Exodus 18

1 Jethro, who was the priest for the Midian people-group, and who was also Moses’/my father-in-law, heard about all that God had done for the Israeli people. He heard about how Yahweh had brought them out of Egypt.

١ فَسَمِعَ يَثْرُونُ كَاهِنُ مِدْيَانَ، حَمُو مُوسَى، كُلَّ مَا صَنَعَ ٱللهُ إِلَى مُوسَى وَإِلَى إِسْرَائِيلَ شَعْبِهِ: أَنَّ ٱلرَّبَّ أَخْرَجَ إِسْرَائِيلَ مِنْ مِصْرَ.

2 Moses/I had [previously] sent his/my wife Zipporah [back home when he/I was returning to Egypt]. But now Jethro came to him/me,

٢ فَأَخَذَ يَثْرُونُ حَمُو مُوسَى صِفُّورَةَ ٱمْرَأَةَ مُوسَى بَعْدَ صَرْفِهَا

3 bringing Zipporah and their/our two sons. One son was named Gershom, [which sounds like the Hebrew word that means ‘foreigner’], because he/I had said, “I have been a foreigner living in another land.”

٣ وَٱبْنَيْهَا، ٱللَّذَيْنِ ٱسْمُ أَحَدِهِمَا جِرْشُومُ، لِأَنَّهُ قَالَ: «كُنْتُ نَزِيلًا فِي أَرْضٍ غَرِيبَةٍ».

4 Her other son was named Eliezer, [which sounds like the Hebrew words that mean ‘God helps me’], because [he/I] had said “God, whom my father [worshiped], has helped me and saved [me] from being killed [MTY] by the king [of Egypt].”

٤ وَٱسْمُ ٱلْآخَرِ أَلِيعَازَرُ، لِأَنَّهُ قَالَ: «إِلَهُ أَبِي كَانَ عَوْنِي وَأَنْقَذَنِي مِنْ سَيْفِ فِرْعَوْنَ».

5 While Moses/I was camped [with the Israeli people] in the desert [near Sinai], God’s sacred/holy mountain, Jethro came to him/me, bringing along Moses’/my wife and our [two] sons.

٥ وَأَتَى يَثْرُونُ حَمُو مُوسَى وَٱبْنَاهُ وَٱمْرَأَتُهُ إِلَى مُوسَى إِلَى ٱلْبَرِّيَّةِ حَيْثُ كَانَ نَازِلًا عِنْدَ جَبَلِ ٱللهِ.

6 Jethro had sent a message to Moses/me, “I, your father-in-law, Jethro, am coming to see you, bringing along your wife and your two sons!”

٦ فَقَالَ لِمُوسَى: «أَنَا حَمُوكَ يَثْرُونُ، آتٍ إِلَيْكَ وَٱمْرَأَتُكَ وَٱبْنَاهَا مَعَهَا».

7 So Moses/I went out of the campsite to meet his/my father-in-law. He/I bowed before him, and kissed him [on the cheek]. (They both/We) asked each other, “Have you been healthy?” Then they/we went into [Moses’/my] tent.

٧ فَخَرَجَ مُوسَى لِٱسْتِقْبَالِ حَمِيهِ وَسَجَدَ وَقَبَّلَهُ. وَسَأَلَ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ صَاحِبَهُ عَنْ سَلَامَتِهِ، ثُمَّ دَخَلَا إِلَى ٱلْخَيْمَةِ.

8 Moses/I told Jethro everything that Yahweh had done to the king and all the [other] people in Egypt for the sake of the Israeli people. He/I also told him about the troubles/problems they/we had experienced on the way, and how Yahweh had helped them/us.

٨ فَقَصَّ مُوسَى عَلَى حَمِيهِ كُلَّ مَا صَنَعَ ٱلرَّبُّ بِفِرْعَوْنَ وَٱلْمِصْرِيِّينَ مِنْ أَجْلِ إِسْرَائِيلَ، وَكُلَّ ٱلْمَشَقَّةِ ٱلَّتِي أَصَابَتْهُمْ فِي ٱلطَّرِيقِ فَخَلَّصَهُمُ ٱلرَّبُّ.

9 Jethro rejoiced when he heard all that Yahweh had done for the Israeli people.

٩ فَفَرِحَ يَثْرُونُ بِجَمِيعِ ٱلْخَيْرِ ٱلَّذِي صَنَعَهُ إِلَى إِسْرَائِيلَ ٱلرَّبُّ، ٱلَّذِي أَنْقَذَهُ مِنْ أَيْدِي ٱلْمِصْرِيِّينَ.

10 He said, “Praise Yahweh, who has rescued you from the powerful [MTY] Egyptian king and his army!

١٠ وَقَالَ يَثْرُونُ: «مُبَارَكٌ ٱلرَّبُّ ٱلَّذِي أَنْقَذَكُمْ مِنْ أَيْدِي ٱلْمِصْرِيِّينَ وَمِنْ يَدِ فِرْعَوْنَ. اَلَّذِي أَنْقَذَ ٱلشَّعْبَ مِنْ تَحْتِ أَيْدِي ٱلْمِصْرِيِّينَ.

11 Now I realize that Yahweh is greater than all other gods, because he rescued you all from the power [MTY] of the proud Egyptians when [they] were causing you [to suffer].”

١١ ٱلْآنَ عَلِمْتُ أَنَّ ٱلرَّبَّ أَعْظَمُ مِنْ جَمِيعِ ٱلْآلِهَةِ، لِأَنَّهُ فِي ٱلشَّيْءِ ٱلَّذِي بَغَوْا بِهِ كَانَ عَلَيْهِمْ».

12 Then Jethro sacrificed an animal by burning it completely on the altar [as an offering], and he also offered other sacrifices to God. Aaron and the Israeli elders/leaders went with them/us to eat a sacred meal with Jethro.

١٢ فَأَخَذَ يَثْرُونُ حَمُو مُوسَى مُحْرَقَةً وَذَبَائِحَ لِلهِ. وَجَاءَ هَارُونُ وَجَمِيعُ شُيُوخِ إِسْرَائِيلَ لِيَأْكُلُوا طَعَامًا مَعَ حَمِي مُوسَى أَمَامَ ٱللهِ.

13 The next day, Moses/I sat down at the place where he/I settled disputes among the people. The people were continually bringing their disputes to Moses/me, from morning until evening.

١٣ وَحَدَثَ فِي ٱلْغَدِ أَنَّ مُوسَى جَلَسَ لِيَقْضِيَ لِلشَّعْبِ. فَوَقَفَ ٱلشَّعْبُ عِنْدَ مُوسَى مِنَ ٱلصَّبَاحِ إِلَى ٱلْمَسَاءِ.

14 When Jethro saw everything that Moses/I was doing for the people, he said, “(Why are you doing all this for the people?/You should not be doing all this for the people!) [RHQ] Why are you doing this by yourself, and all the people are crowding around you, from morning until evening, [asking you to make decisions for them] [RHQ]?”

١٤ فَلَمَّا رَأَى حَمُو مُوسَى كُلَّ مَا هُوَ صَانِعٌ لِلشَّعْبِ، قَالَ: «مَا هَذَا ٱلْأَمْرُ ٱلَّذِي أَنْتَ صَانِعٌ لِلشَّعْبِ؟ مَا بَالُكَ جَالِسًا وَحْدَكَ وَجَمِيعُ ٱلشَّعْبِ وَاقِفٌ عِنْدَكَ مِنَ ٱلصَّبَاحِ إِلَى ٱلْمَسَاءِ؟»

15 Moses/I replied, “[I am doing this] because the people keep coming to me to find out what God desires.

١٥ فَقَالَ مُوسَى لِحَمِيهِ: «إِنَّ ٱلشَّعْبَ يَأْتِي إِلَيَّ لِيَسْأَلَ ٱللهَ.

16 When they have a dispute about something, they come to me, and they ask me to decide which of them is right. I also tell them all of God’s laws and instructions.”

١٦ إِذَا كَانَ لَهُمْ دَعْوَى يَأْتُونَ إِلَيَّ فَأَقْضِي بَيْنَ ٱلرَّجُلِ وَصَاحِبِهِ، وَأُعَرِّفُهُمْ فَرَائِضَ ٱللهِ وَشَرَائِعَهُ».

17 Jethro said to him/me, “What you are doing is not good [for you or for the people].

١٧ فَقَالَ حَمُو مُوسَى لَهُ: «لَيْسَ جَيِّدًا ٱلْأَمْرُ ٱلَّذِي أَنْتَ صَانِعٌ.

18 You and these people will (wear yourselves out/become exhausted)! This work is too much for one person. You are not able to do it by yourself.

١٨ إِنَّكَ تَكِلُّ أَنْتَ وَهَذَا ٱلشَّعْبُ ٱلَّذِي مَعَكَ جَمِيعًا، لِأَنَّ ٱلْأَمْرَ أَعْظَمُ مِنْكَ. لَا تَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ تَصْنَعَهُ وَحْدَكَ.

19 Now listen to some good advice [MTY] I will give to you. [If you do what I suggest], God will help you. You should continue to speak to God and tell him about the people’s disputes.

١٩ اَلْآنَ ٱسْمَعْ لِصَوْتِي فَأَنْصَحَكَ. فَلْيَكُنِ ٱللهُ مَعَكَ. كُنْ أَنْتَ لِلشَّعْبِ أَمَامَ ٱللهِ، وَقَدِّمْ أَنْتَ ٱلدَّعَاوِيَ إِلَى ٱللهِ،

20 You should [also] teach the people what God has commanded and instructed you. You should also explain to them how they should conduct their lives, and the things that they should do.

٢٠ وَعَلِّمْهُمُ ٱلْفَرَائِضَ وَٱلشَّرَائِعَ، وَعَرِّفْهُمُ ٱلطَّرِيقَ ٱلَّذِي يَسْلُكُونَهُ، وَٱلْعَمَلَ ٱلَّذِي يَعْمَلُونَهُ.

21 But in addition, you should choose some [other men to help you]. Choose men who have reverence for God and who will not accept bribes. Appoint some of them to make decisions [for groups of] ten people, [some for groups of] 50 [people], [some for groups of] 100 [people], [and some for groups of] 1,000 [people].

٢١ وَأَنْتَ تَنْظُرُ مِنْ جَمِيعِ ٱلشَّعْبِ ذَوِي قُدْرَةٍ خَائِفِينَ ٱللهَ، أُمَنَاءَ مُبْغِضِينَ ٱلرَّشْوَةَ، وَتُقِيمُهُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ رُؤَسَاءَ أُلُوفٍ، وَرُؤَسَاءَ مِئَاتٍ، وَرُؤَسَاءَ خَمَاسِينَ، وَرُؤَسَاءَ عَشَرَاتٍ،

22 Allow them to serve permanently to settle disputes for the people. The difficult matters the people can bring to you; but the matters that are not difficult, they can decide themselves. That will make the work easier for you, as they help you do that work.

٢٢ فَيَقْضُونَ لِلشَّعْبِ كُلَّ حِينٍ. وَيَكُونُ أَنَّ كُلَّ ٱلدَّعَاوِي ٱلْكَبِيرَةِ يَجِيئُونَ بِهَا إِلَيْكَ، وَكُلَّ ٱلدَّعَاوِي ٱلصَّغِيرَةِ يَقْضُونَ هُمْ فِيهَا. وَخَفِّفْ عَنْ نَفْسِكَ، فَهُمْ يَحْمِلُونَ مَعَكَ.

23 If you do that, and [I think that] God is telling you to do it (OR, if God tells you to do it), you will not become exhausted, and all the people will be able to go home feeling satisfied about the decisions, [with their disputes settled quickly”].

٢٣ إِنْ فَعَلْتَ هَذَا ٱلْأَمْرَ وَأَوْصَاكَ ٱللهُ تَسْتَطِيعُ ٱلْقِيَامَ. وَكُلُّ هَذَا ٱلشَّعْبِ أَيْضًا يَأْتِي إِلَى مَكَانِهِ بِٱلسَّلَامِ».

24 Moses/I accepted what his/my father-in-law [Jethro] suggested.

٢٤ فَسَمِعَ مُوسَى لِصَوْتِ حَمِيهِ وَفَعَلَ كُلَّ مَا قَالَ.

25 Moses/I chose capable men from among the Israeli people.

٢٥ وَٱخْتَارَ مُوسَى ذَوِي قُدْرَةٍ مِنْ جَمِيعِ إِسْرَائِيلَ وَجَعَلَهُمْ رُؤُوسًا عَلَى ٱلشَّعْبِ، رُؤَسَاءَ أُلُوفٍ، وَرُؤَسَاءَ مِئَاتٍ، وَرُؤَسَاءَ خَمَاسِينَ، وَرُؤَسَاءَ عَشَرَاتٍ.

26 They were appointed permanently to make decisions about the people’s disputes. They brought the difficult cases to Moses/me, but they decided the matters that were not difficult by themselves.

٢٦ فَكَانُوا يَقْضُونَ لِلشَّعْبِ كُلَّ حِينٍ. ٱلدَّعَاوِي ٱلْعَسِرَةُ يَجِيئُونَ بِهَا إِلَى مُوسَى، وَكُلُّ ٱلدَّعَاوِي ٱلصَّغِيرَةِ يَقْضُونَ هُمْ فِيهَا.

27 Then Moses/I said goodbye to his/my father-in-law, and Jethro returned home.

٢٧ ثُمَّ صَرَفَ مُوسَى حَمَاهُ فَمَضَى إِلَى أَرْضِهِ.