Exodus 18

Jethro, Moses’ Father-in-law

1Now 1JethroH3503, the priestH3548 of MidianH4080, Moses’H4872 father-in-lawH2860, heardH8085 of allH3605 that GodH430 had doneH6213 for MosesH4872 and for IsraelH3478 His peopleH5971, howH3588 the LordH3068 had broughtH3318 IsraelH3478 out of EgyptH4714. 2JethroH3503, Moses’H4872 father-in-lawH2860, tookH3947 Moses’H4872 wifeH802 2ZipporahH6855, afterH310 he had sentH7971 her awayH7971, 3and her 3twoH8147 sonsH1121, of whomH834 4oneH259 was namedH8034 GershomH1647, for Moses saidH559, “I have beenH1961 5a 6sojournerH1616 in a foreignH5237 landH776.” 47The otherH259 was namedH8034 89EliezerH461, for he said, “10The GodH430 of my fatherH1 was my helpH5828, and deliveredH5337 me from the swordH2719 of PharaohH6547.”

5Then JethroH3503, Moses’H4872 father-in-lawH2860, cameH935 with his sonsH1121 and his wifeH802 to MosesH4872 11in the wildernessH4057 whereH834H8033 he was campedH2583, at 12the mountH2022 of GodH430. 6He 13sentH559 wordH559 to MosesH4872, “I, your father-in-lawH2860 JethroH3503, am comingH935 to you with your wifeH802 and her twoH8147 sonsH1121 with her.” 7Then MosesH4872 wentH3318 out to meetH7122 his father-in-lawH2860, and 14he bowedH7812 downH7812 and 15kissedH5401 him; and they 16askedH7592 eachH376 otherH7453 of their welfareH7965 and wentH935 into the tentH168. 8MosesH4872 toldH5608 his father-in-lawH2860 allH3605 that the LordH3068 had doneH6213 to PharaohH6547 and to the EgyptiansH4714 17for Israel’sH3478 sakeH5921H182, allH3605 the 18hardshipH8513 that had befallenH4672 them on the journeyH1870, and how 19the LordH3068 had deliveredH5337 them. 9JethroH3503 rejoicedH2302 overH5921 allH3605 20the goodnessH2899 whichH834 the LordH3068 had doneH6213 to IsraelH3478, 21in deliveringH5337 22them from the handH3027 of the EgyptiansH4714. 10So JethroH3503 saidH559, “23BlessedH1288 be the LordH3068 whoH834 deliveredH5337 you from the handH3027 of the EgyptiansH4714 and from the handH3027 of PharaohH6547, and whoH834 deliveredH5337 the peopleH5971 from underH8478 the handH3027 of the EgyptiansH4714. 11NowH6258 I knowH3045 that 24the LordH3068 is greaterH1419 thanH4480 allH3605 the godsH430; 25indeedH3588, 26it was provenH1697 whenH834 they dealtH2102 proudlyH2102 againstH5921 27the people.” 1228Then JethroH3503, Moses’H4872 father-in-lawH2860, tookH3947 a burntH5930 offeringH5930 and sacrificesH2077 for GodH430, and AaronH175 cameH935 with allH3605 the eldersH2205 of IsraelH3478 to eatH398 29a mealH3899 with Moses’H4872 father-in-lawH2860 beforeH6440 GodH430.

13It cameH1961 about the nextH4283 dayH4283 that MosesH4872 satH3427 to judgeH8199 the peopleH5971, and the peopleH5971 stoodH5975 aboutH5921 MosesH4872 from the morningH1242 untilH5704 the eveningH6153. 14Now when Moses’H4872 father-in-lawH2860 sawH7200 allH3605 that he was doingH6213 for the peopleH5971, he saidH559, “WhatH4100 is thisH2088 thingH1697 that you are doingH6213 for the peopleH5971? WhyH4069 do you aloneH905 sitH3427 as judge and allH3605 the peopleH5971 standH5324 aboutH5921 you from morningH1242 untilH5704 eveningH6153?” 15MosesH4872 saidH559 to his father-in-lawH2860, “BecauseH3588 the peopleH5971 comeH935 to me 30to inquireH1875 of GodH430. 16WhenH3588 they haveH1961 a 3132disputeH1697, it comesH935 to me, and I judgeH8199 betweenH996 a manH376 and his neighborH7453 and makeH3045 knownH3045 the statutesH2706 of GodH430 and His lawsH8451.”

Jethro Counsels Moses

17Moses’H4872 father-in-lawH2860 saidH559 to him, “The thingH1697 that you are doingH6213 is not goodH2896. 1833You will surelyH5034 wearH5034 out, bothH1571 yourselfH859 and 34theseH2088 peopleH5971 whoH834 are with you, for the 35taskH1697 is tooH4480 heavyH3515 for you; 36you cannotH3201H3808 doH6213 it aloneH905. 19NowH6258 listenH8085 to 37me: I will giveH3289 you counselH3289, and GodH430 be with you. 38You be the people’sH5971 representative beforeH4136 GodH430, and you 39bringH935 the 40disputesH1697 to GodH430, 2041then teachH2094 them the statutesH2706 and the lawsH8451, and makeH3045 knownH3045 to them 42the wayH1870 in which they are to walkH1980 and the workH4639 they are to doH6213. 21Furthermore, you shall 43selectH2372 out of allH3605 the peopleH5971 44ableH2428 menH376 45who fearH3372 GodH430, menH376 of truthH571, those who 46hateH8130 dishonestH1215 gainH1215; and you shall placeH7760 these overH5921 them as leadersH8269 of thousandsH505, 47of hundredsH3967, 48of fiftiesH2572 and 49of tensH6235. 22Let them judgeH8199 the peopleH5971 at allH3605 timesH6256; and let it be 50that everyH3605 majorH1419 51disputeH1697 they will bringH935 to you, but everyH3605 minorH6996 52disputeH1697 they themselves will judgeH8199. So it will be easierH7043 for you, and 53they will bearH5375 the burden with you. 23IfH518 you doH6213 thisH2088 thingH1697 and GodH430 so commandsH6680 you, then you will be ableH3201 to 54endureH5975, and allH3605 55theseH2088 peopleH5971 alsoH1571 will goH935 to 56their placeH4725 in peaceH7965.”

24So MosesH4872 listenedH8085 57to his father-in-lawH2860 and didH6213 allH3605 that he had saidH559. 25MosesH4872 choseH977 58ableH2428 menH376 out of allH3605 IsraelH3478 and madeH5414 them headsH7218 overH5921 the peopleH5971, leadersH8269 of thousandsH505, 59of hundredsH3967, 60of fiftiesH2572 and 61of tensH6235. 26They judgedH8199 the peopleH5971 at allH3605 timesH6256; 62the difficultH7186 63disputeH1697 they would bringH935 to MosesH4872, but everyH3605 minorH6996 64disputeH1697 they themselves would judgeH8199. 27Then MosesH4872 6566badeH7971 his father-in-lawH2860 farewellH7971, and he wentH1980 his way into his own landH776.