Exodus 18

1 And when Jethro, the priest of Midian, the kinsman of Moses, had heard all that God had done for Moses, and for his people Israel, and that the Lord had led Israel away from Egypt,

And Jethro priest of Midian, father-in-law of Moses, hears all that God has done for Moses and for His people Israel, that YHWH has brought out Israel from Egypt,

2 he brought Zipporah, the wife of Moses, whom he was to return to him,

and Jethro, father-in-law of Moses, takes Zipporah, wife of Moses, after her parting,

3 and her two sons, of whom one was called Gershom, (for his father said, “I have been a newcomer in a foreign land,”)

and her two sons, of whom the name of one [is] Gershom, for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a strange land”;

4 and the other in truth was Eliezer, (“For the God of my father,” he said, “is my helper, and has rescued me from the sword of Pharaoh.”)

and the name of the other [is] Eliezer, for, “The God of my father [is] for my help, and He delivers me from the sword of Pharaoh.”

5 And so Jethro, the kinsman of Moses, with his sons and his wife, came to Moses in the desert, where he was encamped next to the mountain of God.

And Jethro, father-in-law of Moses, comes, and his sons, and his wife, to Moses, to the wilderness where he is encamping—the mountain of God;

6 And he sent word to Moses, saying: “I, Jethro, your kinsman, have come to you, with your wife, and your two sons with her.”

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

7 And going out to meet his kinsman, he reverenced and kissed him. And they saluted each other with peaceful words. And when he had arrived at the tent,

And Moses goes out to meet his father-in-law, and bows himself, and kisses him, and they ask of one another of welfare, and come into the tent;

8 Moses explained to his kinsman all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians on behalf of Israel, and all the hardships which had befallen them on the journey, and how the Lord had freed them.

and Moses recounts to his father-in-law all that YHWH has done to Pharaoh, and to the Egyptians, on account of Israel, all the travail which has found them in the way, and [how] YHWH delivers them.

9 And Jethro was gladdened over all the good that the Lord had done for Israel, because he had rescued them from the hand of the Egyptians.

And Jethro rejoices for all the good which YHWH has done to Israel, whom He has delivered from the hand of the Egyptians;

10 And he said: “Blessed is the Lord, who has freed his people from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh; he has rescued his people from the hand of Egypt.

and Jethro says, “Blessed [is] YHWH, who has delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians, and from the hand of Pharaoh—who has delivered this people from under the hand of the Egyptians;

11 Now I know that the great Lord is above all gods. This is why they acted arrogantly against them.”

now I have known that YHWH [is] greater than all the gods, for in the thing they have acted proudly—[He is] above them!”

12 And so Jethro, the kinsman of Moses, offered holocausts and sacrifices to God. And Aaron arrived with all the elders of Israel, in order to eat bread with him in the sight of God.

And Jethro, father-in-law of Moses, takes a burnt-offering and sacrifices [it] for God; and Aaron comes in, and all [the] elderly of Israel, to eat bread with the father-in-law of Moses, before God.

13 Then, the next day, Moses sat down in order to judge the people, and they stood beside Moses from morning, even until evening.

And it comes to pass on the next day, that Moses sits to judge the people, and the people stand before Moses from the morning to the evening;

14 And when, of course, his kinsman saw all that he did among the people, he said: “What is this that you do among the people? Why do you sit alone, while all the people stand before you, from morning, even until evening?”

and the father-in-law of Moses sees all that he is doing for the people and says, “What [is] this thing which you are doing for the people? Why are you sitting by yourself, and all the people standing by you from morning until evening?”

15 And Moses answered him: “The people come to me seeking the verdict of God.

And Moses says to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to seek God;

16 And when any kind of dispute occurs among them, they come to me to judge between them, and to reveal the precepts of God and of his laws.”

when they have a matter, it has come to me, and I have judged between a man and his neighbor, and made known the statutes of God, and His laws.”

17 But he said, “This is not good, what you are doing.

And the father-in-law of Moses says to him, “The thing which you are doing [is] not good;

18 You will be consumed by foolish efforts, both you and this people who are with you. The task is beyond your strength; you will not be able bear it alone.

you surely wear away, both you, and this people which [is] with you, for the thing is too heavy for you, you are not able to do it by yourself.

19 But listen to my words and counsels, and then God will be with you. Be available to the people in that which pertains to God, so as to refer what they say to him,

Now listen to my voice, I counsel you, and God is with you: be for the people before God, and you have brought in the things to God;

20 and to reveal to the people the ceremonies, and the rituals of worship, and the way by which they should progress, and the work that they should do.

and you have warned them [concerning] the statutes and the laws, and have made known to them the way in which they go, and the work which they do.

21 Then provide, from all of the people, men capable and fearing God, in whom there is truth and who hate avarice, and appoint from them tribunes, and leaders of hundreds, and of fifties, and of tens,

And you provide out of all the people men of ability, fearing God, men of truth, hating dishonest gain, and have placed [these] over them [for] heads of thousands, heads of hundreds, heads of fifties, and heads of tens,

22 who may judge the people at all times. Then, when anything greater will have occurred, they may refer it to you, and let them judge the lesser matters only. And so it may be lighter for you, the burden being divided among others.

and they have judged the people at all times; and it has come to pass, they bring every great matter to you, and they judge every small matter themselves; and lighten it from off yourself, and they have borne with you.

23 If you will do this, you will fulfill the orders of God, and you will be able to uphold his precepts. And this entire people will return to their places in peace.”

If you do this thing, and God has commanded you, then you have been able to stand, and all this people also goes to its place in peace.”

24 Having heard this, Moses did everything that he had suggested to him.

And Moses listens to the voice of his father-in-law, and does all that he said,

25 And choosing virtuous men from all of Israel, he appointed them as leaders of the people: tribunes, and leaders of hundreds, and of fifties, and of tens.

and Moses chooses men of ability out of all Israel, and makes them chiefs over the people [for] heads of thousands, heads of hundreds, heads of fifties, and heads of tens,

26 And they judged the people at all times. But whatever was more serious, they referred to him, and they judged easier matters only.

and they have judged the people at all times; they bring the hard matter to Moses, and they judge every small matter themselves.

27 And he dismissed his kinsman, who, turning back, went to his own land.

And Moses sends his father-in-law away, and he goes away to his own land.