Exodus 18

1 Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, how Yahweh had brought Israel out of Egypt.

And Jothor the priest of Madiam, the father-in-law of Moses, heard of all that the Lord did to his people Israel; for the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt.

2 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, received Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her away,

And Jothor the father-in-law of Moses, took Sepphora the wife of Moses after she had been sent away,

3 and her two sons. The name of one son was Gershom, for Moses said, “I have lived as a foreigner in a foreign land”.

and her two sons: the name of the one was Gersam, [his father] saying, I was a sojourner in a strange land; —

4 The name of the other was Eliezer, for he said, “My father’s God was my help and delivered me from Pharaoh’s sword.”

and the name of the second Eliezer, saying, For the God of my father [is] my helper, and he has rescued me out of the hand of Pharao.

5 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with Moses’ sons and his wife to Moses into the wilderness where he was encamped, at the Mountain of God.

And Jothor the father-in-law of Moses, and his sons and his wife, went forth to Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped on the mount of God.

6 He said to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, have come to you with your wife, and her two sons with her.”

And it was told Moses, saying, Behold, thy father-in-law Jothor is coming to thee, and thy wife and two sons with him.

7 Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and bowed and kissed him. They asked each other of their welfare, and they came into the tent.

And Moses went forth to meet his father-in-law, and did him reverence, and kissed him, and they embraced each other, and he brought them into the tent.

8 Moses told his father-in-law all that Yahweh had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardships that had come on them on the way, and how Yahweh delivered them.

And Moses related to his father-in-law all things that the Lord did to Pharao and all the Egyptians for Israel's sake, and all the labour that had befallen them in the way, and that the Lord had rescued them out of the hand of Pharao, and out of the hand of the Egyptians.

9 Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which Yahweh had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.

And Jothor was amazed at all the good things which the Lord did to them, forasmuch as he rescued them out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharao.

10 Jethro said, “Blessed be Yahweh, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh; who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.

And Jothor said, Blessed be the Lord, because he has rescued them out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharao.

11 Now I know that Yahweh is greater than all gods because of the way that they treated people arrogantly.”

Now know I that the Lord is great above all gods, because of this, wherein they attacked them.

12 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God. Aaron came with all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.

And Jothor the father-in-law of Moses took whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices for God, for Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat bread with the father-in-law of Moses before God.

13 On the next day, Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from the morning to the evening.

And it came to pass after the morrow that Moses sat to judge the people, and all the people stood by Moses from morning till evening.

14 When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said, “What is this thing that you do for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning to evening?”

And Jothor having seen all that [Moses] did to the people, says, What is this that thou doest to the people? wherefore sittest thou alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning till evening?

15 Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God.

And Moses says to his father-in-law, Because the people come to me to seek judgment from God.

16 When they have a matter, they come to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor, and I make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.”

For whenever there is a dispute among them, and they come to me, I give judgment upon each, and I teach them the ordinances of God and his law.

17 Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you do is not good.

And the father-in-law of Moses said to him, Thou dost not this thing rightly,

18 You will surely wear away, both you, and this people that is with you; for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to perform it yourself alone.

thou wilt wear away with intolerable weariness, both those and all this people which is with thee: this thing is hard, thou wilt not be able to endure it thyself alone.

19 Listen now to my voice. I will give you counsel, and God be with you. You represent the people before God, and bring the causes to God.

Now then hearken to me, and I will advise thee, and God shall be with thee: be thou to the people in the things pertaining to God, and thou shalt bring their matters to God.

20 You shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and shall show them the way in which they must walk, and the work that they must do.

And thou shalt testify to them the ordinances of God and his law, and thou shalt shew to them the ways in which they shall walk, and the works which they shall do.

21 Moreover you shall provide out of all the people able men which fear God: men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

And do thou look out for thyself out of all the people able men, fearing God, righteous men, hating pride, and thou shalt set over the people captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, and captains of fifties, and captains of tens.

22 Let them judge the people at all times. It shall be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall judge themselves. So shall it be easier for you, and they shall share the load with you.

And they shall judge the people at all times, and the too burdensome matter they shall bring to thee, but they shall judge the smaller cases; so they shall relieve thee and help thee.

23 If you will do this thing, and God commands you so, then you will be able to endure, and all these people also will go to their place in peace.”

If thou wilt do this thing, God shall strengthen thee, and thou shalt be able to attend, and all this people shall come with peace into their own place.

24 So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said.

And Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did whatsoever he said to him.

25 Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

And Moses chose out able men out of all Israel, and he made them captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, and captains of fifties and captains of tens over the people.

26 They judged the people at all times. They brought the hard cases to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

And they judged the people at all times; and every too burdensome matter they brought to Moses, but every light matter they judged themselves.

27 Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way into his own land.

And Moses dismissed his father-in-law, and he returned to his own land.