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,

Now Moses’ father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard about all that God had done for Moses and His people Israel, and how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.

2 tog Jetro, Moses's Svigerfader, Zippora, Moses's Hustru, som han havde sendt hjem,

After Moses had sent back his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro had received her,

3 tillige med hendes to Sønner. Af dem hed den ene Gersom; "thi", havde han sagt, "jeg er blevet Gæst i et fremmed Land";

along with her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses had said, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land.”

4 og den anden hed Eliezer; "thi", havde han sagt, "min Faders Gud har været min Hjælp og frelst mig fra Faraos Sværd!"

The other son was named Eliezer, for Moses had said, “The God of my father was my helper and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.”

5 Og Jetro, Moses's Svigerfader, kom med hans Sønner og Hustru til Moses i Ørkenen, hvor han havde slået Lejr ved Guds Bjerg,

Moses’ father-in-law Jethro, along with Moses’ wife and sons, came to him in the desert, where he was encamped at the mountain of God.

6 og han lod Moses melde: "Jetro, din Svigerfader, kommer til dig med din Hustru og hendes to Sønner!"

He sent word to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.”

7 Da gik Moses sin Svigerfader i Møde, bøjede sig for ham og kyssede ham; og da de havde hilst på hinanden, gik de ind i Teltet.

So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and went into the 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.

Then Moses recounted to his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardships they had encountered along the way, and how the LORD had delivered them.

9 Da glædede Jetro sig over alt det gode, HERREN havde gjort mod Israel, idet han havde frelst dem af Ægypternes Hånd.

And Jethro rejoiced over all the good things the LORD had done for Israel, whom He had rescued from the hand of the Egyptians.

10 Og Jetro sagde: "Lovet være HERREN, som har frelst eder af Ægypternes og Faraos. Hånd!"

Jethro declared, “Blessed be the LORD, who has delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who has delivered the people from the hand of the Egyptians.

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 Hånd.

Now I know that the LORD is greater than all other gods, for He did this when they treated Israel with arrogance.”

12 Derpå udtog Jetro, Moses's Svigerfader, Brændofre og Slagtofre til Gud; og Aron og alle Israels Ældste kom for at holde Måltid for Guds Åsyn med Moses's Svigerfader.

Then Moses’ father-in-law Jethro brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of God.

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 took his seat to judge the people, and they stood around him from morning until evening.

14 Men da Moses's Svigerfader så 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 står omkring dig fra Morgen til Aften?"

When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he asked, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone as judge, with all the people standing around you from morning till evening?”

15 Moses svarede sin Svigerfader: "Jo, Folket kommer til mig for at rådspørge Gud;

“Because the people come to me to inquire of God,” Moses replied.

16 når de har en Retssag, kommer de til mig, og jeg dømmer Parterne imellem og kundgør dem Guds Anordninger og Love."

“Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me to judge between one man and another, and I make known to them the statutes and laws of God.”

17 Da sagde Moses's Svigerfader til ham: "Det er ikke klogt, som du bærer dig ad med det.

But Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good.

18 På den Måde bliver jo både du selv og Folket der omkring dig ganske udmattet, thi det Arbejde er dig for anstrengende, du kan ikke overkomme det alene.

Surely you and these people with you will wear yourselves out, because the task is too heavy for you. You cannot handle it alone.

19 Læg dig nu på Sinde, hvad jeg siger; jeg vil give dig et Råd, og Gud skal være med dig: Du skal. selv træde frem for Gud på Folkets Vegne og forelægge Gud de forefaldende Sager;

Now listen to me; I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their causes to Him.

20 og du skal indskærpe dem Anordningerne og Lovene og lære dem den Vej, de skal vandre, og hvad de har at gøre.

Teach them the statutes and laws, and show them the way to live and the work they must do.

21 Men du skal af hele Folket udvælge dig dygtige Mænd, som frygter Gud, Mænd, som er til at lide på 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;

Furthermore, select capable men from among the people—God-fearing, trustworthy men who are averse to dishonest gain. Appoint them over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.

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 således Arbejdet og lad dem komme til at bære Byrden med dig.

Have these men judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you any major issue, but all minor cases they can judge on their own, so that your load may be lightened as they share it with you.

23 Dersom du handler således og Gud vil det så, kan du holde ud, og alt Folket der kan gå tilfreds hjem."

If you follow this advice and God so directs you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people can go home in peace.”

24 Moses fulgte sin Svigerfaders Råd og gjorde alt, hvad han foreslog.

Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said.

25 Og Mose's 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.

So Moses chose capable men from all Israel and made them heads over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.

26 De holdt derpå til Stadighed Ret for Folket; de vanskelige Sager forebragte de Moses, men alle mindre Sager afgjorde de selv.

And they judged the people at all times; they would bring the difficult cases to Moses, but any minor issue they would judge themselves.

27 Derpå tog Moses Afsked med sin Svigerfader, og denne begav sig til sit Land.

Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro returned to his own land.