Jethro advised Moses to delegate the daily judging of Israel's disputes to capable, God-fearing leaders, keeping only the great matters for himself.
Jethro saw that Moses was judging all the people from morning until evening and told him the work was too heavy. He advised Moses to continue teaching God's laws but to select able men who feared God, were truthful, and hated covetousness. These men were to judge small matters while Moses handled the hard causes.
Exodus 18:13-26 — This is the passage where Jethro observes Moses' workload and gives the advice to appoint leaders over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.
Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, watched Moses sit as judge for the people from morning until evening. When Jethro asked why Moses did all this alone, Moses explained that the people came to enquire of God and that he judged their disputes, making them know the statutes of God and His laws. Jethro replied, 'The thing that thou doest is not good.' He warned that the work was too heavy, saying, 'Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee.' He counselled Moses to continue as the people's representative before God, teaching them ordinances and laws and showing them the way to walk and the work to do. Jethro then advised Moses to provide able men from among the people—men who feared God, were men of truth, and hated covetousness—and place them as rulers of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. These leaders would judge the small matters, while the hard causes were still brought to Moses. The account closes, 'So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said.'
Les Feldick does not directly expound on Jethro's advice in the transcripts provided for this question. Instead, the available clips show the surrounding context of Moses' life and leadership. In Clip 2, Les notes that Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, making Moses a shepherd before his call. In Clips 4, 5, and 7, Les repeatedly emphasizes that Moses was second only to Pharaoh and full of power, yet Israel would not accept him as deliverer. While these points illuminate Moses' leadership background, the specific counsel of Jethro in Exodus 18 is not covered in these clips.
Yes. Exodus 18:24 says, 'So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said.' Moses then chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.
In the biblical account, Jethro gave the counsel, not a direct word from the Lord. Jethro told Moses to bring the causes to God and said, 'If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure.' The text does not record the Lord speaking in this passage.
Jethro said to select able men from among the people—those who fear God, are men of truth, and hate covetousness—and place them over the people as rulers of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.
Christ the Rock: Spiritual Warfare & The Battle with Amalek
But the day is coming when all the nations of the world are going to be gathered there, of course, for this last final battle, which we call Armageddon. And, of course, now Zechariah is talking about it here. Verse 2 again, For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle. The city, Jerusalem, shall be taken, the houses rifled, and the women ravished, which is typical of war.
What "Baptized Unto Moses" Really Means — 1 Corinthians 10 Explained
And they thirsted there for water, and the people murmured against Moses, and they said, wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst? What's the purpose? My Moses, we could be just as well down there mixing mortar and making brick as to die of thirst. All right.
Moses as Shepherd for Jethro
Les notes that Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, showing that Moses was a shepherd before his call to deliver Israel.
Why Moses Was Forbidden From the Promised Land — The Real Reason
They're out there in the desert, all those multitude of people and all their flocks and no water. No water. And they begin to murmur and complain. You remember the story. Now, verse 5. The Lord said unto Moses, Go on before the people and take with thee of the elders of Israel and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river. Remember when he had the Nile turned to blood.
Moses' Position in Egypt
Les emphasizes that Moses was a man of tremendous power and influence in Egypt, the second greatest man under Pharaoh.
Moses Expected Israel to Understand
Les explains that Moses, using his own position and faith, expected Israel to understand he was their deliverer, but they did not.
The 3-Day Journey: How Exodus Foreshadows the Resurrection of Christ
The frogs were gods, the moon was a god, the sun was a god, and every animal you could think of was a god, and they all had a name. So when Moses and Aaron came and say, The God of Israel, Jehovah, is going to lead the children out, Pharaoh's natural response was, Well, who's Jehovah? He's just another one of your gods, but he doesn't mean anything to me.
Moses Second in Egypt
Les reiterates that Moses was second only to Pharaoh and had the power and clout to lead Israel out, but Israel would not accept him.
Exodus 18:17: And Moses' father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good.
Jethro directly tells Moses that his practice of judging the people alone was not good.
Exodus 18:18: Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.
Jethro warns that the workload is too heavy for one man and will exhaust both Moses and the people.
Exodus 18:20: 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.
Jethro tells Moses to continue his teaching role while delegating the daily judging.
Exodus 18:21: 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, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:
Jethro specifies the character qualifications and the structure for the leaders Moses should appoint.
Exodus 18:24: So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said.
This shows Moses obeyed Jethro's advice and set up the system of rulers.
Yes. Exodus 18:24 says Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said. He chose able men out of all Israel and made them rulers over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.
The biblical text shows Jethro giving the counsel, not a direct word from the Lord. Jethro said, 'If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so,' making the advice conditional on God's approval. The Lord is not directly quoted in this passage.
Moses was judging every dispute for the entire nation from morning to evening. Jethro said the thing he did was not good and that the work was too heavy for him to bear alone.
Watch the Teaching: Christ the Rock: Spiritual Warfare & The Battle with Amalek