Why does Jethro tell Moses to share the work of judging, and which matters remain with Moses?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

He says the work is beyond Moses’ strength and is wearing out both Moses and the people. Other rulers are to judge lesser matters at all times and refer great matters to Moses, who remains responsible for bringing the people’s words to God and teaching them.

Chapter breakdown

Why does Jethro tell Moses to share the work of judging, and which matters remain with Moses? He says the work is beyond Moses’ strength and is wearing out both Moses and the people. Other rulers are to judge lesser matters at all times and refer great matters to Moses, who remains responsible for bringing the people’s words to God and teaching them.

Jethro, the priest of Madian and Moses’ kinsman, hears what God has done for Moses and Israel and that the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt. He takes Sephora, Moses’ wife, whom Moses had sent back, and her two sons. One is called Gersam: his father said he had been a stranger in a foreign country. The other is Eliezer: his father said the God of his father was his helper and had delivered him from Pharao’s sword. Jethro comes with Moses’ wife and sons to the desert where Moses is camped by the mountain of God. He sends word that he, Moses’ wife and her two sons are coming.

Moses goes out to meet his kinsman, pays him homage and kisses him. They greet one another with words of peace. In the tent, Moses tells him all the Lord did to Pharao and the Egyptians in Israel’s favour, the labour they faced on the journey and how the Lord delivered them. Jethro rejoices at the good done for Israel in its deliverance from the Egyptians. He blesses the Lord for delivering them from Pharao and Egypt. He says he now knows the Lord is great above all gods, because he delivered his people from Egyptians who dealt proudly against them. Jethro offers holocausts, or burnt offerings, and sacrifices to God. Aaron and all Israel’s ancients, or elders, come to eat bread with him before God.

The next day Moses sits to judge, and the people stand by him from morning until night. Jethro sees what he is doing and asks why he sits alone while all the people wait throughout the day. Moses says they come to seek God’s judgment. When a dispute occurs, they come for him to judge between them and show God’s precepts and laws.

Jethro says this is not good: both Moses and the people are worn out with foolish labour. The business is beyond Moses’ strength; he cannot bear it alone. Jethro asks him to hear his words and counsel, saying God will be with him. Moses is to serve the people in matters concerning God and bring their words to him. He is to show the people the ceremonies, the manner of worship, the way they ought to walk and the work they ought to do.

Moses is to choose from all the people able men who fear God, have truth in them and hate greed. He is to appoint rulers of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. They may judge at all times, referring every great matter to Moses and judging only lesser matters themselves. Sharing the burden will make it lighter for Moses. Jethro says that if he does this, he will fulfil God’s commandment and be able to bear his precepts; all the people will return to their places with peace.

Moses hears this and does all Jethro suggests. He chooses able men from all Israel and appoints rulers over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. They judge the people at all times, referring matters of greater difficulty to Moses and judging only easier cases themselves. Moses lets his kinsman depart, and Jethro returns to his own country.

The story inside

Jethro’s visit first brings Moses’ wife and sons and a report of the Lord’s deliverance. Jethro rejoices, blesses the Lord, offers sacrifices and eats bread before God with Aaron and the elders. The next day he sees people waiting from morning to night while Moses judges alone. Moses explains that they seek God’s judgment and laws. Jethro’s counsel keeps Moses’ role in bringing words to God and teaching, while sharing the judging of lesser matters with qualified rulers. Great matters remain with Moses. Jethro states the expected benefit as a condition; the closing account records the appointments and the actual division between easier and more difficult cases. It ends with Jethro’s return to his own country. (Exodus 18:1–27.)

Lessons worth keeping

1
Jethro gives the reason for sharing the work. Both Moses and the people are worn out, and the business exceeds what Moses can bear alone. The advice answers the morning-to-night waiting he has seen. (18:13–18.)
2
The choice of rulers includes character as well as ability. They are to be able, fear God, have truth in them and hate greed. Their groups are named as thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. (18:21.)
3
Sharing judgment leaves duties with Moses. He still brings the people’s words to God and teaches ceremonies, worship, their way of life and work. The other rulers handle lesser matters and refer great matters to him. (18:19–22.)

Test your recall

Why does Jethro say Moses cannot continue alone? The business is above his strength and wears out him and the people. What matters do the other rulers refer to him? Great matters; the account of their work calls them matters of greater difficulty. What work remains with Moses besides those judgments? Bringing the people’s words to God and teaching ceremonies, worship, the way to walk and work to do. What does Jethro do at the end?

Show answer

He returns to his own country. (18:18–22, 26–27.)

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 7865–7868
Exodus Chapter 18 Jethro bringeth to Moses his wife and children. His counsel.
Lines 7869–7887
18:1. And when Jethro the priest of Madian, the kinsman of Moses, had heard all the things that God had done to Moses, and to Israel his people, and that the Lord had brought forth Israel out of Egypt: 18:2. He took Sephora, the wife of Moses, whom he had sent back: 18:3. And her two sons, of whom one was called Gersam: his father saying, I have been a stranger in a foreign country. 18:4. And the other Eliezer: For the God of my father, said he, is my helper, and hath delivered me from the sword of Pharao. 18:5. And Jethro, the kinsman of Moses, came with his sons, and his wife to Moses into the desert, where he was camped by the mountain of God. 18:6. And he sent word to Moses, saying: I Jethro, thy kinsman, come to thee, and thy wife, and thy two sons with her.
Lines 7888–7910
18:7. And he went out to meet his kinsman, and worshipped and kissed him: and they saluted one another with words of peace. And when he was come into the tent, 18:8. Moses told his kinsman all that the Lord had done to Pharao, and the Egyptians in favour of Israel: and all the labour which had befallen them in the journey, and that the Lord had delivered them. 18:9. And Jethro rejoiced for all the good things that the Lord had done to Israel, because he had delivered them out of the hands of the Egyptians. 18:10. And he said: Blessed is the Lord, who hath delivered you out of the hand of Pharao, and out of the hand of Egypt. 18:11. Now I know, that the Lord is great above all gods; because he hath delivered his people out of the hand of the Egyptians, who dealt proudly against them. 18:12. So Jethro, the kinsman of Moses, offered holocausts and sacrifices to God: and Aaron and all the ancients of Israel came, to eat bread with him before God.
Lines 7911–7923
18:13. And the next day Moses sat to judge the people, who stood by Moses from morning until night. 18:14. And when his kinsman had seen all things that he did among the people, he said: What is it that thou dost among the people? Why sittest thou alone, and all the people wait from morning till night? 18:15. And Moses answered him: The people come to me to seek the judgment of God? 18:16. And when any controversy falleth out among them, they come to me to judge between them, and to shew the precepts of God, and his laws.
Lines 7924–7937
18:17. But he said: The thing thou dost is not good. 18:18. Thou art spent with foolish labour, both thou, and this people that is with thee; the business is above thy strength, thou alone canst not bear it. 18:19. But hear my words and counsels, and God shall be with thee. Be thou to the people in those things that pertain to God, to bring their words to him: 18:20. And to shew the people the ceremonies, and the manner of worshipping; and the way wherein they ought to walk, and the work that they ought to do.
Lines 7938–7950
18:21. And provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, in whom there is truth, and that hate avarice, and appoint of them rulers of thousands, and of hundreds, and of fifties, and of tens, 18:22. Who may judge the people at all times: and when any great matter soever shall fall out, let them refer it to thee, and let them judge the lesser matters only: that so it may be lighter for thee, the burden being shared out unto others. 18:23. If thou dost this, thou shalt fulfil the commandment of God, and shalt be able to bear his precepts: and all this people shall return to their places with peace.
Lines 7951–7965
18:24. And when Moses heard this, he did all things that he had suggested unto him. 18:25. And choosing able men out of all Israel, he appointed them rulers of the people, rulers over thousands, and over hundreds, and over fifties, and over tens. 18:26. And they judged the people at all times: and whatsoever was of greater difficulty they referred to him, and they judged the easier cases only. 18:27. And he let his kinsman depart: and he returned and went into his own country.