But do thou provide among all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place [them] over them, chiefs of thousands, chiefs of hundreds, chiefs of fifties, and chiefs of tens,
Moses had spent a whole day judging a nation's disputes alone, and his father-in-law Jethro told him it could not last. The advice that follows — pick able men and share the load — raises two questions: what makes a man fit to judge, and whether Moses was right to take advice he never brought to God.
One writer reads these marks as traits any believer should want, not just judges in a camp.
Exodus 18:20-21 also gives us the features of faithful men. They were to be taught in the word of God. They had to know how to walk, and how to work. They had to be able men, fearing God, men of truth, hating covetousness. They had to be men who could bring peace to the people by righteous judgments. God wrote this Scripture to instruct and encourage us, so there is a word here for us as well. These are the traits we should want.
Hating covetousness — what this verse calls hating a bribe — matters because of the pressure that comes with authority over other people's disputes.
Covetousness is a sin that men in charge are especially exposed to... Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, describes the character of the men to be chosen "to judge the people at all times": "Able men," he says, "such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness" (Ex. 18:21). Samuel met all these conditions. He also had the virtues of gentleness and loving sympathy. He was indeed the ideal judge.
Thousands, hundreds, fifties, tens: one writer admires the design itself.
What an admirable arrangement! If it really had to be made, nothing could keep order better than this graded scale of authority. It ran from the captain of ten up to the captain of a thousand. Moses, the lawgiver, stood at the head of them all, in direct contact with the Lord God of Israel.
When Moses retells the story near the end of his life, the account shifts. One commentator notices what he leaves out.
Again, what can be more simple and appropriate than that Moses at the close should omit the name and counsel of Jethro, and bring the people into greater prominence than himself in the choice of rulers? This he had fully shown in the history. Now he dwells chiefly on their part in the matter, confessing his own inability to cope with their great increase.
Commentators differ here. One calls the arrangement admirable. Another catches a telling detail in the way Jethro worded his offer.
Jethro said, "I will give you counsel, and God will be with you" (v. 19). Would it not be better to say, "God will give you counsel, and I will be with you?" He was so sure of his own counsel that he did not advise Moses to ask counsel of God. Moses himself should have been concerned to ask God's counsel first. If God meant Moses to do all the work himself, He would be sure to give him strength for it. Another principle is seen here too. By this division of authority the people would have less direct contact with the supreme ruler. Do we today not need to take all our difficult matters straight to the Lord Jesus?
The advice came from a family member, and one writer sees a special danger in that.
It is always very dangerous to listen to the advice of a relative in the things of God... Relatives look at things through their own claims on us, or through their natural affection. Their eye is divided, so they cannot judge rightly in the presence of God.
Sharing a load can look like modesty. One writer argues the opposite.
Leaving a post God has appointed is never the fruit of humility. The deepest humility does the opposite: it stays there in simple dependence on God. When we shrink back from service because we feel unable, that is sure proof we are taken up with ourselves. God does not call us to service on the ground of our ability, but of His own.
Whatever we make of Moses' decision, one writer sees this arrangement pointing forward.
In the men appointed as rulers under Moses we see a picture of those who will reign with Christ in the day of the kingdom... The men who took authority under Moses were to be "able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness." This reminds us that Christ will give the places of authority in His coming kingdom to those who have proved themselves worthy during the present time of responsibility here.
- Character. The judges had to be able men who fear God, men of truth who hate a bribe. Greed is the sin that traps anyone who handles other people's affairs.
- Counsel. Jethro promised God would be with Moses if Moses took his advice. Commentators differ over whether Moses should have asked God first.
- Affection. Advice from a relative is hard to weigh. Natural love blurs the view of what God has given you to do.
- Post. Stepping back from a God-given burden can look like humility. In truth it shows we are taken up with ourselves.
- Kingdom. The graded rule under one head pictures the coming reign of Christ, who gives authority to those proved faithful now.
that they may judge the people at all times; and it shall be [that] they shall bring to thee every great matter, and that they shall judge every small matter, and they shall lighten [the task] on thee, and they shall bear [it] with thee.
Moses is judging Israel on his own, and his father-in-law Jethro warns that the work will wear him out. This verse holds Jethro's remedy, and commentators still ask whether Moses did well to accept it.
Jethro's plan splits the work. Capable men handle the everyday disputes. The hard cases still travel up to Moses.
Jethro had a simple solution which had evidently not occurred to Moses. He tells Moses that this constant labour would wear him out, and the people too. Why not concentrate on representing God by teaching God's statutes in public? At the same time, Moses could delegate authority to "able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain." They could judge minor disputes among the people, and bring the major matters to Moses (v. 22).
Commentators differ. Some point out that Moses took the advice as coming from God, and never criticises it when he retells the story.
Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, advised him to get help in administering justice. He was to provide able men: chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens. … Moses followed this advice, taking it as from God (Ex. 18:23). In Deuteronomy 1:9-18 he recalls the incident without adding any negative comment.
Others read the same scene as a loss. Their objection is not the workload. Moses asked Jethro rather than God, and the new layer of officials left the people further from the top.
Jethro said, "I will give you counsel, and God will be with you" (v. 19). Would it not be better to say, "God will give you counsel, and I will be with you"? He was so sure of his own counsel that he did not advise Moses to ask counsel of God. … By this division of authority the people would have less direct contact with the supreme ruler. Do we today not need to take all of our trying matters directly to the Lord Jesus?
The verse promises that others "will bear the burden with you." One writer answers that the burden never rested on Moses at all.
In all this we see Moses clearly stepping back from a post of honour. If it pleased God to make him the sole instrument in managing the assembly, that only gave him more dignity and privilege. True, the responsibility was immense. But faith would recognise that God was more than enough for it. Here, however, the heart of Moses failed him. Blessed servant as he was, he says, "I am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me." But he was not asked to carry them alone, for God was with him. They were not too heavy for God. It was He who was carrying them; Moses was only the instrument. He might just as well have said that his staff was carrying the people; for what was he but an instrument in God's hand, as the staff was in his?
Jethro's words did not stay in that conversation. They come back later out of Moses' own mouth in Numbers 11.
When once a word of distrust or complaint is admitted into our hearts, it is not easily driven out. As we have seen from Numbers 11, Moses uses the very words in his complaint that were suggested by Jethro. It is exactly here that Satan is so successful. There may be only a half-formed thought, a mere hint, in our minds. At once he comes, puts it into words, and presents it to our souls. Take an example. We feel weary in service, and perhaps low because of the weariness. How often will Satan suggest that we are doing too much, going beyond our strength!
The tiers of judges also sketch a government still to come.
Clearly, this arrangement for judging the people pictures the order of government which the Messiah will set up when He takes His kingdom. As the Psalmist says, "May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice! Let the mountains bear prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness!" (Ps. 72:2-3.)
The men chosen stand for those who will share that rule.
In the men appointed as rulers under Moses we see a picture of those who will reign with Christ in the day of the kingdom. … The men who took authority under Moses were to be "able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness." This reminds us that the places of authority in the coming kingdom of Christ will go to those who have proved themselves worthy in this present time of responsibility.
- Burden — Moses said the people were too heavy for him to carry alone. One writer answers that he never carried them at all: God bore them, and Moses was only the instrument.
- Counsel — Jethro said, "I will give you counsel, and God will be with you." He never told Moses to ask God first.
- Cost — the new tier of judges eased the load, but left the people further from the one at the top.
- Character — the men chosen had to be capable, God-fearing, truthful and free of greed. That test still marks out those fit to rule with Christ.
- Consummation — beyond the question of Moses' failure, the ranks of judges picture the government the Messiah will set up. His own will share that rule.