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.

When Jethro the priest of Midian, Moses's father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, [and] that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt:

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

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

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; of which the name of the one [was] Gershom; (for he said, I have been an alien 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 other [was] Eliezer; (for the God of my father, [said he], [was] my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh: )

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 Jethro, Moses's father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped at 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 he said to Moses, I thy father-in-law Jethro have come to thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.

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 out to meet his father-in-law, and did obeisance, and kissed him: and they asked each other of [their] welfare: and they came 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 told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh, and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, [and] all the travail that had come upon them by the way, and [how] the LORD delivered them.

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 Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.

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 Jethro said, Blessed [be] the LORD, who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.

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

Now I know that the LORD [is] greater than all gods: for in the thing in which they dealt proudly, [he was] above 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 Jethro, Moses's 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's father-in-law 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 on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning to the 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 when Moses's father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What [is] this thing that thou doest to the people? Why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning to evening?

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

And Moses said to his father-in-law, Because the people come to me to inquire of 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.”

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

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

And Moses's father-in-law said to him, The thing that thou doest [is] not good.

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 surely wear away, both thou, and this people that [is] with thee: for this thing [is] too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform 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.

Hearken now to my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people toward God, that thou mayest bring the causes 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 teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt show them the way in which they must walk, and the work that they must 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.

Moreover, thou shalt provide out of all the people, able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place [such] over them [to be] rulers of thousands, [and] rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers 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 let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, [that] every great matter they shall bring to thee, but every small matter they shall judge: So shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear [the burden] with 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 shalt do this thing, and God command thee [so], then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.

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

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

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 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.

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 seasons: the hard causes they brought to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

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

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