Exodus 18

1 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.

And Jothor the priest of Madiam, the father-in-law of Moses, heard of all that the Lord did to his people Israel; for the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt.

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

And Jothor the father-in-law of Moses, took Sepphora the wife of Moses after she had been sent away,

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

and her two sons: the name of the one was Gersam, [his father] saying, I was a sojourner in a strange land; —

4 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.”

and the name of the second Eliezer, saying, For the God of my father [is] my helper, and he has rescued me out of the hand of Pharao.

5 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.

And Jothor the father-in-law of Moses, and his sons and his wife, went forth to Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped on the mount of God.

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

And it was told Moses, saying, Behold, your father-in-law Jothor is coming to you, and your wife and two sons with him.

7 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.

And Moses went forth to meet his father-in-law, and did him reverence, and kissed him, and they embraced each other, and he brought them into the tent.

8 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.

And Moses related to his father-in-law all things that the Lord did to Pharao and all the Egyptians for Israel's sake, and all the labour that had befallen them in the way, and that the Lord had rescued them out of the hand of Pharao, and out of the hand of the Egyptians.

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

And Jothor was amazed at all the good things which the Lord did to them, forasmuch as he rescued them out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharao.

10 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.

And Jothor said, Blessed be the Lord, because he has rescued them out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharao.

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

Now know I that the Lord is great above all gods, because of this, wherein they attacked them.

12 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.

And Jothor the father-in-law of Moses took whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for God, for Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat bread with the father-in-law of Moses before God.

13 The next day Moses took his seat to judge the people, and they stood around him from morning until evening.

And it came to pass after the morrow that Moses sat to judge the people, and all the people stood by Moses from morning till evening.

14 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?”

And Jothor having seen all that [Moses] did to the people, says, What is this that you do to the people? therefore sit you alone, and all the people stand by you from morning till evening?

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

And Moses says to his father-in-law, Because the people come to me to seek judgement from God.

16 “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.”

For whenever there is a dispute amongst them, and they come to me, I give judgement upon each, and I teach them the ordinances of God and his law.

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

And the father-in-law of Moses said to him, You do not this thing rightly,

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

you will wear away with intolerable weariness, both those and all this people which is with you: this thing is hard, you will not be able to endure it yourself alone.

19 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.

Now then listen to me, and I will advise you, and God shall be with you: be you to the people in the things pertaining to God, and you shall bring their matters to God.

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

And you shall testify to them the ordinances of God and his law, and you shall show to them the ways in which they shall walk, and the works which they shall do.

21 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.

And do you look out for yourself out of all the people able men, fearing God, righteous men, hating pride, and you shall set over the people captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, and captains of fifties, and captains of tens.

22 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.

And they shall judge the people at all times, and the too burdensome matter they shall bring to you, but they shall judge the smaller cases; so they shall relieve you and help you.

23 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.”

If you will do this thing, God shall strengthen you, and you shall be able to attend, and all this people shall come with peace into their own place.

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

And Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did whatever he said to him.

25 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.

And Moses chose out able men out of all Israel, and he made them captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, and captains of fifties and captains of tens over the people.

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

And they judged the people at all times; and every too burdensome matter they brought to Moses, but every light matter they judged themselves.

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

And Moses dismissed his father-in-law, and he returned to his own land.