Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
moses » Institutes a system of government
The next day Moses sat down to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning until evening. 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 alone sit as judge, with all the people standing around you from morning until evening?" Moses told his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to seek God's will. read more.
When they have a dispute, it comes to me and I decide between a person and his neighbor, and make known the statutes of God and his instructions." Moses' father-in-law told him, "What you are doing is not good. You will certainly wear yourself out, both you and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you. You cannot do it by yourself. Now listen to me. I'll advise you, and may God be with you. You are to represent the people before God and bring the disputes to God. You are to teach them the statutes and instructions and make known to them the way they're to go and the things they're to do. You are to look for capable men among the people, men who fear God, men of integrity who hate dishonest gain. You are to set these men over them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. They are to judge the people at all times. Let them bring every major matter to you, but let them judge every minor matter. It will lighten your burden, and they'll bear it with you. If you do this, and God so commands you, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will also go to their homes in peace." Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. Moses chose capable men from all Israel and appointed them as heads over the people, as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. They judged the people at all times; the difficult matters they brought to Moses, but every minor matter they judged.
When they have a dispute, it comes to me and I decide between a person and his neighbor, and make known the statutes of God and his instructions." Moses' father-in-law told him, "What you are doing is not good. You will certainly wear yourself out, both you and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you. You cannot do it by yourself. Now listen to me. I'll advise you, and may God be with you. You are to represent the people before God and bring the disputes to God. You are to teach them the statutes and instructions and make known to them the way they're to go and the things they're to do. You are to look for capable men among the people, men who fear God, men of integrity who hate dishonest gain. You are to set these men over them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. They are to judge the people at all times. Let them bring every major matter to you, but let them judge every minor matter. It will lighten your burden, and they'll bear it with you. If you do this, and God so commands you, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will also go to their homes in peace." Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. Moses chose capable men from all Israel and appointed them as heads over the people, as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. They judged the people at all times; the difficult matters they brought to Moses, but every minor matter they judged.
Then the LORD told Moses, "Gather together for me 70 men who are elders of Israel, men whom you know to be elders of the people and officers over them. Then bring them to the Tent of Meeting and let them stand there with you. Then I'll come down and speak with you. I'll take some of the spirit that rests on you and apportion it among them, so that they may help you bear the burden of the people. That way, you won't bear it by yourself." "But give this command to the people: "You are to consecrate yourselves, because tomorrow you're going to eat meat, since you've complained where the LORD can hear it, "Who can give us meat to eat? After all, life was better with us in Egypt." Therefore, the LORD is going to give you meat and you'll eat read more.
not only for a day, or for two days, or for five days, or for ten days, or for 20 days, but for a whole month until it comes out your nostrils and makes you vomit. This is because you've despised the LORD, who is among you, and you cried out in his presence by complaining, "Why did we ever leave Egypt?"'" Moses responded, "I'm with 600,000 people on foot and you're saying I am to give them enough meat to eat for a whole month? What if we were to slaughter our entire inventory of flocks and herds for them? Would that be enough? What if we could gather all the fish in the sea in nets for them? Would that be enough, either?" But the LORD responded to Moses, "Is the LORD short on power? You're now going to witness whether what I say will come to pass or not." So Moses went out and told the people what the LORD had said. He gathered 70 men from the elders of the people and stationed them around the tent. The LORD came down in a cloud, spoke to Moses, and made an apportionment from the spirit who rested on him to the 70 elders. When the spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but that was it. Now two men had remained in camp. One was named Eldad and the other was named Medad. When the spirit rested on them, since they were among those who were listed but had not gone out to the tent, they stayed behind and prophesied in the camp. A young man ran and reported to Moses, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!" In response, Nun's son Joshua, Moses' attendant and one of his choice men, exclaimed, "My master Moses! Stop them!" "Are you jealous on account of me?" Moses asked in reply. "I wish all of the LORD's people were prophets and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!" Then Moses that is, he and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.
not only for a day, or for two days, or for five days, or for ten days, or for 20 days, but for a whole month until it comes out your nostrils and makes you vomit. This is because you've despised the LORD, who is among you, and you cried out in his presence by complaining, "Why did we ever leave Egypt?"'" Moses responded, "I'm with 600,000 people on foot and you're saying I am to give them enough meat to eat for a whole month? What if we were to slaughter our entire inventory of flocks and herds for them? Would that be enough? What if we could gather all the fish in the sea in nets for them? Would that be enough, either?" But the LORD responded to Moses, "Is the LORD short on power? You're now going to witness whether what I say will come to pass or not." So Moses went out and told the people what the LORD had said. He gathered 70 men from the elders of the people and stationed them around the tent. The LORD came down in a cloud, spoke to Moses, and made an apportionment from the spirit who rested on him to the 70 elders. When the spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but that was it. Now two men had remained in camp. One was named Eldad and the other was named Medad. When the spirit rested on them, since they were among those who were listed but had not gone out to the tent, they stayed behind and prophesied in the camp. A young man ran and reported to Moses, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!" In response, Nun's son Joshua, Moses' attendant and one of his choice men, exclaimed, "My master Moses! Stop them!" "Are you jealous on account of me?" Moses asked in reply. "I wish all of the LORD's people were prophets and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!" Then Moses that is, he and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.
"I also told you at that time that I won't be able to sustain you on my own. The LORD your God greatly multiplied your numbers, and today you are like the stars in the sky. May the LORD, the God of your ancestors, increase your numbers a thousand times more, and may he bless you, as he promised you. read more.
How can I bear the burden of you and your bickering all by myself? Choose for yourselves wise and discerning men, known to your tribes, and appoint them as your leaders. You answered by saying that this plan is a good thing. So I chose leaders from your tribes, wise and respected men, and I appointed them over you commanders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. I charged your judges at that time, "When you hold a hearing between brothers, judge fairly between a man and his brother or between foreigners. When you hold a hearing, don't be partial in judgment toward the least important or toward the great. Never fear men, because judgment belongs to God. If the matter is difficult for you, bring it to me for a hearing.' I charged you at that time that you must do all of these things."
How can I bear the burden of you and your bickering all by myself? Choose for yourselves wise and discerning men, known to your tribes, and appoint them as your leaders. You answered by saying that this plan is a good thing. So I chose leaders from your tribes, wise and respected men, and I appointed them over you commanders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. I charged your judges at that time, "When you hold a hearing between brothers, judge fairly between a man and his brother or between foreigners. When you hold a hearing, don't be partial in judgment toward the least important or toward the great. Never fear men, because judgment belongs to God. If the matter is difficult for you, bring it to me for a hearing.' I charged you at that time that you must do all of these things."