Éxodo 18
1 Y OYÓ Jethro, sacerdote de Madián, suegro de Moisés, todas las cosas que Dios había hecho con Moisés, y con Israel su pueblo, y cómo Jehová había sacado á Israel de Egipto:
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 Y tomó Jethro, suegro de Moisés, á Séphora la mujer de Moisés, después que él la envió,
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 Y á sus dos hijos; el uno se llamaba Gersom, porque dijo, Peregrino he sido en tierra ajena;
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 Y el otro se llamaba Eliezer, porque [dijo], El Dios de mi padre me ayudó, y me libró del cuchillo de Faraón.
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 Y Jethro, el suegro de Moisés, con sus hijos y su mujer, llegó á Moisés en el desierto, donde tenía el campo junto al monte de Dios;
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 Y dijo á Moisés: Yo tu suegro Jethro vengo á ti, con tu mujer, y sus dos hijos con ella.
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 Y Moisés salió á recibir á su suegro, é inclinóse, y besólo: y preguntáronse el uno al otro cómo estaban, y vinieron á la tienda.
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 Y Moisés contó á su suegro todas las cosas que Jehová había hecho á Faraón y á los Egipcios por amor de Israel, y todo el trabajo que habían pasado en el camino, y cómo los había librado Jehová.
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 Y alegróse Jethro de todo el bien que Jehová había hecho á Israel, que lo había librado de mano de los Egipcios.
Jethro rejoiced when he heard all that Yahweh had done for the Israeli people.
10 Y Jethro dijo: Bendito sea Jehová, que os libró de mano de los Egipcios, y de la mano de Faraón, y que libró al pueblo de la mano de los Egipcios.
He said, “Praise Yahweh, who has rescued you from the powerful [MTY] Egyptian king and his army!
11 Ahora conozco que Jehová es grande más que todos los dioses; hasta en lo que se ensoberbecieron contra ellos.
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 Y tomó Jethro, suegro de Moisés, holocaustos y sacrificios para Dios: y vino Aarón y todos los ancianos de Israel á comer pan con el suegro de Moisés delante de Dios.
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 Y aconteció que otro día se sentó Moisés á juzgar al pueblo; y el pueblo estuvo delante de Moisés desde la mañana hasta la 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 Y viendo el suegro de Moisés todo lo que él hacía con el pueblo, dijo: ¿Qué es esto que haces tú con el pueblo? ¿por qué te sientas tú solo, y todo el pueblo está delante de ti desde la mañana hasta la 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 Y Moisés respondió á su suegro: Porque el pueblo viene á mí para consultar á Dios:
Moses/I replied, “[I am doing this] because the people keep coming to me to find out what God desires.
16 Cuando tienen negocios, vienen á mí; y yo juzgo entre el uno y el otro, y declaro las ordenanzas de Dios y sus leyes.
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 Entonces el suegro de Moisés le dijo: No haces bien:
Jethro said to him/me, “What you are doing is not good [for you or for the people].
18 Desfallecerás del todo, tú, y también este pueblo que está contigo; porque el negocio es demasiado pesado para ti; no podrás hacerlo tú solo.
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 Oye ahora mi voz, yo te aconsejaré, y Dios será contigo. Está tú por el pueblo delante de Dios, y somete tú los negocios á Dios.
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 Y enseña á ellos las ordenanzas y las leyes, y muéstrales el camino por donde anden, y lo que han de hacer.
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 Además inquiere tú de entre todo el pueblo varones de virtud, temerosos de Dios, varones de verdad, que aborrezcan la avaricia; y constituirás á éstos sobre ellos caporales sobre mil, sobre ciento, sobre cincuenta y sobre diez.
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 Los cuales juzgarán al pueblo en todo tiempo; y será que todo negocio grave lo traerán á ti, y ellos juzgarán todo negocio pequeño: alivia así [la carga] de sobre ti, y llevarla han ellos 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 Si esto hicieres, y Dios te lo mandare, tú podrás persistir, y todo este pueblo se irá también en paz á su 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 Y oyó Moisés la voz de su suegro, é hizo todo lo que dijo.
Moses/I accepted what his/my father-in-law [Jethro] suggested.
25 Y escogió Moisés varones de virtud de todo Israel, y púsolos por cabezas sobre el pueblo, caporales sobre mil, sobre ciento, sobre cincuenta, y sobre diez;
Moses/I chose capable men from among the Israeli people.
26 Y juzgaban al pueblo en todo tiempo: el negocio arduo traíanlo á Moisés, y ellos juzgaban todo negocio pequeño.
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 Y despidió Moisés á su suegro, y fuése á su tierra.
Then Moses/I said goodbye to his/my father-in-law, and Jethro returned home.
