D'varim: Beyond the Happy Ending

(6) The Eternal our God spoke to us at Horeb, saying: You have stayed long enough at this mountain. (7) Start out and make your way to the hill country of the Amorites and to all their neighbors in the Arabah, the hill country, the Shephelah, the Negeb, the seacoast, the land of the Canaanites, and the Lebanon, as far as the Great River, the river Euphrates. (8) See, I place the land at your disposal. Go, take possession of the land that the Eternal swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to assign to them and to their heirs after them. (9) Thereupon I said to you, “I cannot bear the burden of you by myself. (10) The Eternal your God has multiplied you until you are today as numerous as the stars in the sky.— (11) May the Eternal, the God of your fathers, increase your numbers a thousandfold, and bless you as God promised you.—

(13) Next day, Moses sat as magistrate among the people, while the people stood about Moses from morning until evening. (14) But when Moses’ father-in-law saw how much he had to do for the people, he said, “What is this thing that you are doing to the people? Why do you act alone, while all the people stand about you from morning until evening?” (15) Moses replied to his father-in-law, “It is because the people come to me to inquire of God. (16) When they have a dispute, it comes before me, and I decide between one person and another, and I make known the laws and teachings of God.” (17) But Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing you are doing is not right; (18) you will surely wear yourself out, and these people as well. For the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone. (19) Now listen to me. I will give you counsel, and God be with you! You represent the people before God: you bring the disputes before God, (20) and enjoin upon them the laws and the teachings, and make known to them the way they are to go and the practices they are to follow. (21) You shall also seek out from among all the people capable men who fear God, trustworthy men who spurn ill-gotten gain. Set these over them as chiefs of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, (22) and let them judge the people at all times. Have them bring every major dispute to you, but let them decide every minor dispute themselves. Make it easier for yourself by letting them share the burden with you. (23) If you do this—and God so commands you—you will be able to bear up; and all these people too will go home unwearied.” (24) Moses heeded his father-in-law and did just as he had said.

(6) [King Yehoshaphat] charged the judges: “Consider what you are doing, for you judge not on behalf of man, but on behalf of the Eternal, and God is with you when you pass judgment. (7) Now let the dread of the Eternal be upon you; act with care, for there is no injustice or favoritism or bribe-taking with the Eternal our God.”