Exodus 18

The Visit of Jethro

1Now MosesH4872’ father-in-lawH2859 JethroH3503,1 the priestH3548 of MidianH4080, heardH8085 about allH3605 thatH834 GodH430 had doneH6213 for MosesH4872 and His peopleH5971 IsraelH3478, and howH3588 the LORDH3068 had broughtH3318 IsraelH3478 out of EgyptH4714.

2AfterH310 MosesH4872 had sent backH7964 his wifeH802 ZipporahH6855, his father-in-lawH2859 JethroH3503 had received herH3947, 3along withH853 her twoH8147 sonsH1121. OneH259 son was namedH8034 GershomH1647,2 forH3588 Moses had saidH559, “I have beenH1961 a foreignerH1616 in a foreignH5237 landH776.” 4The otherH259 son was namedH8034 EliezerH461,3 forH3588 Moses had said, “The GodH430 of my fatherH1 was my helperH5828 and delivered meH5337 from the swordH2719 of PharaohH6547.”

5Moses’ father-in-lawH2859 JethroH3503, along with MosesH4872’ wifeH802 and sonsH1121, cameH935 toH413 himH4872 inH413 the desertH4057, whereH834 heH1931 was encampedH2583H8033 at the mountainH2022 of GodH430. 6He sent wordH559 toH413 MosesH4872, “IH589, your father-in-lawH2859 JethroH3503, am comingH935 toH413 you with your wifeH802 and herH5973 twoH8147 sonsH1121.”

7So MosesH4872H7122 went out to meetH3318 his father-in-lawH2859 and bowed downH7812 and kissedH5401 him. They greetedH7592H7965 eachH376 otherH7453 and wentH935 into the tentH168. 8Then MosesH4872 recountedH5608 to his father-in-lawH2859 allH3605 thatH834 the LORDH3068 had doneH6213 to PharaohH6547 and the EgyptiansH4714 forH5921 Israel’sH3478 sakeH182, allH3605 the hardshipsH8513 they had encounteredH4672 along the wayH1870, and how the LORDH3068 had delivered themH5337.

9And JethroH3503 rejoicedH2302 overH5921 allH3605 the good thingsH2896 the LORDH3068 had doneH6213 for IsraelH3478, whomH834 He had rescuedH5337 from the handH3027 of the EgyptiansH4714. 10JethroH3503 declaredH559, “BlessedH1288 be the LORDH3068, whoH834 has deliveredH5337 youH853 from the handH3027 of the EgyptiansH4714 and of PharaohH6547, and whoH834 has deliveredH5337 the peopleH5971 fromH8478 the handH3027 of the EgyptiansH4714. 11NowH6258 I knowH3045 thatH3588 the LORDH3068 is greaterH1419 than all otherH3605 godsH430, forH3588 He did thisH1697 when theyH834 treated Israel with arroganceH2102H5921.”

12Then MosesH4872’ father-in-lawH2859 JethroH3503 broughtH3947 a burnt offeringH5930 and sacrificesH2077 to GodH430, and AaronH175 cameH935 with allH3605 the eldersH2205 of IsraelH3478 to eatH398 breadH3899 withH5973 MosesH4872’ father-in-lawH2859 in the presenceH6440 of GodH430.

13

Jethro Advises Moses

(Deuteronomy 1:9–18)

The next dayH4283 MosesH4872 took his seatH3427 to judgeH8199 the peopleH5971, and they stoodH5975H5971 aroundH5921 him fromH4480 morningH1242 untilH5704 eveningH6153. 14WhenH4872 his father-in-lawH2859 sawH7200 allH3605 thatH834 Moses was doingH6213 for the peopleH5971, he askedH559, “WhatH4100 is thisH2088 thatH834 you areH859 doingH6213 for the peopleH5971? WhyH4069 do youH859 sitH3427 aloneH905 as judge, with allH3605 the peopleH5971 standingH5324 aroundH5921 you fromH4480 morningH1242 tillH5704 eveningH6153?”

15“BecauseH3588 the peopleH5971 comeH935 to meH413 to inquireH1875 of GodH430,” MosesH4872 repliedH559. 16“WheneverH3588 they haveH1961 a disputeH1697, it is broughtH935 to meH413 to judgeH8199 betweenH996 one manH376H996 and anotherH7453, and I make knownH3045 to themH853 the statutesH2706 andH853 lawsH8451 of GodH430.”

17But MosesH4872’ father-in-lawH2859 saidH559 to himH413, “WhatH1697 you areH859 doingH6213 is notH3808 goodH2896. 18SurelyH1571 youH859 andH1571 theseH2088 peopleH5971 with youH5973 will wear yourselves outH5034, becauseH3588 the taskH1697 is too heavyH3515 for youH4480. You cannotH3808H3201 handleH6213 it aloneH905.

19NowH6258 listen to meH8085H6963; I will give you some adviceH3289, and may GodH430 beH1961 with youH5973. YouH859 must beH1961 the people’s representativeH5971 beforeH4136 GodH430 and bringH935H859 their causesH1697 toH413 HimH430. 20TeachH2094 themH853 the statutesH2706 and lawsH8451, and showH3045 them the wayH1870 to liveH1980 and the workH4639 they must doH6213.

21FurthermoreH859, selectH2372 capableH2428 menH582 from amongH3605 the peopleH5971—God-fearingH3373H430H582, trustworthy menH571 who are averseH8130 to dishonest gainH1215. Appoint themH7760 overH5921 the people as leadersH8269 of thousandsH505H8269, of hundredsH3967H8269, of fiftiesH2572H8269, and of tensH6235.

22Have these men judgeH8199 the peopleH5971 at allH3605 timesH6256. ThenH1961 they can bringH935 youH413 anyH3605 majorH1419 issueH1697, but allH3605 minorH6996 casesH1697 they can judgeH8199 on their ownH1992, so that your load may be lightenedH7043H5921 as they shareH5375 it with youH854.

23IfH518 you followH6213 thisH2088 adviceH1697 and GodH430 so directs youH6680, then you will be ableH3201 to endureH5975, andH1571 allH3605 theseH2088H5921 peopleH5971 can goH935 homeH4725 in peaceH7965.”

24MosesH4872H6963 listenedH8085 to his father-in-lawH2859 and didH6213 everythingH3605 he saidH559. 25So MosesH4872 choseH977 capableH2428 menH582 from allH3605 IsraelH3478 and madeH5414 themH853 headsH7218 overH5921 the peopleH5971 as leadersH8269 of thousandsH505H8269, of hundredsH3967H8269, of fiftiesH2572H8269, and of tensH6235. 26And they judgedH8199 the peopleH5971 at allH3605 timesH6256; they would bringH935 the difficultH7186 casesH1697 toH413 MosesH4872, but anyH3605 minorH6996 issueH1697 they would judgeH8199 themselvesH1992.

27Then MosesH4872 sentH7971 his father-in-law on his wayH2859, and Jethro returnedH1980 toH413 his own landH776.