Exodus 18
1 Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, how that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.
Pada waktu Musa masih sering berurusan dengan raja Mesir untuk menuntut dia membebaskan umat Israel, Musa menyuruh orang mengantar Sipora dan kedua anaknya kembali kepada mertuanya, Yitro, seorang imam di Midian. Anak laki-laki Musa yang pertama dinamai Gersom, karena saat dia lahir Musa berkata, “Aku sudah menjadi pendatang di negeri asing.” Anaknya yang kedua diberi nama Eliezer, karena Musa berkata, “Allah ayahku adalah Penolongku dan Dia menyelamatkanku dari ancaman hukuman mati raja Mesir.” Setelah sekian waktu lamanya, Yitro mendengar semua yang sudah Allah lakukan bagi umat Israel dan bagi Musa, serta cara TUHAN membawa mereka keluar dari Mesir.
2 Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, received Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her away,
3 and her two sons. The name of one son was Gershom, for Moses said, "I have lived as a foreigner in a foreign land".
4 The name of the other was Eliezer, for he said, "My father's God was my help and delivered me from Pharaoh's sword."
5 Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses into the wilderness where he was camped, at the Mountain of God.
Maka saat umat Israel berkemah di padang belantara dekat kaki gunung Allah, yaitu gunung Sinai, datanglah Yitro kepada Musa mengantarkan istri dan kedua anaknya.
6 And he said to Moses, "I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her."
Sebelum tiba, Yitro sudah mengirim pesan, “Aku, Yitro, ayah mertuamu, sedang dalam perjalanan untuk menjumpaimu bersama anak-anak dan istrimu.”
7 Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and bowed and kissed him. They asked each other of their welfare, and they came into the tent.
Ketika Yitro tiba, Musa pergi keluar perkemahan untuk menemui mertuanya itu. Dia bersujud untuk menghormati Yitro, lalu memeluknya. Setelah menanyakan kabar masing-masing, mereka masuk ke kemah Musa.
8 Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, all the hardships that had come on them on the way, and how the LORD delivered them.
Musa menceritakan kepada mertuanya semua yang sudah TUHAN lakukan terhadap raja dan orang Mesir untuk menolong Israel, juga semua kesulitan yang mereka hadapi sepanjang perjalanan, dan bagaimana TUHAN sudah menyelamatkan mereka.
9 Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.
Yitro sangat senang mendengar semua kebaikan yang sudah TUHAN lakukan bagi Israel, yaitu segala cara-Nya menyelamatkan mereka dari tangan orang Mesir.
10 Jethro said, "Blessed be the LORD, 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.
Kata Yitro, “Puji TUHAN. Dia sudah menyelamatkan kalian dari kuasa raja Mesir dan penindasan bangsanya!
11 Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods because of the thing in which they dealt arrogantly against them."
Sekarang saya tahu bahwa TUHAN lebih besar daripada segala dewa, karena Dia menghancurkan pasukan Mesir yang membesarkan diri terhadap umat Israel.”
12 Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God. Aaron came with all of the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before God.
Lalu Yitro memberikan persembahan kurban bagi Allah. Pertama, dia mempersembahkan kurban yang dibakar habis, sesudah itu kurban yang sebagian dagingnya boleh dimakan. Harun dan semua tua-tua Israel berkumpul untuk makan bersama ayah mertua Musa di hadapan Allah.
13 It happened on the next day, that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from the morning to the evening.
Keesokan harinya, Musa duduk untuk mengadili perselisihan-perselisihan di antara orang Israel, dan umat itu berdiri di sekeliling Musa dari pagi hingga petang.
14 When Moses' father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said, "What is this thing that you do for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning to evening?"
Saat Yitro melihat semua yang Musa lakukan, dia berkata, “Apa yang sedang kamu kerjakan untuk umatmu? Mengapa hanya kamu sendiri yang duduk mengadili, sementara mereka semua berdiri di sekelilingmu dari pagi sampai petang?”
15 Moses said to his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to inquire of God.
Musa menjawab, “Karena umat itu datang kepada saya untuk meminta petunjuk dari Allah.
16 When they have a matter, they come to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor, and I make them know the statutes of God, and his laws."
Saat ada perselisihan di antara mereka, mereka menjelaskan perkaranya kepada saya, lalu saya memberikan keputusan bagi mereka. Saya juga mengajar mereka perintah dan ketetapan Allah.”
17 Moses' father-in-law said to him, "The thing that you do is not good.
Kata mertua Musa kepadanya, “Caramu ini tidak baik!
18 You will surely wear away, both you, and this people that is with you; for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to perform it yourself alone.
Kamu dan umatmu akan sama-sama terlalu lelah. Hal itu terlalu berat untukmu. Kamu tidak bisa melakukannya seorang diri.
19 Listen now to my voice. I will give you counsel, and God be with you. You represent the people before God, and bring the causes to God.
Dengarkanlah nasihatku, dan semoga Allah besertamu: Jadilah perantara antara Allah dengan umatmu dan sampaikanlah perkara mereka kepada Allah.
20 You shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and shall show them the way in which they must walk, and the work that they must do.
Ajarilah mereka tentang semua ketetapan dan perintah Allah. Beritahukanlah kepada mereka cara hidup yang baik dan hal-hal yang harus mereka lakukan.
21 Moreover you shall provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God: men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
Tetapi pilihlah dari antara umat ini orang-orang yang cakap, yaitu yang takut dan hormat kepada Allah, yang bisa dipercaya, dan tidak menerima suap. Angkatlah mereka menjadi pemimpin atas seribu orang, seratus orang, lima puluh orang, dan atas sepuluh orang.
22 Let them judge the people at all times. It shall be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall judge themselves. So shall it be easier for you, and they shall share the load with you.
Mereka akan mengadili perkara-perkara umat ini. Bila ada perkara yang sulit, mereka bisa membawanya kepadamu, tetapi perkara yang lebih mudah biarlah mereka adili. Dengan begitu, mereka menanggung beban ini bersama denganmu sehingga meringankan pekerjaanmu.
23 If you will do this thing, and God commands you so, then you will be able to endure, and all of these people also will go to their place in peace."
Jika kamu melakukannya, dan Allah menyuruhmu demikian, maka kamu akan dapat menanggung beban pekerjaan ini, dan seluruh umat ini akan pulang ke rumah masing-masing dengan tenang.”
24 So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said.
Musa mengikuti nasihat mertuanya itu.
25 Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
Musa memilih orang-orang yang cakap dari seluruh Israel, lalu mengangkat mereka menjadi pemimpin atas bangsa itu, yakni pemimpin atas seribu orang, seratus orang, lima puluh orang, dan sepuluh orang.
26 They judged the people at all times. They brought the hard causes to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.
Merekalah yang kemudian mengadili perkara-perkara umat Israel. Hanya perkara-perkara sulit yang mereka bawa kepada Musa, sedangkan perkara-perkara yang mudah mereka selesaikan sendiri.
27 Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way into his own land.
Sesudah itu, mertua Musa pamit pulang ke negerinya, dan Musa melepasnya pergi.
