Exodus 18:23, commentary and pictures

Jethro's promise to Moses was conditional on Moses carrying out the plan for shared judging and on God commanding it, so that human wisdom alone was not enough without God's approval. If that condition was met, Moses would be able to stand under the load instead of wearing away, and the people would return to their homes content and in order and peace. The plan divided the work so that Moses would remain for the people toward God to teach the laws and the way to walk and to decide every great and hard matter, while appointed rulers over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens would judge in smaller matters at all seasons. Those helpers were to be able men who fear God, love truth, and hate covetousness, and thus be unselfish and trustworthy. The verse therefore teaches that God does not design one man to carry all responsibility under supreme control, but calls burdened leaders to share the load with qualified counselors, to train others by entrusting them with responsibility, and so to endure without breaking down while the people go on in peace.

Jethro's Counsel and Promise

Moses was wearing away under judging Israel alone when the promise was given, after Zipporah had rejoined him in the wilderness and seen his strength failing and made her fears known to Jethro. Miriam resented Zipporah for this, supposing Zipporah's influence had kept Moses from taking Miriam and Aaron into his counsels as before, while Miriam and Aaron smarted under supposed neglect.

Jethro was raised up as adviser and helper to Moses while Moses was being prepared to lead, with Moses still needing training and correction toward correct faith. Jethro was chosen from among the Gentiles to reveal heaven's principles as one of God's appointed, heaven-sent witnesses.

The arrangement works only on a condition: Moses must do this thing and God must command it. Following wise human counsel is not enough without God's approval and direction.

If the condition is met, a twofold promise follows: Moses will be able to endure and stand under the load instead of wearing away, finding relief and a better chance for life. All the people will go to their place in peace, returning to their homes content and able to go about their affairs, with more perfect order established.

The work was to be divided, with Moses to remain for the people toward God, bringing causes to God, teaching ordinances and laws, showing them the way to walk and the work to do, focusing on religious needs and weightier matters. He was to handle every great, hard, difficult and important matter. Appointed rulers of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens, including elders, were to judge the people at all seasons, deciding every small, ordinary and minor matter themselves.

The helpers were to be able, worthy men who fear God, men of truth, and hating covetousness, thus unselfish and trustworthy and answering God's measurement.

Moses hearkened to his father-in-law and did all that he said, choosing able men out of all Israel to judge at all seasons and bringing hard causes to himself. As God's agent responsible for making God's will known, his glad acceptance shows that being chosen and honored to instruct others does not remove the need to receive instruction. The later appointment of seventy elders to help him, with God remaining his counselor, reflects the same need to share his burden.

Sharing Burdens in God's Work

God does not design that one man shall carry all the responsibilities, nor does He require men to be weighed down by wearing responsibilities that consume strength. Responsibility is not to rest in one person's supreme control, nor to be concentrated in one person or group with authority over the whole field, but workers are to take account of the distinct needs of each field and region. The counsel given to Moses was conditional: the division of heavy responsibilities was to be followed only if God commanded the arrangement, and then Moses would be able to endure while the people went to their place in peace and went about their affairs. That arrangement meant Moses was to remain for the people toward God, bringing causes to God, teaching ordinances and laws, and showing the way to walk and the work to do, while providing able men who fear God, men of truth hating covetousness, as rulers of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens to judge at all seasons, bringing every great matter to Moses but judging every small matter themselves, so the burden would be borne with him and be made easier. Moses hearkened to his father-in-law and did all that he said, choosing able men out of all Israel to judge at all seasons, bringing hard causes to himself but judging every small matter themselves.

The verse defines the true position and work expected of counsellors and a board of directors, to bear the burden with the chief leader by judging in smaller matters at all seasons while every great matter is brought to the leader. If the leader carries out that counsel to appoint qualified helpers and God commands it, the leader will be able to endure instead of wearing away and all the people will go to their place in peace. Its description is held up as relevant to the need for older men who can serve as counsellors for God's work.

Choosing people for sacred responsibilities requires care, wisdom, and earnest prayer for God to guide the choice, for God has appointed men for particular positions. Responsibilities must be arranged so the work can be done well, with the right person in the right place and others sharing the load through counseling together. No one should carry responsibilities beyond what he can manage, since overloading one person leads to neglected work and loss, while sharing responsibility lets the work proceed properly, the leader endure, and the people go in peace when done as God directs.

A burdened leader must let go of some responsibilities and give others opportunity to take hold, taking them by his side with the advantage and counsel of his knowledge. He is to teach them all he knows and give them practical knowledge of everything essential for the work, even before they meet his exact measurement in all particulars, or they will ere long have to carry an unwieldy load without the instruction and counsel it is now their privilege to have. When the advice to divide the work is taken a twofold object is gained: the leader is relieved and has a better chance for life, being able to endure the strain, and other men learn to bear responsibilities to qualify them to do work in positions of trust. Waiting for someone fully competent before entrusting responsibility leaves others untrained and the work unsupported when the leader is no longer able to serve. Burdens must be shared so the people do not learn to look to one man and trust in one man and depend on one man as if nothing can be done for them unless it comes before that one man.

Obeying this wisdom enables a leader to endure instead of breaking down in sickness from care and anxiety, and it lets the people also go on in peace. It calls for making haste slowly, for cherishing entrusted health with due care after restoration, and for learning wisdom by suffering while praying, believing, and having faith in God for blessing and healing not unto death.

For today the counsel is to be heeded by responsible men: the president of the General Conference should not be left to gather to himself burdens God has not laid on him, for the things he tries to do alone cannot be done wisely and well. He must share the work with men connected with him who answer God's measurement. Yet the men connected with him have been in character and principle entirely opposite to what God specified, and many presidents of the several conferences do not answer God's measurement.