Exodus 18

1 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,

Moses' father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard about everything God had done for Moses and his people the Israelites, and how the Lord had led them out of Egypt.

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

When Moses had sent home his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro had welcomed her,

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

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

The other son was named Eliezer, because Moses had said, “The God of my father was my helper, and saved me from death at Pharaoh's hand.”

5 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;

Moses' father-in-law Jethro, together with Moses' wife and sons, came to see him in the desert at the camp near the mountain of God.

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

Moses was told beforehand, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to see you together with your wife and her two sons.”

7 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;

Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They asked each other how they were and then went into the tent.

8 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.

Moses told his father-in-law about everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians on behalf of the Israelites, about all the troubles they had experienced on the way, and about how the Lord had saved them.

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

Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things the Lord had done for Israel when he'd saved them from the Egyptians.

10 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;

Jethro announced, “May the Lord be blessed, who saved you from the Egyptians and from Pharaoh.

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

This is so convincing to me that the Lord is greater than all other gods, for he saved the people from the Egyptians when they acted so arrogantly towards the Israelites.”

12 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.

Then Jethro presented a burnt offering and sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with him in God's presence.

13 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;

The following day Moses sat as a judge for the people, and they presented their cases to him from morning to evening.

14 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?”

When his father-in-law saw everything that Moses was doing for the people, he asked, “What's all this you're doing for the people? Why are you sitting alone as judge, with everyone presenting their cases to you from morning to evening?”

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

“Because the people come to me to ask God for his decision,” Moses replied.

16 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.”

“When they argue over something, the case is brought before me to decide between one them, and I explain to them the God's laws and regulations.”

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

Jethro told him, “What you're doing is not the best.

18 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.

You, and these people who come to you, are all going to wear yourselves out, because the workload is far too heavy. You can't handle it alone.

19 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;

So please listen to me. I'm going to give you some advice, and God will be with you. Yes, you must continue to be the people's representative before God, and take their cases to him.

20 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.

Go on teaching them the laws and regulations. Show them how to live and the work they are to do.

21 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,

But now you should choose men who are competent from among the people, men who respect God and who are trustworthy and not corrupt. Put them in charge of the people as leaders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.

22 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.

These men are to judge the people on a continuing basis. Major issues they can bring to you, but they can decide all the small matters themselves. In this way your burden will be made lighter as they share it with you.

23 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.”

If you follow my advice, and if it's what God tells you to do, then you will be able to survive, and all these people can go home satisfied that their cases have been heard.”

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

Moses listened to what his father-in-law said and followed all his advice.

25 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,

So Moses chose competent men from all of Israel and put them in charge of the people as leaders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.

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

They acted as judges for the people on a continuing basis. They brought the difficult cases to Moses, but they would judge the small matters themselves.

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

Then Moses sent Jethro on his way, and he went back to his own country.