8696. Verses 17-23. And Moses’ father-in-law said unto him, The word that thou doest is not good. Wearing thou wilt wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee, because the word is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to do it, thou alone. Now hear my voice, I will counsel thee, and God shall be with thee. Be thou for the people with God, and bring thou the words unto God; and do thou teach them the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do. And do thou see out of all the people men of strenuousness, fearing God, men of truth, hating gain; and do thou set them for princes of thousands, princes of hundreds, princes fifties, and princes of tens; and let them judge the people in every time; and it shall be, every great word let them bring unto thee, and every small word let them judge; and devolve from upon thee, and let them bear with thee. If thou do this word, and God have commanded thee, then thou shalt be able to stand, and also all this people shall come upon its place in peace. “And Moses’ father-in-law said unto him,” signifies foresight; “The word that thou doest is not good,” signifies that a change must be made; “wearing thou wilt wear way, both thou, and this people that is with thee,” signifies that thus the truth which has been implanted would perish; “because the word is too heavy for thee,” signifies that it is not possible because not in conformity with order; “thou art not able to do it, thou alone,” signifies without the influx of truth from the Divine from some other source; “now hear my voice,” signifies agreement from the union; “I will counsel thee, and God shall be with thee,” signifies that it is from the Divine; “be thou for the people with God,” signifies the truth proceeding immediately from the Lord; “and bring thou the words unto God,” signifies mediation and intercession; “and do thou teach them the statutes and the laws,” signifies that from truth immediately from the Lord come the external and internal goods and truths of the church; “and make known to them the way wherein they must walk,” signifies the light of intelligence and the consequent life; “and the work that they must do,” signifies faith in act; “and do thou see out of all the people,” signifies the choosing of ministering truths; “men of strenuousness, fearing God,” signifies with which good from the Divine could be conjoined; “men of truth, hating gain,” signifies with which the truths are pure without a worldly end; “and do thou set them for princes of thousands,” signifies primary truths which are in the first degree under the truth immediately from the Divine; “princes of hundreds,” signifies primary truths in the second degree; “princes of fifties,” signifies intermediate primary truths; “and princes of tens,” signifies primary truths in the third place; “and let them judge the people in every time,” signifies a disposing in this manner perpetually; “and it shall be, every great word let them bring unto thee,” signifies that everything is from the truth that is immediately from the Divine; “and every small word let them judge,” signifies the appearance of some singular and particular things as from another source; “and devolve from upon thee, and let them bear with thee,” signifies thus functions and offices for them; “if thou do this word, and God have commanded thee,” signifies that thus it is from the Divine; “then thou shalt be able to stand,” signifies thus an abode with them; “and also all this people shall come upon its place in peace,” signifies that they who are of the spiritual church shall thus be in good, and shall be led by means of good.