Exodus 18

1 And Jethro, priest of Midian, father-in-law of Moses, heard all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, —in that Yahweh had brought forth Israel out of Egypt.

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 the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.

2 So Jethro, Moses father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses wife, —after she had been sent home;

Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, received Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her away,

3 and her two sons, —of whom, the name of the one, was Gershom, for, said he, A sojourner, am I in a strange land,

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

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 And Jethro, Moses father-in-law, came in, with his two sons and his wife, unto Moses, —into the desert where, he, was encamping, the mountain of God;

Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with Moses’ sons and his wife to Moses into the wilderness where he was encamped, at the Mountain of God.

6 and said unto Moses, I, thy father-in-law, Jethro, am coming in unto thee, —and thy wife, and her two sons, with her.

He said to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, have come to you with your wife, and her two sons with her.”

7 So Moses went forth to meet his father-in-law, and bowed himself down to him and kissed him, and they asked each other of their welfare, —and came into the tent.

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.

8 Then Moses recounted to his father-in-law, all that Yahweh had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians, for Israel’s sake, —all the hardship which had befallen them by the way, and how Yahweh had delivered them.

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.

9 Then did Jethro rejoice, for all the good which Yahweh had done to Israel, —whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.

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.

10 And Jethro said—Blessed be Yahweh, 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:

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.

11 Now, I know, that, greater, is Yahweh than all the gods, —Even in the thing wherein they were arrogant over them.

Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods because of the way that they treated people arrogantly.”

12 Then took Jethro father-in-law of Moses, an ascending-offering and sacrifices to God, —and Aaron and all the elders of Israel came in to eat bread with the father-in-law of Moses before God.

Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God. Aaron came with all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.

13 Now it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat, to judge the people, —and the people stood by Moses, from the morning, until the evening.

On the next day, Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from the morning to the evening.

14 And when Moses father-in-law saw all that he, was doing for the people, he said—What is this thing which, thou, art doing for the people? Wherefore art, thou, sitting alone, with all the people, stationed by thee, from morning until evening?

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?”

15 And Moses said to his father-in-law, —Because the people come in unto me to seek God:

Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to enquire of God.

16 When they have a matter, they come in unto me, then do I judge between a man and his neighbour, —and make known the statutes of God and his laws.

When they have a matter, they come to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbour, and I make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.”

17 Then said Moses’ father-in-law unto him, —Not good, is the thing that thou art doing.

Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you do is not good.

18 Thou wilt get quite worn out, both thou and this people that is with thee, —for the thing is too heavy for thee, thou canst not do it, alone.

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.

19 Now, hearken thou to my voice—let me counsel thee, and may God be with thee: Be, thou, for the people, in front of God, so shalt, thou, bring the matters unto God;

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.

20 and shalt cause to shine upon them, the statutes and the laws, —and make known to them the way wherein they should go, and the work they should do.

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.

21 Thou thyself, therefore shalt look out, from among all the people—men of ability, reverers of God, men of fidelity, haters of extortion, —and place them over [them] as rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

Moreover you shall provide out of all the people able men which 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.

22 So shall they judge the people at any time, and it shall be, all the great matters, shall they bring in unto thee, but all the small matters, shall, they themselves, judge, —so, lighten thou the burden for thyself, and let them bear it with thee.

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.

23 If, this thing, thou wilt do, and God shall command thee, then shalt thou be able to endure, —yea, moreover, all this people, shall go in, unto their dwellings, contented.

If you will do this thing, and God commands you so, then you will be able to endure, and all these people also will go to their place in peace.”

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

So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said.

25 and Moses chose men of ability out of all Israel, and set them to be heads over the people, —rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

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.

26 And they shall judge the people, at any time, —the hard matters, shall they bring in unto Moses, but all the small matters, shall, they themselves, judge.

They judged the people at all times. They brought the hard cases to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

27 And Moses sent forth his father-in-law, —and he went his way by himself unto his own land.

Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way into his own land.