Exodus 18

1 Now news came to Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, of all God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, and how the Lord had taken Israel out of Egypt.

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 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her away,

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

3 And her two sons, one of whom was named Gershom, for he said, I have been living in a strange 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 And the name of the other was Eliezer, for he said, The God of my father was my help, and kept me safe from the sword of Pharaoh:

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 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to where Moses had put up his tent in the waste land, by the mountain of God.

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 And he said to Moses, I, your father-in-law, have come to you, with your wife and your two sons.

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

7 And Moses went out to his father-in-law, and went down on his face before him and gave him a kiss; and they said to one another, Are you well? and they came into the tent.

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 And Moses gave his father-in-law an account of all the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians because of Israel, and of all the troubles which had come on them by the way, and how the Lord had given them salvation.

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 And Jethro was glad because the Lord had been good to Israel, freeing them from the power of the Egyptians.

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 And Jethro said, Praise be to the Lord, who has taken you out of the hand of Pharaoh and out of the hand of the Egyptians; freeing the people from the yoke of the Egyptians.

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 Now I am certain that the Lord is greater than all gods, for he has overcome them in their pride.

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

12 Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, made a burned offering to God: and Aaron came, with the chiefs of Israel, and had a meal with Moses' father-in-law, before God.

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 Now on the day after, Moses took his seat to give decisions for the people: and the people were waiting before Moses from morning till evening.

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

14 And when Moses' father-in-law saw all he was doing, he said, What is this you are doing for the people? why are you seated here by yourself, with all the people waiting before you from morning till evening?

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 And Moses said to his father-in-law, Because the people come to me to get directions from God:

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

16 And if they have any question between themselves, they come to me, and I am judge between a man and his neighbour, and I give them the orders and laws of God.

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

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

18 Your strength and that of the people will be completely used up: this work is more than you are able to do by yourself.

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 Give ear now to my suggestion, and may God be with you: you are to be the people's representative before God, taking their causes to him:

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 Teaching them his rules and his laws, guiding them in the way they have to go, and making clear to them the work they have to do.

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

21 But for the rest, take from among the people able men, such as have the fear of God, true men hating profits wrongly made; and put such men over them, to be captains of thousands, captains of hundreds and of fifties and of tens;

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 And let them be judges in the causes of the people at all times: and let them put before you all important questions, but in small things let them give decisions themselves: in this way, it will be less hard for you, and they will take the weight off you.

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 If you do this, and God gives approval, then you will be able to go on without weariness, and all this people will go to their tents in peace.

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 So Moses took note of the words of his father-in-law, and did as he had said.

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

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

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 And they were judges in the causes of the people at all times: the hard questions they put before Moses; but on every small point they gave decisions themselves.

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 And Moses let his father-in-law go away, and he went back to his land.

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