2 Mosebog 18
1 Da Jetro, Præsten i Midjan, Moses's Svigerfader, hørte om alt, hvad Gud havde gjort for Moses og hans Folk Israel, hvorledes HERREN havde ført Israel ud af Ægypten,
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.
2 tog Jetro, Moses's Svigerfader, Zippora, Moses's Hustru, som han havde sendt hjem,
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,
3 tillige med hendes to Sønner. Af dem hed den ene Gersom; »thi«, havde han sagt, »jeg er blevet Gæst i et fremmed Land«;
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.”
4 og den anden hed Eliezer; »thi«, havde han sagt, »min Faders Gud har været min Hjælp og frelst mig fra Faraos Sværd!«
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].”
5 Og Jetro, Moses's Svigerfader, kom med hans Sønner og Hustru til Moses i Ørkenen, hvor han havde slaaet Lejr ved Guds Bjerg,
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.
6 og han lod Moses melde: »Jetro, din Svigerfader, kommer til dig med din Hustru og hendes to Sønner!«
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!”
7 Da gik Moses sin Svigerfader i Møde, bøjede sig for ham og kyssede ham; og da de havde hilst paa hinanden, gik de ind i Teltet.
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.
8 Moses fortalte sin Svigerfader om alt, hvad HERREN havde gjort ved Farao og Ægypten for Israels Skyld, og om alle de Besværligheder, der havde mødt dem undervejs, og hvorledes HERREN havde frelst dem.
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.
9 Da glædede Jetro sig over alt det gode, HERREN havde gjort mod Israel, idet han havde frelst dem af Ægypternes Haand.
Jethro rejoiced when he heard all that Yahweh had done for the Israeli people.
10 Og Jetro sagde: »Lovet være HERREN, som har frelst eder af Ægypternes og Faraos Haand!
He said, “Praise Yahweh, who has rescued you from the powerful [MTY] Egyptian king and his army!
11 Nu ved jeg, at HERREN er større end alle Guder, thi netop ved det, de i deres Overmod foretog sig imod dem, frelste han Folket af Ægypternes Haand.«
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].”
12 Derpaa udtog Jetro, Moses's Svigerfader, Brændofre og Slagtofre til Gud; og Aron og alle Israels Ældste kom for at holde Maaltid for Guds Aasyn med Moses's Svigerfader.
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.
13 Næste Morgen tog Moses Sæde for at holde Ret for Folket, og Folket stod omkring Moses fra Morgen til Aften.
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.
14 Men da Moses's Svigerfader saa alt det Arbejde, han havde med Folket, sagde han: »Hvad er dog det for et Arbejde, du har med Folket? Hvorfor sidder du alene til Doms, medens alt Folket staar omkring dig fra Morgen til Aften?«
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]?”
15 Moses svarede sin Svigerfader: »Jo, Folket kommer til mig for at raadspørge Gud;
Moses/I replied, “[I am doing this] because the people keep coming to me to find out what God desires.
16 naar de har en Retssag, kommer de til mig, og jeg dømmer Parterne imellem og kundgør dem Guds Anordninger og Love.«
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.”
17 Da sagde Moses's Svigerfader til ham: »Det er ikke klogt, som du bærer dig ad med det.
Jethro said to him/me, “What you are doing is not good [for you or for the people].
18 Paa den Maade bliver jo baade du selv og Folket der omkring dig ganske udmattet, thi det Arbejde er dig for anstrengende, du kan ikke overkomme det alene.
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.
19 Læg dig nu paa Sinde, hvad jeg siger; jeg vil give dig et Raad, og Gud skal være med dig: Du skal selv træde frem for Gud paa Folkets Vegne og forelægge Gud de forefaldende Sager;
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.
20 og du skal indskærpe dem Anordningerne og Lovene og lære dem den Vej, de skal vandre, og hvad de har at gøre.
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.
21 Men du skal af hele Folket udvælge dig dygtige Mænd, som frygter Gud, Mænd, som er til at lide paa og hader uretfærdig Vinding, og dem skal du sætte over dem som Forstandere, nogle over tusinde, andre over hundrede, andre over halvtredsindstyve, andre over ti;
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].
22 lad dem til Stadighed holde Ret for Folket. Alle vigtigere Sager skal de forebringe dig, men alle mindre Sager skal de selv afgøre. Let dig saaledes Arbejdet og lad dem komme til at bære Byrden med dig.
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.
23 Dersom du handler saaledes og Gud vil det saa, kan du holde ud, og alt Folket der kan gaa tilfreds hjem.«
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”].
24 Moses fulgte sin Svigerfaders Raad og gjorde alt, hvad han foreslog.
Moses/I accepted what his/my father-in-law [Jethro] suggested.
25 Og Moses udvalgte dygtige Mænd af hele Israel og gjorde dem til Øverster over Folket, til Forstandere, nogle over tusinde, andre over hundrede, andre over halvtredsindstyve, andre over ti.
Moses/I chose capable men from among the Israeli people.
26 De holdt derpaa til Stadighed Ret for Folket; de vanskelige Sager forebragte de Moses, men alle mindre Sager afgjorde de selv.
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.
27 Derpaa tog Moses Afsked med sin Svigerfader, og denne begav sig til sit Land.
Then Moses/I said goodbye to his/my father-in-law, and Jethro returned home.
