2 Mosebok 18

1 Jetro, presten i Midian, Moses' svigerfar, fikk høre alt det Gud hadde gjort for Moses og for sitt folk Israel, hvorledes Herren hadde ført Israel ut av Egypten.

Now Jethro [Abundance], the priest of Midian [Strife], Moses [Drawn out]’ father-in-law, sh'ma ·heard obeyed· of all that God had done for Moses [Drawn out], and for Israel [God prevails] his people, how that Adonai had brought Israel [God prevails] out of Egypt [Abode of slavery].

2 Da tok Jetro, Moses' svigerfar, Sippora, Moses' hustru, som Moses før hadde sendt hjem,

Jethro [Abundance], Moses [Drawn out]’ father-in-law, received Zipporah, Moses [Drawn out]’ wife, after he had sent her away,

3 og hennes to sønner - den ene hette Gersom, for Moses hadde sagt: Jeg er blitt gjest i et fremmed land,

and her two sons. The name of one son was Gershom, for Moses [Drawn out] said, “I have lived as a foreigner in a foreign land”.

4 og den andre hette Elieser, for han hadde sagt: Min fars Gud var min hjelp og fridde mig fra Faraos sverd.

The name of the other was Eliezer, for he said, “My father’s God was my help and delivered me from Pharaoh’s sword.”

5 Da nu Jetro, Moses' svigerfar, kom med hans sønner og hans hustru til ham i ørkenen, der hvor Moses hadde slått leir, ved Guds berg,

Jethro [Abundance], Moses [Drawn out]’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses [Drawn out] into the wilderness where he was encamped, at the Mountain of God.

6 sendte han bud til Moses og sa: Jeg, din svigerfar Jetro, kommer til dig med din hustru og hennes to sønner.

He said to Moses [Drawn out], “I, your father-in-law Jethro [Abundance], have come to you with your wife, and her two sons with her.”

7 Da gikk Moses sin svigerfar møte, bøide sig for ham og kysset ham, og de spurte hverandre hvorledes det stod til; så gikk de inn i teltet.

Moses [Drawn out] 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.

8 Og Moses fortalte sin svigerfar alt det Herren hadde gjort med Farao og egypterne for Israels skyld, og all den møie de hadde hatt på veien, og hvorledes Herren hadde hjulpet dem.

Moses [Drawn out] told his father-in-law all that Adonai had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians [people from Abode of slavery] for Israel [God prevails]’s sake, all the hardships that had come on them on the way, and how Adonai delivered them.

9 Da blev Jetro glad over alt det gode Herren hadde gjort mot Israel, at han hadde fridd dem av egypternes hånd.

Jethro [Abundance] rejoiced for all the goodness which Adonai had done to Israel [God prevails], in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians [people from Abode of slavery].

10 Og Jetro sa: Lovet være Herren, som fridde eder av egypternes hånd Og av Faraos hånd - han som fridde folket av egypternes hånd!

Jethro [Abundance] said, “Blessed be Adonai, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians [people from Abode of slavery], and out of the hand of Pharaoh; who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians [people from Abode of slavery].

11 Nu vet jeg at Herren er større enn alle guder; for således viste han sig ved det hvormed egypterne viste sitt overmot mot dette folk.

Now I know that Adonai is greater than all deities because of the thing in which they dealt arrogantly against them.”

12 Og Jetro, Moses' svigerfar, tok og ofret brennoffer og slaktoffer til Gud; og Aron og alle Israels eldste kom og holdt måltid med Moses' svigerfar for Guds åsyn.

Jethro [Abundance], Moses [Drawn out]’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God. Aaron [Light-bringer] came with all the elders of Israel [God prevails], to eat bread with Moses [Drawn out]’ father-in-law before God.

13 Dagen efter satt Moses og skiftet rett mellem folket, og folket stod omkring Moses fra morgen til kveld.

On the next day, Moses [Drawn out] sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses [Drawn out] from the morning to the evening.

14 Da Moses' svigerfar så hvor meget han hadde å gjøre for folket, sa han: Hvad er dette for et arbeid du legger på dig for folket? Hvorfor sitter du alene og dømmer mens hele folket står omkring dig fra morgen til kveld?

When Moses [Drawn out]’ 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?”

15 Moses svarte sin svigerfar: Folket kommer til mig for å få vite Guds vilje;

Moses [Drawn out] said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God.

16 når de har en sak, da kommer de til mig, og jeg skifter rett mellem dem og lærer dem Guds bud og lover.

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 torot ·teachings·.”

17 Da sa Moses' svigerfar til ham: Det er ikke klokt det du her gjør.

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

18 Du må jo bli altfor trett, både du og dette folk som er med dig; for dette arbeid er for svært for dig, du makter ikke å gjøre det alene.

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.

19 Men hør nu på mig! Jeg vil gi dig et råd, og Gud skal være med dig. Tred du frem for Gud på folkets vegne og legg deres saker frem for ham,

Sh'ma ·Hear obey· 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.

20 forklar dem budene og lovene, og lær dem den vei de skal vandre, og den gjerning de skal gjøre.

You shall teach them the statutes and the torot ·teachings·, and shall show them the way in which they must walk, and the work that they must do.

21 Velg dig så ut duelige menn av hele folket, menn som frykter Gud, troverdige menn, som hater urettferdig vinning, og sett dem til domsmenn over dem, nogen over tusen, nogen over hundre, nogen over femti og nogen over ti!

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.

22 Og de skal skifte rett mellem folket til enhver tid; enhver stor sak skal de komme til dig med, men enhver liten sak skal de selv dømme i. Således letter du byrden for dig selv, og de bærer den med dig.

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.

23 Dersom du gjør dette, og Gud byder dig det, da vil du kunne holde ut, og da vil også alt folket her kunne gå hjem i fred.

If you will do this thing, and God enjoins you to do so, then you will be able to endure, and all these people also will go to their place in peace.”

24 Moses lød sin svigerfars råd og gjorde alt det han sa.

So Moses [Drawn out] sh'ma ·heard obeyed· the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said.

25 Han valgte ut duelige menn av hele Israel og satte dem til høvdinger over folket, til domsmenn, nogen over tusen, nogen over hundre, nogen over femti og nogen over ti.

Moses [Drawn out] chose able men out of all Israel [God prevails], and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

26 Og de skiftet rett mellem folket til enhver tid; enhver vanskelig sak kom de til Moses med, men i enhver liten sak dømte de selv.

They judged the people at all times. They brought the hard causes to Moses [Drawn out], but every small matter they judged themselves.

27 Så bad Moses farvel med sin svigerfar, og han drog hjem til sitt eget land.

Moses [Drawn out] let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way into his own land.