Exodus 18

1 And Jethro the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done to Moses, and to Israel his people; that Jehovah had brought Israel out of Egypt.

Moses' father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard about everything God had done for Moses and his people the Israelites, and how the Lord had led them out of Egypt.

2 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her back,

When Moses had sent home his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro had welcomed her,

3 and her two sons, of whom the name of the one was Gershom — for he said, I have been a sojourner in a foreign land,

together with her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses had said, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land.”

4 — and the name of the other, Eliezer — For the God of my father has been my help, and has delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.

The other son was named Eliezer, because Moses had said, “The God of my father was my helper, and saved me from death at Pharaoh's hand.”

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

Moses' father-in-law Jethro, together with Moses' wife and sons, came to see him in the desert at the camp near the mountain of God.

6 And he sent word to Moses: I, thy father-in-law Jethro, am come to thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.

Moses was told beforehand, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to see you together with your wife and her two sons.”

7 And Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other [after] their welfare, and went into the tent.

Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They asked each other how they were and then went into the tent.

8 And Moses told his father-in-law all that Jehovah had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake; all the trouble that had befallen them on the way, and [how] Jehovah had delivered them.

Moses told his father-in-law about everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians on behalf of the Israelites, about all the troubles they had experienced on the way, and about how the Lord had saved them.

9 And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness that Jehovah had done to Israel; that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.

Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things the Lord had done for Israel when he'd saved them from the Egyptians.

10 And Jethro said, Blessed be Jehovah, 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.

Jethro announced, “May the Lord be blessed, who saved you from the Egyptians and from Pharaoh.

11 Now I know that Jehovah is greater than all gods; for in the thing in which they acted haughtily [he was] above them.

This is so convincing to me that the Lord is greater than all other gods, for he saved the people from the Egyptians when they acted so arrogantly towards the Israelites.”

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

Then Jethro presented a burnt offering and sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with him in God's presence.

13 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people; and the people stood by Moses from the morning to the evening.

The following day Moses sat as a judge for the people, and they presented their cases to him from morning to evening.

14 And Moses' father-in-law saw all that he did with the people, and said, What is this thing which thou art doing with the people? why dost thou sit alone, and all the people are standing by thee from morning to evening?

When his father-in-law saw everything that Moses was doing for the people, he asked, “What's all this you're doing for the people? Why are you sitting alone as judge, with everyone presenting their cases to you from morning to evening?”

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

“Because the people come to me to ask God for his decision,” Moses replied.

16 When they have a matter, they come to me, and I judge between one and another; and I make known [to them] the statutes of God, and his laws.

“When they argue over something, the case is brought before me to decide between one them, and I explain to them the God's laws and regulations.”

17 And Moses' father-in-law said to him, The thing that thou art doing is not good.

Jethro told him, “What you're doing is not the best.

18 Thou wilt be quite exhausted, both thou and this people that is with thee; for the thing is too heavy for thee: thou canst not perform it alone.

You, and these people who come to you, are all going to wear yourselves out, because the workload is far too heavy. You can't handle it alone.

19 Hearken now to my voice: I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee. Be thou for the people with God, and bring the matters before God;

So please listen to me. I'm going to give you some advice, and God will be with you. Yes, you must continue to be the people's representative before God, and take their cases to him.

20 and teach them the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they must walk, and the work that they must do.

Go on teaching them the laws and regulations. Show them how to live and the work they are to do.

21 But do thou provide among all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place [them] over them, chiefs of thousands, chiefs of hundreds, chiefs of fifties, and chiefs of tens,

But now you should choose men who are competent from among the people, men who respect God and who are trustworthy and not corrupt. Put them in charge of the people as leaders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.

22 that they may judge the people at all times; and it shall be [that] they shall bring to thee every great matter, and that they shall judge every small matter, and they shall lighten [the task] on thee, and they shall bear [it] with thee.

These men are to judge the people on a continuing basis. Major issues they can bring to you, but they can decide all the small matters themselves. In this way your burden will be made lighter as they share it with you.

23 If thou do this thing, and God command thee [so], thou wilt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.

If you follow my advice, and if it's what God tells you to do, then you will be able to survive, and all these people can go home satisfied that their cases have been heard.”

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

Moses listened to what his father-in-law said and followed all his advice.

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

So Moses chose competent men from all of Israel and put them in charge of the people as leaders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.

26 And they judged the people at all times: the hard matters they brought to Moses, but every small matter they judged.

They acted as judges for the people on a continuing basis. They brought the difficult cases to Moses, but they would judge the small matters themselves.

27 And Moses sent away his father-in-law, and he departed into his land.

Then Moses sent Jethro on his way, and he went back to his own country.