Êxodo 18
1 Ora Jethro, sacerdote de Midian, sogro de Moisés, ouviu todas as coisas que Deus tinha feito a Moisés e a Israel seu povo: como o Senhor tinha tirado a Israel do Egito.
Jethro, who was the priest for the Midian people-group, and who was also Moses’/my father-in-law, heard about all that God had done for the Israeli people. He heard about how Yahweh had brought them out of Egypt.
2 E Jethro, sogro de Moisés, tomou a Zippora, a mulher de Moisés, depois que ele lha enviara,
Moses/I had [previously] sent his/my wife Zipporah [back home when he/I was returning to Egypt]. But now Jethro came to him/me,
3 Com seus dois filhos, dos quais um se chamava Gerson; porque disse: Eu fui peregrino em terra estranha;
bringing Zipporah and their/our two sons. One son was named Gershom, [which sounds like the Hebrew word that means ‘foreigner’], because he/I had said, “I have been a foreigner living in another land.”
4 E o outro se chamava Eliezer; porque disse: O Deus de meu pai foi por minha ajuda, e me livrou da espada de faraó.
Her other son was named Eliezer, [which sounds like the Hebrew words that mean ‘God helps me’], because [he/I] had said “God, whom my father [worshiped], has helped me and saved [me] from being killed [MTY] by the king [of Egypt].”
5 Vindo pois Jethro, o sogro de Moisés, com seus filhos e com sua mulher, a Moisés no deserto, ao monte de Deus, onde se tinha acampado,
While Moses/I was camped [with the Israeli people] in the desert [near Sinai], God’s sacred/holy mountain, Jethro came to him/me, bringing along Moses’/my wife and our [two] sons.
6 Disse a Moisés: Eu, teu sogro Jethro, venho a ti, com tua mulher, e seus dois filhos com ela.
Jethro had sent a message to Moses/me, “I, your father-in-law, Jethro, am coming to see you, bringing along your wife and your two sons!”
7 Então saiu Moisés ao encontro de seu sogro, e inclinou-se, e beijou-o, e perguntaram um ao outro como estavam, e entraram na tenda.
So Moses/I went out of the campsite to meet his/my father-in-law. He/I bowed before him, and kissed him [on the cheek]. (They both/We) asked each other, “Have you been healthy?” Then they/we went into [Moses’/my] tent.
8 E Moisés contou a seu sogro todas as coisas que o Senhor tinha feito a faraó e aos egípcios por amor de Israel, e todo o trabalho que passaram no caminho, e como o Senhor os livrara.
Moses/I told Jethro everything that Yahweh had done to the king and all the [other] people in Egypt for the sake of the Israeli people. He/I also told him about the troubles/problems they/we had experienced on the way, and how Yahweh had helped them/us.
9 E alegrou-se Jethro de todo o bem que o Senhor tinha feito a Israel, livrando-o da mão dos egípcios.
Jethro rejoiced when he heard all that Yahweh had done for the Israeli people.
10 E Jethro disse: bendito seja o Senhor, que vos livrou das mãos dos egípcios e da mão de faraó; que livrou a este povo de debaixo da mão dos egípcios.
He said, “Praise Yahweh, who has rescued you from the powerful [MTY] Egyptian king and his army!
11 Agora sei que o Senhor é maior que todos os deuses: porque na coisa, em que se ensoberbeceram, os sobrepujou.
Now I realize that Yahweh is greater than all other gods, because he rescued you all from the power [MTY] of the proud Egyptians when [they] were causing you [to suffer].”
12 Então tomou Jethro, o sogro de Moisés, holocausto e sacrifícios para Deus: e veio Aarão, e todos os anciãos de Israel, para comerem pão com o sogro de Moisés diante de Deus.
Then Jethro sacrificed an animal by burning it completely on the altar [as an offering], and he also offered other sacrifices to God. Aaron and the Israeli elders/leaders went with them/us to eat a sacred meal with Jethro.
13 E aconteceu que, ao outro dia, Moisés assentou-se para julgar o povo; e o povo estava em pé diante de Moisés desde a manhã até à tarde
The next day, Moses/I sat down at the place where he/I settled disputes among the people. The people were continually bringing their disputes to Moses/me, from morning until evening.
14 Vendo pois o sogro de Moisés tudo o que ele fazia ao povo, disse: Que é isto, que tu fazes as povo? porque te assentas só, e todo o povo está em pé diante de ti, desde a manhã até à tarde?
When Jethro saw everything that Moses/I was doing for the people, he said, “(Why are you doing all this for the people?/You should not be doing all this for the people!) [RHQ] Why are you doing this by yourself, and all the people are crowding around you, from morning until evening, [asking you to make decisions for them] [RHQ]?”
15 Então disse Moisés a seu sogro: É porque este povo vem a mim, para consultar a Deus:
Moses/I replied, “[I am doing this] because the people keep coming to me to find out what God desires.
16 Quando tem algum negócio vem a mim, para que eu julgue entre um e outro, e lhes declare os estatutos de Deus, e as suas leis.
When they have a dispute about something, they come to me, and they ask me to decide which of them is right. I also tell them all of God’s laws and instructions.”
17 O sogro de Moisés porém lhe disse: Não é bom o que fazes.
Jethro said to him/me, “What you are doing is not good [for you or for the people].
18 Totalmente desfalecerás, assim tu, como este povo que está contigo: porque este negócio é mui difícil para ti; tu só não o podes fazer.
You and these people will (wear yourselves out/become exhausted)! This work is too much for one person. You are not able to do it by yourself.
19 Ouve agora minha voz, eu te aconselharei, e Deus será contigo: Sê tu pelo povo diante de Deus, e leva tu as coisas a Deus;
Now listen to some good advice [MTY] I will give to you. [If you do what I suggest], God will help you. You should continue to speak to God and tell him about the people’s disputes.
20 E declara-lhes os estatutos e as leis, e faze-lhes saber o caminho em que devem andar, e a obra que devem fazer.
You should [also] teach the people what God has commanded and instructed you. You should also explain to them how they should conduct their lives, and the things that they should do.
21 E tu dentre todo o povo procura homens capazes, tementes a Deus, homens de verdade, que aborrecem a avareza; e põe-nos sobre eles por maiorais de mil, maiorais de cento, maiorais de cincoênta, e maiorais de dez;
But in addition, you should choose some [other men to help you]. Choose men who have reverence for God and who will not accept bribes. Appoint some of them to make decisions [for groups of] ten people, [some for groups of] 50 [people], [some for groups of] 100 [people], [and some for groups of] 1,000 [people].
22 Para que julguem este povo em tempo; e seja que todo o negócio pequeno eles o julguem: assim a ti mesmo te aliviarás da carga, e eles a levarão contigo.
Allow them to serve permanently to settle disputes for the people. The difficult matters the people can bring to you; but the matters that are not difficult, they can decide themselves. That will make the work easier for you, as they help you do that work.
23 Se isto fizeres, e Deus to mandar, poderás então subsistir: assim também todo este povo em paz virá ao seu lugar.
If you do that, and [I think that] God is telling you to do it (OR, if God tells you to do it), you will not become exhausted, and all the people will be able to go home feeling satisfied about the decisions, [with their disputes settled quickly”].
24 E Moisés deu ouvidos à voz de seu sogro, e fez tudo quanto tinha dito;
Moses/I accepted what his/my father-in-law [Jethro] suggested.
25 E escolheu Moisés homens capazes, de todo o Israel, e os pôs por cabeças sobre o povo: maiorais de mil, maiorais de cento, maiorais de cincoênta, e maiorais de dez.
Moses/I chose capable men from among the Israeli people.
26 E eles julgaram o povo em todo o tempo; o negócio árduo trouxeram a Moisés, e todo o negócio pequeno julgaram eles.
They were appointed permanently to make decisions about the people’s disputes. They brought the difficult cases to Moses/me, but they decided the matters that were not difficult by themselves.
27 Então despediu Moisés o seu sogro, o qual se foi à sua terra.
Then Moses/I said goodbye to his/my father-in-law, and Jethro returned home.
