The Lord permitted Moses to choose for himself the most faithful and efficient men to share the responsibility with him. Their influence would assist in holding in check the violence of the people, and quelling insurrection; yet serious evils would eventually result from their promotion. They would never have been chosen had Moses manifested faith corresponding to the evidences he had witnessed of God's power and goodness. But he had magnified his own burdens and services, almost losing sight of the fact that he was only the instrument by which God had wrought. He was not excusable in indulging, in the slightest degree, the spirit of murmuring that was the curse of Israel. Had he relied fully upon God, the Lord would have guided him continually and would have given him strength for every emergency.

Herren tillod, at Moses selv valgte de mest trofaste og velegnede mænd til at hjælpe ham med at bære ansvaret. Deres indflydelse ville bidrage til at holde folkets voldsomhed i ave og neddæmpe tendensen til at gøre oprør. Men deres udvælgelse ville få onde følger til sidst. Hvis Moses' tro havde stået i forhold til de beviser, han havde set på Guds magt og godhed, ville disse mænd aldrig være blevet valgt. Men Moses' egne besværligheder og opgaver var vokset til en sådan størrelse i hans egne øjne, at han næsten havde tabt den kendsgerning af syne, at han kun var et redskab, som Gud havde benyttet. Der var ikke den ringeste undskyldning for, at han delte den utilfredshed, som var en forbandelse for Israel. Hvis han havde stolet fuldt og fast på Gud, ville Herren være blevet ved at lede ham og give ham styrke til at klare alle nødsituationer.