Exodus 18

Jethro Visits Moses

1 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, was the priest of Midian. He heard about everything that God had done for Moses and his people, the Israelites, and how the Lord had led the Israelites out of Egypt.2 Now Moses had sent his wife Zipporah to Jethro, his father-in-law,3 along with his two sons. The first son was named Gershom, because when he was born, Moses said, “I am a stranger in a foreign country.”4 The other son was named Eliezer, because when he was born, Moses said, “The God of my father is my help. He saved me from the king of Egypt.”

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So Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Moses’ wife and his two sons and went to Moses. He was camped in the desert near the mountain of God.6 Jethro had sent a message ahead to Moses that said, “I, Jethro, your father-in-law, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.”

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So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. After the two men asked about each other’s health, they went into Moses’ tent.8 Moses told his father-in-law everything the Lord had done to the king and the Egyptians to help Israel. He told about all the problems they had faced along the way and how the Lord had saved them.

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Jethro was very happy to hear all the good things the Lord had done for Israel when he had saved them from the Egyptians.10 He said, “Praise the Lord. He has saved you from the Egyptians and their king, and he has saved the people from the power of the Egyptians.11 Now I know the Lord is greater than all gods, because he did this to those who looked down on Israel.”12 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, gave a whole burnt offering and other sacrifices to God. Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to Moses’ father-in-law to eat the holy meal together before God.13 The next day Moses solved disagreements among the people, and the people stood around him from morning until night.14 When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he asked, “What is all this you are doing for the people? Why are you the only one to solve disagreements? All the people are standing around you from morning until night!”15 Then Moses said to his father-in-law, “It is because the people come to me for God’s help in solving their disagreements.16 When people have a disagreement, they come to me, and I decide who is right. I tell them God’s laws and teachings.”17 Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “You are not doing this right.18 You and the people who come to you will get too tired. This is too much work for you; you can’t do it by yourself.19 Now listen to me, and I will give you some advice. I want God to be with you. You must speak to God for the people and tell him about their disagreements.20 Warn them about the laws and teachings, and teach them the right way to live and what they should do.21 But choose some capable men from among the people—men who respect God, who can be trusted, and who will not change their decisions for money. Make these men officers over the people, to rule over groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.22 Let these officers solve the disagreements among the people all the time. They can bring the hard cases to you, but they can decide the simple cases themselves. That will make it easier for you, because they will share the work with you.23 If you do this as God commands you, then you will be able to do your job, and all the people will go home with their disagreements solved.”

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So Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said.25 He chose capable men from all the Israelites and made them leaders over the people; they were officers over groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.26 These officers solved disagreements among the people all the time. They brought the hard cases to Moses, but they decided the simple cases themselves.

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So Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro went back to his own home.

Exodus 19

Israel Camps at Sinai

1 Exactly three months after the Israelites had left Egypt, they reached the Desert of Sinai.2 When they left Rephidim, they came to the Desert of Sinai and camped in the desert in front of the mountain.3 Then Moses went up on the mountain to God. The Lord called to him from the mountain and said, “Say this to the family of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel:4 ‘Every one of you has seen what I did to the people of Egypt. You saw how I carried you out of Egypt, as if on eagle’s wings. And I brought you here to me.5 So now if you obey me and keep my agreement, you will be my own possession, chosen from all nations. Even though the whole earth is mine,6 you will be my kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ You must tell the Israelites these words.”

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So Moses went down and called the elders of the people together. He told them all the words the Lord had commanded him to say.8 All the people answered together, “We will do everything he has said.” Then Moses took their answer back to the Lord.

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And the Lord said to Moses, “I will come to you in a thick cloud and speak to you. The people will hear me speaking with you and will always trust you.” Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said.10 The Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and have them spend today and tomorrow preparing themselves. They must wash their clothes11 and be ready by the day after tomorrow. On that day I, the Lord, will come down on Mount Sinai, and all the people will see me.12 But you must set a limit around the mountain that the people are not to cross. Tell them not to go up on the mountain and not to touch the foot of it. Anyone who touches the mountain must be put to death13 with stones or shot with arrows. No one is allowed to touch him. Whether it is a person or an animal, he will not live. But the trumpet will make a long blast, and only then may the people go up on the mountain.”14 After Moses went down from the mountain to the people, he made them prepare themselves for service to God, and they washed their clothes.15 Then Moses said to the people, “Be ready in three days. Do not have sexual relations during this time.”16 On the morning of the third day, there was thunder and lightning with a thick cloud on the mountain. There was a very loud blast from a trumpet, and all the people in the camp trembled.17 Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.18 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord came down on it in fire. The smoke rose from the mountain like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain shook wildly.19 The sound from the trumpet became louder. Then Moses spoke, and the voice of God answered him.

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When the Lord came down on top of Mount Sinai, he called Moses to come up to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.21 The Lord said to Moses, “Go down and warn the people that they must not force their way through to see me. If they do, many of them will die.22 Even the priests, who may come near me, must first prepare themselves. If they don’t, I, the Lord, will punish them.”

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Moses told the Lord, “The people cannot come up on Mount Sinai, because you yourself told us, ‘Set a limit around the mountain, and set it apart as holy.’ ”

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The Lord said to him, “Go down and bring Aaron up with you, but don’t allow the priests or the people to force their way through. They must not come up to the Lord, or I will punish them.”

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So Moses went down to the people and told them these things.

Exodus 20

The Ten Commandments

1 Then God spoke all these words:

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“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt where you were slaves.

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“You must not have any other gods except me.

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“You must not make for yourselves an idol that looks like anything in the sky above or on the earth below or in the water below the land.5 You must not worship or serve any idol, because I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God. If you hate me, I will punish your children, and even your grandchildren and great-grandchildren.6 But I show kindness to thousands who love me and obey my commands.

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“You must not use the name of the Lord your God thoughtlessly; the Lord will punish anyone who misuses his name.

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“Remember to keep the Sabbath holy.9 Work and get everything done during six days each week,10 but the seventh day is a day of rest to honor the Lord your God. On that day no one may do any work: not you, your son or daughter, your male or female slaves, your animals, or the foreigners living in your cities.11 The reason is that in six days the Lord made everything—the sky, the earth, the sea, and everything in them. On the seventh day he rested. So the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.12 “Honor your father and your mother so that you will live a long time in the land that the Lord your God is going to give you.13 “You must not murder anyone.14 “You must not be guilty of adultery.15 “You must not steal.16 “You must not tell lies about your neighbor.17 “You must not want to take your neighbor’s house. You must not want his wife or his male or female slaves, or his ox or his donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”18 When the people heard the thunder and the trumpet, and when they saw the lightning and the smoke rising from the mountain, they shook with fear and stood far away from the mountain.19 Then they said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself, and we will listen. But don’t let God speak to us, or we will die.”

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Then Moses said to the people, “Don’t be afraid, because God has come to test you. He wants you to respect him so you will not sin.”

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The people stood far away from the mountain while Moses went near the dark cloud where God was.22 Then the Lord told Moses to say these things to the Israelites: “You yourselves have seen that I talked with you from heaven.23 You must not use gold or silver to make idols for yourselves; do not worship these gods in addition to me.

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“Make an altar of dirt for me, and sacrifice on it your whole burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your sheep and your cattle. Worship me in every place that I choose, and I will come and bless you.25 If you use stones to make an altar for me, don’t use stones that you have shaped with tools. When you use any tools on them, you make them unsuitable for use in worship.26 And you must not go up to my altar on steps, or people will be able to see under your clothes.”