Exodus 18

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

Now Moses’ father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard about all that God had done for Moses and His people Israel, and how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.

2 Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her home,

After Moses had sent back his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro had received her,

3 and her two sons; the name of the one son was Gershom, for Moses had said, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land.”

along with her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses had said, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land.”

4 The name of the other was Eliezer, for Moses had said, “My ancestor's God was my help. He rescued me from Pharaoh's sword.”

The other son was named Eliezer, for Moses had said, “The God of my father was my helper and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.”

5 Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with Moses' sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was camped at the mountain of God.

Moses’ father-in-law Jethro, along with Moses’ wife and sons, came to him in the desert, where he was encamped at the mountain of God.

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

He sent word to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.”

7 Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down, and kissed him. They asked about each other's welfare and then went into the tent.

So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and went into the tent.

8 Moses told his father-in-law all that Yahweh had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel's sake, about all the hardships that had come to them along the way, and how Yahweh had rescued them.

Then Moses recounted to his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardships they had encountered along the way, and how the LORD had delivered them.

9 Jethro rejoiced over all the good that Yahweh had done for Israel, in that he had rescued them from the hand of the Egyptians.

And Jethro rejoiced over all the good things the LORD had done for Israel, whom He had rescued from the hand of the Egyptians.

10 Jethro said, “May Yahweh be praised, for he has rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh, and delivered the people from the hand of the Egyptians.

Jethro declared, “Blessed be the LORD, who has delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who has delivered the people from the hand of the Egyptians.

11 Now I know that Yahweh is greater than all the gods, because when the Egyptians treated the Israelites arrogantly, God rescued his people.”

Now I know that the LORD is greater than all other gods, for He did this when they treated Israel with arrogance.”

12 Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices for God. Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat a meal before God with Moses' father-in-law.

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

13 On the next day Moses sat down to judge the people. The people stood around him from morning until evening.

The next day Moses took his seat to judge the people, and they stood around him from morning until evening.

14 When Moses' father-in-law saw all that he did for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing with the people? Why is it that you sit alone and all the people stand about you from morning until evening?”

When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he asked, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone as judge, with all the people standing around you from morning till evening?”

15 Moses said to his father-in-law, “The people come to me to ask for God's direction.

“Because the people come to me to inquire of God,” Moses replied.

16 When they have a dispute, they come to me. I decide between one person and another, and I teach them God's statutes and laws.”

“Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me to judge between one man and another, and I make known to them the statutes and laws of God.”

17 Moses' father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not very good.

But Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good.

18 You will surely wear yourselves out, you and the people who are with you. This burden is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it by yourself.

Surely you and these people with you will wear yourselves out, because the task is too heavy for you. You cannot handle it alone.

19 Listen to me. I will give you advice, and God will be with you, because you are the people's representative to God, and you bring their disputes to him.

Now listen to me; I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their causes to Him.

20 You must teach them his statutes and laws. You must show them the way to walk and the work to do.

Teach them the statutes and laws, and show them the way to live and the work they must do.

21 Furthermore, you must choose capable men from all the people, men who honor God, men of truth who hate unjust gain. You must put them over people, to be leaders in charge of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and of tens.

Furthermore, select capable men from among the people—God-fearing, trustworthy men who are averse to dishonest gain. Appoint them over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.

22 They will judge the people in all routine cases, but the difficult cases they will bring to you. As for all the small cases, they can judge those themselves. In that way it will be easier for you, and they will carry the burden with you.

Have these men judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you any major issue, but all minor cases they can judge on their own, so that your load may be lightened as they share it with you.

23 If you do this, and if God commands you to do so, then you will be able to endure, and the entire people will be able to go home satisfied.”

If you follow this advice and God so directs you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people can go home in peace.”

24 So Moses listened to his father-in-law's words and did everything that he had said.

Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said.

25 Moses chose capable men from all Israel and made them heads over the people, leaders in charge of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.

So Moses chose capable men from all Israel and made them heads over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.

26 They judged the people in normal circumstances. The difficult cases they brought to Moses, but they themselves judged all the small cases.

And they judged the people at all times; they would bring the difficult cases to Moses, but any minor issue they would judge themselves.

27 Then Moses let his father-in-law leave, and Jethro went back into his own land.

Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro returned to his own land.