Judges for the People

The next day Reuel saw Moses in the middle of a crowd of business, for he was settling the disputes of those who brought them to him. Everyone kept coming to him, supposing that they would get justice only if he were the judge; and even those who lost their cases did not take it hard, since they thought they had lost them fairly and not through favoritism. Still, Reuel said nothing to him at the time, not wanting to stand in the way of those who wished to make use of their leader’s virtue. But afterward he took him aside, and when he had him alone, he instructed him in what he ought to do. He advised him to leave the burden of lesser cases to others and to take care himself of the greater ones and of the people’s safety; for other Hebrews could be found who were fit to judge cases, but no one but a Moses could take care of the safety of so many tens of thousands. “So do not lose sight of your own worth,” he said, “and of what you have done, serving under God, to keep the people safe. Let others settle the ordinary cases, and keep yourself for attending on God alone, and for finding ways to bring the people through their present distress. In human affairs, use the method I suggest to you. Review the army, and appoint chosen rulers over tens of thousands, and then over thousands. Then divide them into five hundreds, and again into hundreds and into fifties, and set rulers over each of these, who can divide them into thirties and keep them in order; and at last count them off by twenties and by tens. Let there be one commander over each group, named from the number of those he rules — but men whom the whole multitude has tested and approves as good and righteous. Let these rulers decide the disputes the people have with one another. If any important case arises, let them bring it before the rulers of higher rank; and if any difficulty arises that is too hard even for them to decide, let them send it to you. In this way two advantages will be gained: the Hebrews will have justice done them, and you will be able to attend constantly on God and win him to be more favorable to the people.” [a]

That was Reuel’s advice. Moses received it very kindly and acted on his suggestion. He did not hide who had devised this method or claim it for himself, but told the people who had invented it. Indeed, in the books he wrote, he has named Reuel as the one who devised this ordering of the people, thinking it right to bear true witness to worthy men, although he could have won a reputation by claiming other men’s inventions as his own. From this we may learn Moses’ virtuous character; but of that character we will have proper occasion to speak elsewhere in these books.