Antiquities Book 3, Chapter 4
How Raguel Suggested To Moses To Set His People In Order, Under Their Rulers Of Thousands, And Rulers Of Hundreds, Who Lived Without Order Before; And How Moses Complied In All Things With His Father-In-Law's Admonition.
1. The next day, as Raguel saw Moses in the middle of a crowd of
business for he determined the differences of those that referred them
to him, every one still going to him, and supposing that they should
then only obtain justice, if he were the arbitrator; and those that lost
their causes thought it no harm, while they thought they lost them
justly, and not by partiality. Raguel however said nothing to him at
that time, as not desirous to be any hinderance to such as had a mind to
make use of the virtue of their conductor. But afterward he took him to
himself, and when he had him alone, he instructed him in what he ought
to do; and advised him to leave the trouble of lesser causes to others,
but himself to take care of the greater, and of the people's safety, for
that certain others of the Hebrews might be found that were fit to
determine causes, but that nobody but a Moses could take of the safety
of so many ten thousands. "Be therefore," says he, "insensible of thine
own virtue, and what thou hast done by ministering under God to the
people's preservation. Permit, therefore, the determination of common
causes to be done by others, but do thou reserve thyself to the
attendance on God only, and look out for methods of preserving the
multitude from their present distress. Make use of the method I suggest
to you, as to human affairs; and take a review of the army, and appoint
chosen rulers over tens of thousands, and then over thousands; then
divide them into five hundreds, and again into hundreds, and into
fifties; and set rulers over each of them, who may distinguish them into
thirties, and keep them in order; and at last number them by twenties
and by tens: and let there be one commander over each number, to be
denominated from the number of those over whom they are rulers, but such
as the whole multitude have tried, and do approve of, as being good and
righteous men; 8 and let those rulers decide the controversies they have
one with another. But if any great cause arise, let them bring the
cognizance of it before the rulers of a higher dignity; but if any great
difficulty arise that is too hard for even their determination, let them
send it to thee. By these means two advantages will be gained; the
Hebrews will have justice done them, and thou wilt be able to attend
constantly on God, and procure him to be more favorable to the people."
2. This was the admonition of Raguel; and Moses received his advice very
kindly, and acted according to his suggestion. Nor did he conceal the
invention of this method, nor pretend to it himself, but informed the
multitude who it was that invented it: nay, he has named Raguel in the
books he wrote, as the person who invented this ordering of the people,
as thinking it right to give a true testimony to worthy persons,
although he might have gotten reputation by ascribing to himself the
inventions of other men; whence we may learn the virtuous disposition of
Moses: but of such his disposition, we shall have proper occasion to
speak in other places of these books.
business for he determined the differences of those that referred them
to him, every one still going to him, and supposing that they should
then only obtain justice, if he were the arbitrator; and those that lost
their causes thought it no harm, while they thought they lost them
justly, and not by partiality. Raguel however said nothing to him at
that time, as not desirous to be any hinderance to such as had a mind to
make use of the virtue of their conductor. But afterward he took him to
himself, and when he had him alone, he instructed him in what he ought
to do; and advised him to leave the trouble of lesser causes to others,
but himself to take care of the greater, and of the people's safety, for
that certain others of the Hebrews might be found that were fit to
determine causes, but that nobody but a Moses could take of the safety
of so many ten thousands. "Be therefore," says he, "insensible of thine
own virtue, and what thou hast done by ministering under God to the
people's preservation. Permit, therefore, the determination of common
causes to be done by others, but do thou reserve thyself to the
attendance on God only, and look out for methods of preserving the
multitude from their present distress. Make use of the method I suggest
to you, as to human affairs; and take a review of the army, and appoint
chosen rulers over tens of thousands, and then over thousands; then
divide them into five hundreds, and again into hundreds, and into
fifties; and set rulers over each of them, who may distinguish them into
thirties, and keep them in order; and at last number them by twenties
and by tens: and let there be one commander over each number, to be
denominated from the number of those over whom they are rulers, but such
as the whole multitude have tried, and do approve of, as being good and
righteous men; 8 and let those rulers decide the controversies they have
one with another. But if any great cause arise, let them bring the
cognizance of it before the rulers of a higher dignity; but if any great
difficulty arise that is too hard for even their determination, let them
send it to thee. By these means two advantages will be gained; the
Hebrews will have justice done them, and thou wilt be able to attend
constantly on God, and procure him to be more favorable to the people."
2. This was the admonition of Raguel; and Moses received his advice very
kindly, and acted according to his suggestion. Nor did he conceal the
invention of this method, nor pretend to it himself, but informed the
multitude who it was that invented it: nay, he has named Raguel in the
books he wrote, as the person who invented this ordering of the people,
as thinking it right to give a true testimony to worthy persons,
although he might have gotten reputation by ascribing to himself the
inventions of other men; whence we may learn the virtuous disposition of
Moses: but of such his disposition, we shall have proper occasion to
speak in other places of these books.