appoint them."

The people were very eager to carry this plan of Moses into
execution, and requested him to settle the matter as quickly as
possible. But their motive was self-interested, for every one among
them said: "Moses will now appoint about eighty thousand
officials. If I myself should not be among them, surely my son will
be, and if not he, my grandson, and with a gift of some kind it will
be an easy matter to induce such a judge to look after my interests
at court." Moses, of course, was not deceived about their true
sentiments; still, he paid no further attention to them, and picked
out the best men among the people, though they were not
possessed of nearly all the good qualities Jethro had thought
essential for judges and leaders of people. With kindly words he
invited them to assume their offices, and said: "Blessed are ye that
are judged worthy of being leader of the children of Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob, of a people whom God called His friends, His
brothers, His flock, and other titles of love." He impressed upon
them that they must possess much patience, and must not become
impatient if a lawsuit is brought before them more than once.
"Heretofore," he said, "you belonged to yourselves, but from now
you belong to the people; for you judge between every man, and
his brother and his neighbor. If ye are to appoint judges, do so
without respect of persons. Do not say 'I will appoint that man
because he is a handsome man or a strong man, because he is my
kinsman, or because he is a linguist.' Such judges will declare the
innocent guilty and the guilty innocent, not through wickedness,
but through ignorance; and God will reckon the appointment of
such judges against you, as a perversion of justice, on account of
your respect of persons. If a wealthy man and a poor man come