King James Bible
"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:"
Jethro advises Moses to select capable leaders from among the Israelites to share the burden of governance. The emphasis on ability suggests these men must possess practical competence and wisdom to handle disputes and administrative duties effectively. Three essential character qualities define these leaders: reverence for God ensures accountability to divine law, commitment to truth guarantees just decisions, and rejection of greed prevents corruption. These moral prerequisites take precedence over social status or popularity. The hierarchical structure creates a scalable system of delegation, with leaders overseeing groups of varying sizes based on their capacity. This military-style organization, common in ancient Near Eastern administration, ensures that minor disputes are resolved locally while major issues reach higher authorities.