[19] Hearken now unto my
voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for
the people to Godward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God:
[20] And thou shalt teach them ordinances
and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work
that they must do. [21] Moreover thou
shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of
truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands,
and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens: [22]
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. [23] 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.
Be thou for them to God - ward - That was an honour which
it was not fit any other should share with him in. Also whatever concerned
the whole congregation must pass through his hand, Exodus 18:20.But, he
appointed judges in the several tribes and families, which should try causes
between man and man, and determine them, which would be done with less
noise, and more dispatch than in the general assembly. Those whose gifts
and stations are most eminent may yet be greatly furthered in their work
by the assistance of those that are every way their inferiors. This is
Jethro's advice; but he adds two qualifications to his counsel.
-
That great care should be taken in the choice of the persons
who should be admitted into this trust; it was requisite that they should
be men of the best character.
-
For judgment and resolution, able men: men of good sense,
that understood business; and bold men, that would not be daunted by frowns
or clamours. Clear heads and stout hearts make good judges.
-
For piety, such as fear God, who believe there is a God above
them, whose eye is upon them, to whom they are accountable, and whose judgment
they stand in awe of. Conscientious men, that dare not do an ill thing,
though they could do it never so secretly and securely.
-
For honesty, men of truth, whose word one may take, and whose
fidelity one may rely upon.
-
For a generous contempt of worldly wealth, hating covetousness,
not only not seeking bribes, or aiming to enrich themselves, but abhorring
the thought of it.
-
That he should attend God's direction in the case, Exodus
18:23.If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so - Jethro knew
that Moses had a better counsellor than he was, and to his counsel he refers
him.
[24] So Moses hearkened to the
voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said. [25]
And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the
people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and
rulers of tens. [26] And they judged
the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but
every small matter they judged themselves.
So Moses hearkened unto the voice of his father - in
- law. When he came to consider the thing, he saw the reasonableness of
it, and resolved to put it in practice, which he did soon after, when he
had received directions from God. Those are not so wise as they would be
thought to be, who think themselves too wise to be counselled; for a wise
man will hear, and will increase learning, and not slight good counsel,
though given by an inferior.
[27] And Moses let his father
in law depart; and he went his way into his own land.
He went into his own land - It is supposed the Kenites
mentioned 15:6, were the posterity of Jethro, (compare Judges 1:16,) and
they are taken under special protection, for thekindness their ancestor
shewed to Israel.
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