JETHRO VISITS MOSES: AN ILLUSTRATION BASED ON EXODUS 18

The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. When his father-in-law (Jethro) saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, "What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?"

Moses answered him, "Because the people come to me to seek God's will. Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God's decrees and laws. Moses' father-in-law replied, "...Teach them the decrees and the laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform. But select capable men from all the people - men who fear God,trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain- and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. If you do this and God so commands, you will stand the strain, and all these