Exodus 18

1 And Jethro priest of Midian, father-in-law of Moses, heareth all that God hath done for Moses, and for Israel his people, that Jehovah hath brought out Israel from 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 and Jethro, father-in-law of Moses, taketh Zipporah, wife of Moses, besides her parents,

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

3 and her two sons, of whom the name of the one [is] Gershom, for he said, 'a sojourner I have been in a strange 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 and the name of the other [is] Eliezer, for, 'the God of my father [is] for my help, and doth deliver me from the sword of Pharaoh.'

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 And Jethro, father-in-law of Moses, cometh, and his sons, and his wife, unto Moses, unto the wilderness where he is encamping — the mount 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 and he saith unto Moses, 'I, thy father-in-law, Jethro, am coming unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.'

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

7 And Moses goeth out to meet his father-in-law, and boweth himself, and kisseth him, and they ask one at another of welfare, and come 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 and Moses recounteth to his father-in-law all that Jehovah hath done to Pharaoh, and to the Egyptians, on account of Israel, all the travail which hath found them in the way, and Jehovah doth deliver 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 And Jethro rejoiceth for all the good which Jehovah hath done to Israel, whom He hath delivered 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 and Jethro saith, 'Blessed [is] Jehovah, who hath delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians, and from the hand of Pharaoh — who hath delivered this people from under 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 have known that Jehovah [is] greater than all the gods, for in the thing they have acted proudly — [He is] above them!'

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

12 And Jethro, father-in-law of Moses, taketh a burnt-offering and sacrifices for God; and Aaron cometh in, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with the father-in-law of Moses, before God.

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 And it cometh to pass on the morrow, that Moses sitteth to judge the people, and the people stand before Moses, from the morning unto the evening;

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

14 and the father-in-law of Moses seeth all that he is doing to the people, and saith, 'What [is] this thing which thou art doing to the people? wherefore art thou sitting by thyself, and all the people standing by thee from morning till 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 And Moses saith to his father-in-law, 'Because the people come unto me to seek God;

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

16 when they have a matter, it hath come unto me, and I have judged between a man and his neighbour, and made known the statutes of God, and His 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 And the father-in-law of Moses saith unto him, 'The thing which thou art doing [is] not good;

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

18 thou dost surely wear away, both thou, and this people which [is] with thee, for the thing is too heavy for thee, thou art not able to do it by thyself.

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 'Now, hearken to my voice, I counsel thee, and God is with thee: be thou for the people over-against God, and thou hast brought in the things unto God;

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 and thou hast warned them [concerning] the statutes and the laws, and hast made known to them the way in which they go, and the work which they do.

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

21 'And thou — thou dost provide out of all the people men of ability, fearing God, men of truth, hating dishonest gain, and hast placed [these] over them, heads of thousands, heads of hundreds, heads of fifties, and heads 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 and they have judged the people at all times; and it hath come to pass, every great matter they bring in unto thee, and every small matter they judge themselves; and lighten it from off thyself, and they have borne with thee.

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 thou dost this thing, and God hath commanded thee, then thou hast been able to stand, and all this people also goeth in unto its place in peace.'

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 And Moses hearkeneth to the voice of his father-in-law, and doth all that he said,

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

25 and Moses chooseth men of ability out of all Israel, and maketh them chiefs over the people, heads of thousands, heads of hundreds, heads of fifties, and heads of 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 and they have judged the people at all times; the hard matter they bring in unto Moses, and every small matter they judge themselves.

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 And Moses sendeth his father-in-law away, and he goeth away unto his own land.

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