tribes. And I charged your judges the same time, saying, 'Hear your brethren and judge righteously between every man and his brother and the stranger that is with him. See that ye know no man in judgment: but hear the small as well as the great and be afraid of no man, for the judgment is God's. And the cause that is too hard for you, bring unto me and I will hear it.'