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.

Jethro, who was the priest for the Midian people-group, and who was also Moses’/my father-in-law, heard about all that God had done for the Israeli people. He heard about how Yahweh had brought them out of Egypt.

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

Moses/I had [previously] sent his/my wife Zipporah [back home when he/I was returning to Egypt]. But now Jethro came to him/me,

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

bringing Zipporah and their/our two sons. One son was named Gershom, [which sounds like the Hebrew word that means ‘foreigner’], because he/I had said, “I have been a foreigner living in another 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.

Her other son was named Eliezer, [which sounds like the Hebrew words that mean ‘God helps me’], because [he/I] had said “God, whom my father [worshiped], has helped me and saved [me] from being killed [MTY] by the king [of Egypt].”

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.

While Moses/I was camped [with the Israeli people] in the desert [near Sinai], God’s sacred/holy mountain, Jethro came to him/me, bringing along Moses’/my wife and our [two] sons.

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.

Jethro had sent a message to Moses/me, “I, your father-in-law, Jethro, am coming to see you, bringing along your wife and your two sons!”

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.

So Moses/I went out of the campsite to meet his/my father-in-law. He/I bowed before him, and kissed him [on the cheek]. (They both/We) asked each other, “Have you been healthy?” Then they/we went into [Moses’/my] 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 labor 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/I told Jethro everything that Yahweh had done to the king and all the [other] people in Egypt for the sake of the Israeli people. He/I also told him about the troubles/problems they/we had experienced on the way, and how Yahweh had helped them/us.

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 when he heard all that Yahweh had done for the Israeli people.

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.

He said, “Praise Yahweh, who has rescued you from the powerful [MTY] Egyptian king and his army!

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

Now I realize that Yahweh is greater than all other gods, because he rescued you all from the power [MTY] of the proud Egyptians when [they] were causing you [to suffer].”

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.

Then Jethro sacrificed an animal by burning it completely on the altar [as an offering], and he also offered other sacrifices to God. Aaron and the Israeli elders/leaders went with them/us to eat a sacred meal with Jethro.

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.

The next day, Moses/I sat down at the place where he/I settled disputes among the people. The people were continually bringing their disputes to Moses/me, from morning until 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 Jethro saw everything that Moses/I was doing for the people, he said, “(Why are you doing all this for the people?/You should not be doing all this for the people!) [RHQ] Why are you doing this by yourself, and all the people are crowding around you, from morning until evening, [asking you to make decisions for them] [RHQ]?”

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

Moses/I replied, “[I am doing this] because the people keep coming to me to find out what God desires.

16 For whenever there is a dispute among them, and they come to me, I give judgment upon each, and I teach them the ordinances of God and his law.

When they have a dispute about something, they come to me, and they ask me to decide which of them is right. I also tell them all of God’s laws and instructions.”

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

Jethro said to him/me, “What you are doing is not good [for you or for the people].

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 and these people will (wear yourselves out/become exhausted)! This work is too much for one person. You are not able to do it by yourself.

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.

Now listen to some good advice [MTY] I will give to you. [If you do what I suggest], God will help you. You should continue to speak to God and tell him about the people’s disputes.

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 should [also] teach the people what God has commanded and instructed you. You should also explain to them how they should conduct their lives, and the things that they should 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.

But in addition, you should choose some [other men to help you]. Choose men who have reverence for God and who will not accept bribes. Appoint some of them to make decisions [for groups of] ten people, [some for groups of] 50 [people], [some for groups of] 100 [people], [and some for groups of] 1,000 [people].

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.

Allow them to serve permanently to settle disputes for the people. The difficult matters the people can bring to you; but the matters that are not difficult, they can decide themselves. That will make the work easier for you, as they help you do that work.

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 do that, and [I think that] God is telling you to do it (OR, if God tells you to do it), you will not become exhausted, and all the people will be able to go home feeling satisfied about the decisions, [with their disputes settled quickly”].

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

Moses/I accepted what his/my father-in-law [Jethro] suggested.

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/I chose capable men from among the Israeli people.

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 were appointed permanently to make decisions about the people’s disputes. They brought the difficult cases to Moses/me, but they decided the matters that were not difficult by themselves.

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

Then Moses/I said goodbye to his/my father-in-law, and Jethro returned home.