Exodus 18

1 And Jithro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, that the Lord had brought forth Israel out of Egypt.

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.

2 Then took Jithro, the father-in-law of Moses, Zipporah, the wife of Moses, after he had sent her back,

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

3 And her two sons; of whom the name of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been a stranger in a foreign land:

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

4 And the name of the other was Eliezer; for the God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.

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.

5 And Jithro, the father-in-law of Moses, came with his sons and his wife unto Moses, unto the wilderness, where he was encamped at the mount of God.

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.

6 And he sent word unto Moses, I thy father-in-law Jithro am coming unto thee, with thy wife, and her two sons with her.

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

7 And Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and bowed himself, and kissed him; and they asked each other after their welfare; and they went into the tent.

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.

8 And Moses told his father-in-law all which the Lord had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians on account of Israel, all the hardship which had come upon them by the way, and how the Lord had delivered them.

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.

9 And Jithro rejoiced over all the goodness which the Lord had done to Israel, that he had delivered it out of the hand of the Egyptians.

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.

10 And Jithro said, Blessed be the Lord, 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.

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.

11 Now I know that the Eternal is great above all gods; for by the very thing wherein they sinned presumptuously was punishment brought upon them.

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

12 And Jithro, the father-in-law of Moses, offered a burnt-offering and sacrifices unto God; and Aaron came, with all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with the father-in-law of Moses, before God.

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.

13 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people; and the people stood around Moses from the morning unto the evening.

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.

14 And the father-in-law of Moses saw all that he did to the people; and he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people standeth around thee from morning until evening?

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?

15 And Moses said unto his father-in-law, Because the people cometh unto me to inquire of God.

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

16 When they have a matter of dispute, they come unto me; and I judge between one and the other, and I make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.

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.

17 And the father-in-law of Moses said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good.

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

18 Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee; for the thing is too heavy for thee; thou wilt not be able to perform it by thyself alone.

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.

19 Now hearken unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and may God be with thee, Be thou for the people a mediator with God, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God.

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.

20 And thou shalt explain to them the statutes and the laws; and thou shalt make them know the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.

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.

21 Moreover, thou shalt select out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating [their own] gain; and place these over them, as rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

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.

22 And let them judge the people at all times; and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge themselves: so shall it be easier for thee, when they shall bear with thee.

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.

23 If thou wilt do this thing, and God commandeth it thee, then wilt thou be able to endure; and also the whole of this people will come to its place in peace.

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.

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

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

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

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.

26 And they judged the people at all times; any difficult cause they brought unto Moses, but every small cause they judged themselves.

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

27 And Moses dismissed his father-in-law; and he went his way unto his own land.

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