Exodus 18:13-14 "And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening. And when Moses' father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even?"
Exodus 18:18-22 "Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone. Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God: And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do. Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens: And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee."
After hearing all that the LORD had done with Moses and the children of Israel, Jethro (Moses’ father-in-law) made sacrifice unto God. Aaron and the elders of Israel came and ate with Jethro before the LORD. The day after this feast, Jethro watched Moses sit and judge among the children of Israel. They brought matters both small and great before Moses for him to settle.
When you stop to consider the size of the multitude of people, this was a vast undertaking. The people came and stood before Moses from morning to evening. It would appear that not everyone was heard in a single day. Although Moses had just recently been in a situation where the help of trusted brethren was a blessing to him, that lesson had not yet settled in.
Like Moses, we sometimes want to do it all on our own. However, this is an untenable position and will eventually burn us out and be harmful to those around us. Jethro advised Moses to continue to be the one to carry the needs of Israel before the LORD. Moses should teach the people the laws of God, how to behave themselves, and the work they should be doing.
But Moses was to have help from among the people in the day-to-day matters. They were to be men that revered God, loved truth, and despised covetousness. True servants of God today fear Him with reverential fear. They love the Truth of God, and they do not lust after other men’s possessions. Men of this caliber can handle the “small matters” and help to bear the burden of others.