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.
Und da Jethro, der Priester in Midian, Moses Schwiegervater, hörete alles, was Gott getan hatte mit Mose und seinem Volk Israel, daß der HERR Israel hätte aus Ägypten geführet,
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,
nahm er Zipora, Moses Weib, die er hatte zurückgesandt,
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.”
samt ihren zween Söhnen, der eine hieß Gersom; denn er sprach: Ich bin ein Gast worden in fremdem Lande;
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].”
und der andere Elieser; denn er sprach: Der Gott meines Vaters ist meine Hilfe gewesen und hat mich errettet von dem Schwert Pharaos.
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.
Da nun Jethro, Moses Schwäher, und seine Söhne und sein Weib zu ihm kamen in die Wüste, an den Berg Gottes, da er sich gelagert hatte,
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!”
ließ er Mose sagen: Ich, Jethro, dein Schwäher, bin zu dir kommen, und dein Weib und ihre beiden Söhne mit ihr.
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.
Da ging ihm Mose entgegen hinaus und neigte sich vor ihm und küssete ihn. Und da sie sich untereinander gegrüßet hatten, gingen sie in die Hütte.
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.
Da erzählete Mose seinem Schwäher alles, was der HERR Pharao und den Ägyptern getan hatte Israels halben, und alle die Mühe, die ihnen auf dem Wege begegnet war, und daß sie der HERR errettet hätte.
9 Jethro rejoiced when he heard all that Yahweh had done for the Israeli people.
Jethro aber freuete sich all des Guten, das der HERR Israel getan hatte, daß er sie errettet hatte von der Ägypter Hand.
10 He said, “Praise Yahweh, who has rescued you from the powerful [MTY] Egyptian king and his army!
Und Jethro sprach: Gelobet sei der HERR, der euch errettet hat von der Ägypter und Pharaos Hand, der weiß sein Volk von der Ägypter Hand zu erretten.
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].”
Nun weiß ich, daß der HERR größer ist denn alle Götter, darum daß sie Hochmut an ihnen geübet haben.
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.
Und Jethro, Moses Schwäher, nahm Brandopfer und opferte Gott. Da kam Aaron und alle Ältesten in Israel, mit Moses Schwäher das Brot zu essen vor Gott.
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.
Des andern Morgens setzte sich Mose, das Volk zu richten; und das Volk stund um Mose her von Morgen an bis zu Abend.
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]?”
Da aber sein Schwäher sah alles, was er mit dem Volk tat, sprach er: Was ist, das du tust mit dem Volk? Warum sitzest du allein, und alles Volk stehet um dich her von Morgen an bis zu Abend?
15 Moses/I replied, “[I am doing this] because the people keep coming to me to find out what God desires.
Mose antwortete ihm: Das Volk kommt zu mir und fragen Gott um Rat.
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.”
Denn wo sie was zu schaffen haben, kommen sie zu mir, daß ich richte zwischen einem jeglichen und seinem Nächsten und zeige ihnen Gottes Rechte und seine Gesetze.
17 Jethro said to him/me, “What you are doing is not good [for you or for the people].
Sein Schwäher sprach zu ihm: Es ist nicht gut, das du tust.
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.
Du machest dich zu müde, dazu das Volk auch, das mit dir ist. Das Geschäft ist dir zu schwer, du kannst es allein nicht ausrichten.
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.
Aber gehorche meiner Stimme; ich will dir raten, und Gott wird mit dir sein. Pflege du des Volks vor Gott und bringe die Geschäfte vor Gott;
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.
und stelle ihnen Rechte und Gesetze, daß du sie lehrest den Weg, darin sie wandeln, und die Werke, die sie tun sollen.
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].
Sieh dich aber um unter allem Volk nach redlichen Leuten, die Gott fürchten, wahrhaftig und dem Geiz feind sind; die setze über sie, etliche über tausend, über hundert, über fünfzig und über zehn,
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.
daß sie das Volk allezeit richten; wo aber eine große Sache ist, daß sie dieselbe an dich bringen, und sie alle geringen Sachen richten. So wird dir's leichter werden, und sie mit dir tragen.
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”].
Wirst du das tun, so kannst du ausrichten, was dir Gott gebeut, und all dies Volk kann mit Frieden an seinen Ort kommen.
24 Moses/I accepted what his/my father-in-law [Jethro] suggested.
Mose gehorchte seines Schwähers Wort und tat alles, was er sagte,
25 Moses/I chose capable men from among the Israeli people.
und redliche Leute aus dem ganzen Israel und machte sie zu Häuptern über das Volk, etliche über tausend, über hundert, über fünfzig und über zehn
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.
daß sie das Volk allezeit richteten, was aber schwere Sachen wären, zu Mose brächten, und die kleinen Sachen sie richteten.
27 Then Moses/I said goodbye to his/my father-in-law, and Jethro returned home.
Also ließ Mose seinen Schwäher in sein Land ziehen.
