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.

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

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

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

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,

and her two sons; the name of the one son was 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 name of the other was Eliezer, for Moses had said, “My ancestor's God was my help. He rescued me from Pharaoh's sword.”

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.

Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with Moses' sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was camped at 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.

He said to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you 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, bowed down, and kissed him. They asked about each other's welfare 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 all that Yahweh had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel's sake, about all the hardships that had come to them along the way, and how Yahweh had rescued 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 rejoiced over all the good that Yahweh had done for Israel, in that he had rescued them from the hand of 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 said, “May Yahweh be praised, for he has rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh, and delivered the people from the hand of the Egyptians.

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

Now I know that Yahweh is greater than all the gods, because when the Egyptians treated the Israelites arrogantly, God rescued his people.”

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.

Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices for God. Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat a meal before God with Moses' father-in-law.

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.

On the next day Moses sat down to judge the people. The people stood around him from morning until 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 Moses' father-in-law saw all that he did for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing with the people? Why is it that you sit alone and all the people stand about you from morning until evening?”

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

Moses said to his father-in-law, “The people come to me to ask for God's direction.

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 have a dispute, they come to me. I decide between one person and another, and I teach them God's statutes and laws.”

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

Moses' father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not very good.

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 will surely wear yourselves out, you and the people who are with you. This burden is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it by yourself.

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;

Listen to me. I will give you advice, and God will be with you, because you are the people's representative to God, and you bring their disputes 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.

You must teach them his statutes and laws. You must show them the way to walk and the work 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,

Furthermore, you must choose capable men from all the people, men who honor God, men of truth who hate unjust gain. You must put them over people, to be leaders in charge of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and of 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.

They will judge the people in all routine cases, but the difficult cases they will bring to you. As for all the small cases, they can judge those themselves. In that way it will be easier for you, and they will carry the burden 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 do this, and if God commands you to do so, then you will be able to endure, and the entire people will be able to go home satisfied.”

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

So Moses listened to his father-in-law's words and did everything that he had said.

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.

Moses chose capable men from all Israel and made them heads over the people, leaders in charge 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 judged the people in normal circumstances. The difficult cases they brought to Moses, but they themselves judged all the small cases.

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

Then Moses let his father-in-law leave, and Jethro went back into his own land.