Exodus 18

1 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.

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

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

Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, received Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her away,

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

and her two sons. The name of one son was Gershom, for Moses said, “I have lived as a foreigner in a foreign land”.

4 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.

The name of the other was Eliezer, for he said, “My father’s God was my help and delivered me from Pharaoh’s sword.”

5 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.

Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with Moses’ sons and his wife to Moses into the wilderness where he was encamped, at the Mountain of God.

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

He said to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, have come to you with your wife, and her two sons with her.”

7 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.

Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and bowed and kissed him. They asked each other of their welfare, and they came into the tent.

8 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.

Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardships that had come on them on the way, and how the LORD delivered them.

9 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.

Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.

10 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.

Jethro said, “Blessed be the LORD, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh; who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.

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

Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods because of the way that they treated people arrogantly.”

12 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.

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

13 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.

On the next day, Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from the morning to the evening.

14 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?

When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said, “What is this thing that you do for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning to evening?”

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

Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to enquire of God.

16 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.

When they have a matter, they come to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbour, and I make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.”

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

Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you do is not good.

18 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.

You will surely wear away, both you, and this people that is with you; for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to perform it yourself alone.

19 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.

Listen now to my voice. I will give you counsel, and God be with you. You represent the people before God, and bring the causes to God.

20 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.

You shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and shall show them the way in which they must walk, and the work that they must do.

21 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.

Moreover you shall provide out of all the people able men which fear God: men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

22 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.

Let them judge the people at all times. It shall be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall judge themselves. So shall it be easier for you, and they shall share the load with you.

23 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.

If you will do this thing, and God commands you so, then you will be able to endure, and all these people also will go to their place in peace.”

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

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

25 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.

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

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

They judged the people at all times. They brought the hard cases to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

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

Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way into his own land.