Arcana Coelestia (Elliott): AC 8640

8640. All this goes to show what the life of a regenerate person is like, that it is a life of faith, and also that it cannot be imparted to a person until he has entered a state in which he can acknowledge the truths of faith, and to the extent that he acknowledges them can intend them.

EXODUS 18

And Jethro, the priest of Midian, the father-in-law of Moses, heard all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people, that Jehovah had brought Israel out of Egypt.

And Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, took Zipporah, the wife of Moses, after he had sent her away,^a

And her two sons, of whom the name of one was Gershom (for he said, I have been a sojourner in a foreign land),

And the name of the other was Eliezer (Because the God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh).

And Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, and his sons and his wife came to Moses in the wilderness, where he was encamped at the mountain of God.

And he said to Moses, I your father-in-law Jethro come to you, and your wife, and her two sons with her.

And Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and bowed down, and kissed him; and they asked, a man his companion, as regards peace;^b and they came into the tent.

And Moses told his father-in-law all that Jehovah had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel's sake, all the distress that had come upon them on the way, and how Jehovah had rescued them.

And Jethro rejoiced over all the good which Jehovah had done for Israel, who had rescued him from the hand of the Egyptians.

And Jethro said, Blessed be Jehovah, who has rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh, who has rescued His people from under the hand of the Egyptians.

Now I know that Jehovah is greater than all gods, for this reason, that they behaved proudly over them.

And Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God; and Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat bread with the father-in-law of Moses before God.

And so it was, on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people; and the people stood before Moses from morning until evening.

And the father-in-law of Moses saw all that he was doing for the people, and he said, What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people are standing before you from morning until evening?

And Moses said to his father-in-law, Because the people come to me to inquire of God.

When they have a matter they come to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbour;^c and I make known the judgements of God and His laws.

And the father-in-law of Moses said to him, The thing that you do is not good.

You will surely wither away, both you and this people who are with you, for the task ^d is too heavy for you; you are not able to do it yourself alone.

Now hear my voice; I will counsel you, and God will be with you. Be for the people with God, and you are to bring matters to God ^e.

And you are to teach them the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they must go, and the work they must do.

And you are to see ^f out of all the people men of vigour fearing God, men of truth hating gain; and you are to appoint them ^g rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

And let them judge the people at all times. And it shall be, every great matter let them bring to you, and every small matter let them judge themselves; and roll down [the burden] from upon yourself, and let them bear [it] with you.

If you do this thing and God has commanded you, you will be able to stand fast; and also all this people will come upon their place in peace.

And Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he said.

And Moses chose men of vigour from all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

And they will judge the people at all times; a difficult matter they will bring to Moses, and every small matter they will judge themselves.

And Moses sent his father-in-law away; and he went his way to his own land.

Notes

^a lit. after the seedings away of her
^b i.e. they asked each other about their welfare
^c lit. companion or fellow
^d lit. word or matter
^e i.e. Represent the people before God, and bring their difficulties to Him.
^f i.e. select
^g The Latin here means appoint from them but in 8696 and 8712 it means appoint them. The Hebrew means appoint over them.

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