Exodus 18

The Advice of Jethro

1 s Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard about all that God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, thatt the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt.s
2 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Moses’ wife Zipporah after he had sent her back,3 and her two sons, one of whom was named Gershom (for Mosest had said, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land”),

4 and the other Eliezer (for Moses had said,t “The God of my father has been my helpt and delivereds me from the sword of Pharaoh”).
5 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, together with Moses’t sons and his wife, came to Moses in the desert where he was camping byt the mountain of God.s6 He saids to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you, along with your wife and her two sons with her.”7 Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him;s they each asked about the other’s welfare, and then they went into the tent.

8 Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to Egypt for Israel’s sake, and all the hardshipt that had come on themt along the way, and howt the Lord had delivered them.
9 Jethro rejoicedt because of all the good that the Lord had done for Israel, whom he had delivered from the hand of Egypt.10 Jethro said, “Blessedt be the Lord who has delivered you from the hand of Egypt, and from the hand of Pharaoh, who has delivered the people from the Egyptians’ control!t11 Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods, for in the thing in which they dealt proudly against them he has destroyed them.”t

12 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, broughtt a burnt offering and sacrifices for God,s and Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat foodt with the father-in-law of Moses before God.
13 On the next dayt Moses sat to judges the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning until evening.

14 When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is thist that you are doing for the people?s Why are you sitting by yourself, and all the people stand around you from morning until evening?”
15 Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquiret of God.

16 When they have a dispute,t it comes to me and I decidet between a man and his neighbor, and I make known the decrees of God and his laws.”t
17 Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “Whatt you are doing is not good!18 You will surely wear out,t both you and these people who are with you, for this is toot heavy a burdent for you; you are not able to do it by yourself.19 Now listen to me,t I will give you advice, and may God be with you: You be a representative for the people to God,t and you bringt their disputest to God;20 warnt them of the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they must walkt and the work they must do.t21 But you chooset from the people capable men,t God-fearing,t men of truth,t those who hate bribes,t and put them over the peoplet as rulerss of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.22 They will judget the people under normal circumstances,t and every difficult caset they will bring to you, but every small caset they themselves will judge, so thatt you may make it easier for yourself,t and they will bear the burdent with you.

23 If you do this thing, and God so commands you,t then you will be ablet to endure,t and all these peoplet will be able to got homet satisfied.”ts
24 Moses listened tot his father-in-law and did everything he had said.25 Moses chose capable men from all Israel, and he made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

26 They judged the people under normal circumstances; the difficult cases they would bringt to Moses, but every small case they would judge themselves.

27 Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way,t and so Jethrot wentt to his own land.s

Exodus 18

1 Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, how that Jehovah had brought Israel out of Egypt.2 And Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her away,3 and her two sons; of whom the name of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been a sojourner in a foreign land:4 and the name of the other was Eliezer; for he said, The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.5 And Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness where he was encamped, at the mount of God:6 and he said unto Moses, I, thy father-in-law Jethro, am come unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.7 And Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and did obeisance, and kissed him: and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent.8 And Moses told his father-in-law all that Jehovah had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the travail that had come upon them by the way, and how Jehovah delivered them.9 And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which Jehovah had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.10 And Jethro said, Blessed be Jehovah, who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh; who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.11 Now I know that Jehovah is greater than all gods; yea, in the thing wherein they dealt proudly against them.12 And Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt-offering and sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.

13 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood about Moses from the morning unto the evening.14 And when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand about thee from morning unto even?15 And Moses said unto his father-in-law, Because the people come unto me to inquire of God:16 when they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between a man and his neighbor, and I make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.17 And Moses’ father-in-law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good.18 Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for the thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.19 Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God be with thee: be thou for the people to God-ward, and bring thou the causes unto God:20 and thou shalt teach them the statutes and the laws, and shalt show them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:22 and let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge themselves: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.23 If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people also shall go to their place in peace.24 So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said.25 And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.26 And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.27 And Moses let his father-in-law depart; and he went his way into his own land.