Exodus 18

1 And Jethro the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done to Moses, and to Israel his people; that Jehovah had brought 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 back,

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

3 and her two sons, of whom the name of the one was Gershom — for he said, I have been a sojourner in a foreign 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, Eliezer — For the God of my father has been my help, and has delivered me 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 to Moses with his sons and his wife into the wilderness, where he encamped at 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 sent word to Moses: I, thy father-in-law Jethro, am come to thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.

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 meet his father-in-law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other [after] their welfare, and went 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 told his father-in-law all that Jehovah had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake; all the trouble that had befallen them on the way, and [how] Jehovah had delivered them.

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 rejoiced for all the goodness that Jehovah had done to Israel; that he had delivered them out of the hand 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, Blessed be Jehovah, 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.

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 know that Jehovah is greater than all gods; for in the thing in which they acted haughtily [he was] above them.

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

12 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took a burnt-offering and sacrifices for God; and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law in the presence of 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 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people; and the people stood by Moses from the morning to the evening.

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

14 And Moses' father-in-law saw all that he did with the people, and said, What is this thing which thou art doing with the people? why dost thou sit alone, and all the people are standing by thee from morning to 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 enquire of God.

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

16 When they have a matter, they come to me, and I judge between one and another; and I make known [to them] the statutes of God, and his laws.

“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, The thing that thou art doing is not good.

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

18 Thou wilt be quite exhausted, both thou and this people that is with thee; for the thing is too heavy for thee: thou canst not perform it alone.

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 Hearken now to my voice: I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee. Be thou for the people with God, and bring the matters before God;

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 and teach them the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they must walk, and the work that they must do.

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

21 But do thou provide among all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place [them] over them, chiefs of thousands, chiefs of hundreds, chiefs of fifties, and chiefs 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 that they may judge the people at all times; and it shall be [that] they shall bring to thee every great matter, and that they shall judge every small matter, and they shall lighten [the task] on thee, and they shall bear [it] with thee.

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 thou do this thing, and God command thee [so], thou wilt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place 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 And Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said.

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

25 And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, chiefs of thousands, chiefs of hundreds, chiefs of fifties, and chiefs 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 judged the people at all times: the hard matters they brought to Moses, but every small matter they judged.

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 sent away his father-in-law, and he departed into his land.

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