Exodus 18:25, commentary and pictures

Moses selected capable men from all Israel and set them in an ordered structure as heads over the people in graded divisions of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. He did this because deciding controversies and instructing that vast, untrained multitude alone was too heavy a burden and would wear him away. He himself was to remain to the people toward God to bring causes to God and teach the ordinances, laws, and way to walk, while the chosen men judged at all seasons, settling every small matter themselves and bringing only every great and hard matter to him. Those able men were to be such as fear God, men of truth hating covetousness and fit to serve. The Lord did not design one man to carry all the responsibilities of judging and caring for the people, but that the burden be shared by fitted persons each over a defined charge so Moses could endure and the people go to their place in peace.

Counsel Given and Followed

The action arose because the burden on Moses was very great, as the people brought all their matters of difficulty to him for instruction in the statutes and law of God. Maintaining order and discipline and deciding all controversies among that vast, ignorant and untrained multitude was too heavy for one man alone and would wear him away.

The counsel he followed was to remain to the people to God-ward, to bring the causes to God, to teach them ordinances and laws, and to show them the way wherein they must walk and the work they must do. He was to provide out of all the people able men, men such as fear God, men of truth hating covetousness, and place them over the people to judge at all seasons. They were to decide every small matter and all matters of minor or ordinary consequence themselves, while bringing every great matter and every hard and difficult cause to Moses, so they would bear the burden with him and it would be easier for him, he would be able to endure and give himself to bringing causes to God and teaching, and all the people would go to their place in peace.

Moses hearkened to his father-in-law and did all that was said, choosing able and capable men out of all Israel and making them heads over the people in an ordered structure as rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. They judged the people at all seasons, handling ordinary matters themselves while the hard causes were brought to Moses, so responsibility for judging was shared rather than carried by Moses alone. Afterward he let his father-in-law depart to his own land. Though God had greatly exalted and honored Moses and wrought wonders by his hand, he did not reason that being chosen to instruct others put him above being instructed, but gladly listened and readily adopted the plan as a wise arrangement.

The counsel came through one from the Gentile world as an appointed agent through whom heavenly principles were revealed, an example of God providing appointed, heaven-sent agencies and witnesses. Moses' ready acceptance of that counsel later provoked jealousy, as Aaron and Miriam were jealous that he had received it and that seventy elders were appointed without consulting them.

Qualified Leaders Judging

Able men means men who fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness, worthy men free from covetousness and fit to serve. Worthy men free from covetousness were the ones selected to share the work.

Those chosen were to judge the people at all seasons, deciding every small matter and all matters of minor or ordinary consequence themselves. The most difficult and important cases, every great matter and every hard cause, were still to be brought to Moses. They judged ordinary matters themselves while difficult cases went to Moses, so responsibility for judging was shared and the work and its burden distributed. Together with the following verses the appointment over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens shows this division between ordinary matters and difficult cases.

The arrangement brought relief and established more perfect order, making the work easier for Moses so he could endure. It freed him to give himself to bringing causes to God and teaching ordinances and laws and showing the way to walk and the work to do, while the helpers bore the burden with him. By this wise distribution of solemn responsibilities that one man cannot carry alone without wearing away, those in leading positions are relieved of minor matters that consecrated helpers are well qualified to handle so time and strength can be spent on weightier matters demanding special wisdom and largeness of heart. And all the people would go to their place in peace.

Moses himself remained to the people to God-ward, bringing the causes to God. He looked after their religious interests by teaching them ordinances and laws and showing them the way wherein they must walk and the work they must do, while the selected men shared the work of caring for and governing the people.

Moses was not Israel's lawgiver; he served as God's agent, receiving Christ's words and making God's law and will known to the people.

Pattern for Shared Responsibility

The Lord did not design one man to carry all the responsibilities, but responsibility for judging and caring for the people was to be shared rather than carried by Moses alone. Capable, qualified men were chosen from all Israel and appointed as leaders at several graded levels, as heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. They were to judge the people at all seasons, deciding themselves every small matter and all matters of minor or ordinary consequence, while every great matter and every great and hard cause, the most difficult and important cases, was still to be brought to Moses. In this way the work and its burden were distributed and made easier, these leaders helping to govern the people and share the burden of the work.

Responsibility in God's service is entrusted to people fitted for the work rather than assigned indiscriminately. The choice of such leaders illustrates careful selection of people to bear responsibility and guard sacred trusts, each appointed to serve over a defined group. Such choosing is to be made wisely and brought before God in earnest prayer.

The verse provides a pattern for the kinds of workers needed in different branches of God's work, including older men who can serve as counsellors, and for the kind of men to be chosen to share the burdens and responsibilities and carry the work forward. Able men means men such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness, worthy men free from covetousness and fit to serve. Those chosen are charged to hear the causes between brethren and the stranger and to judge righteously. It sets the true position of counsellors and a board as burden-bearers appointed to carry the lesser business, while the chief leader handles only the greatest matters. This relieves those in leading positions so their time and strength can be spent on the weightier matters demanding special wisdom and largeness of heart instead of minor matters that consecrated helpers are well qualified to handle, so he can endure and give himself to bringing causes to God and teaching ordinances and laws and showing the way to walk and the work to do, and the people go to their place in peace. The counsel teaches that responsibility in God's work should not rest on one person or give one person or group supreme authority, but leaders should share responsibility and attend to the distinct needs of different fields.