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.

And Jethro, priest of Midian, father-in-law of Moses, heard all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, —in that Yahweh had brought forth Israel out of Egypt.

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

So Jethro, Moses father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses wife, —after she had been sent home;

3 And her two sons, one of whom was named Gershom, for he said, I have been living in a strange land:

and her two sons, —of whom, the name of the one, was Gershom, for, said he, A sojourner, am I in a strange 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:

and, the name of the other, Eliezer, for the God of my father, was my help, 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.

And Jethro, Moses father-in-law, came in, with his two sons and his wife, unto Moses, —into the desert where, he, was encamping, 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.

and said unto Moses, I, thy father-in-law, Jethro, am coming in unto thee, —and thy wife, and her two sons, with her.

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 forth to meet his father-in-law, and bowed himself down to him and kissed him, and they asked each other of their welfare, —and came 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 Yahweh had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians, for Israel’s sake, —all the hardship which had befallen them by the way, and how Yahweh had delivered them.

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

Then did Jethro rejoice, for all the good which Yahweh had done to Israel, —whom he had delivered out of 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.

And Jethro said—Blessed be Yahweh, who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh, —Who hath delivered the people from under 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, greater, is Yahweh than all the gods, —Even in the thing wherein they were arrogant over them.

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 took Jethro father-in-law of Moses, an ascending-offering and sacrifices to God, —and Aaron and all the elders of Israel came in to eat bread with the father-in-law of Moses before 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.

Now it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat, to judge the people, —and the people stood by Moses, from the morning, until the 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?

And when Moses father-in-law saw all that he, was doing for the people, he said—What is this thing which, thou, art doing for the people? Wherefore art, thou, sitting alone, with all the people, stationed by thee, from morning until evening?

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

And Moses said to his father-in-law, —Because the people come in unto me to seek God:

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.

When they have a matter, they come in unto me, then do I judge between a man and his neighbour, —and make known the statutes of God and his laws.

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

Then said Moses’ father-in-law unto him, —Not good, is the thing that thou art doing.

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.

Thou wilt get quite worn out, both thou and this people that is with thee, —for the thing is too heavy for thee, thou canst not do 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, hearken thou to my voice—let me counsel thee, and may God be with thee: Be, thou, for the people, in front of God, so shalt, thou, bring the matters unto God;

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.

and shalt cause to shine upon them, the statutes and the laws, —and make known to them the way wherein they should go, and the work they should 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;

Thou thyself, therefore shalt look out, from among all the people—men of ability, reverers of God, men of fidelity, haters of extortion, —and place them over [them] as rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers 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.

So shall they judge the people at any time, and it shall be, all the great matters, shall they bring in unto thee, but all the small matters, shall, they themselves, judge, —so, lighten thou the burden for thyself, and let them bear it with thee.

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, this thing, thou wilt do, and God shall command thee, then shalt thou be able to endure, —yea, moreover, all this people, shall go in, unto their dwellings, contented.

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

So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had 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.

and Moses chose men of ability out of all Israel, and set them to be heads over the people, —rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers 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 shall judge the people, at any time, —the hard matters, shall they bring in unto Moses, but all the small matters, shall, they themselves, judge.

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

And Moses sent forth his father-in-law, —and he went his way by himself unto his own land.