1 N ow Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people, and that the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt.

And Jethro priest of Midian, father-in-law of Moses, heareth all that God hath done for Moses, and for Israel his people, that Jehovah hath brought out Israel from Egypt,

2 T hen Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after Moses had sent her back,

and Jethro, father-in-law of Moses, taketh Zipporah, wife of Moses, besides her parents,

3 A nd her two sons, of whom the name of the one was Gershom, for Moses said, I have been an alien in a strange land;

and her two sons, of whom the name of the one Gershom, for he said, `a sojourner I have been in a strange land:'

4 A nd the name of the other was Eliezer, for the God of my father, said Moses, was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.

and the name of the other Eliezer, for, `the God of my father for my help, and doth deliver me from the sword of Pharaoh.'

5 A nd Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with Moses’ sons and his wife to the wilderness where he was encamped at the mount of God.

And Jethro, father-in-law of Moses, cometh, and his sons, and his wife, unto Moses, unto the wilderness where he is encamping -- the mount of God;

6 A nd he said to Moses, I, your father-in-law Jethro, am come to you and your wife and her two sons with her.

and he saith unto Moses, `I, thy father-in-law, Jethro, am coming unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.'

7 A nd Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed in homage and kissed him; and each asked the other of his welfare and they came into the tent.

And Moses goeth out to meet his father-in-law, and boweth himself, and kisseth him, and they ask one at another of welfare, and come into the tent;

8 M oses told his father-in-law all the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake and all the hardships that had come upon them by the way and how the Lord delivered them.

and Moses recounteth to his father-in-law all that Jehovah hath done to Pharaoh, and to the Egyptians, on account of Israel, all the travail which hath found them in the way, and Jehovah doth deliver them.

9 J ethro rejoiced for all the goodness the Lord had done to Israel in that He had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.

And Jethro rejoiceth for all the good which Jehovah hath done to Israel, whom He hath delivered from the hand of the Egyptians;

10 J ethro said, Blessed be the Lord, Who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh, Who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.

and Jethro saith, `Blessed Jehovah, who hath delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians, and from the hand of Pharaoh -- who hath delivered this people from under the hand of the Egyptians;

11 N ow I know that the Lord is greater than all gods. Yes, in the thing in which they dealt proudly.

now I have known that Jehovah greater than all the gods, for in the thing they have acted proudly -- above them!'

12 A nd Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.

And Jethro, father-in-law of Moses, taketh a burnt-offering and sacrifices for God; and Aaron cometh in, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with the father-in-law of Moses, before God.

13 N ext day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning till evening.

And it cometh to pass on the morrow, that Moses sitteth to judge the people, and the people stand before Moses, from the morning unto the evening;

14 W hen Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, What is this that you do for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning till evening?

and the father-in-law of Moses seeth all that he is doing to the people, and saith, `What this thing which thou art doing to the people? wherefore art thou sitting by thyself, and all the people standing by thee from morning till evening?'

15 M oses said to his father-in-law, Because the people come to me to inquire of God.

And Moses saith to his father-in-law, `Because the people come unto me to seek God;

16 W hen they have a dispute they come to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor, and I make them know the statutes of God and His laws.

when they have a matter, it hath come unto me, and I have judged between a man and his neighbour, and made known the statutes of God, and His laws.'

17 M oses’ father-in-law said to him, The thing that you are doing is not good.

And the father-in-law of Moses saith unto him, `The thing which thou art doing not good;

18 Y ou will surely wear out both yourself and this people with you, for the thing is too heavy for you; you are not able to perform it all by yourself.

thou dost surely wear away, both thou, and this people which with thee, for the thing is too heavy for thee, thou art not able to do it by thyself.

19 L isten now to; I will counsel you, and God will be with you. You shall represent the people before God, bringing their cases and causes to Him,

`Now, hearken to my voice, I counsel thee, and God is with thee: be thou for the people over-against God, and thou hast brought in the things unto God;

20 T eaching them the decrees and laws, showing them the way they must walk and the work they must do.

and thou hast warned them the statutes and the laws, and hast made known to them the way in which they go, and the work which they do.

21 M oreover, you shall choose able men from all the people—God-fearing men of truth who hate unjust gain—and place them over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, to be their rulers.

`And thou -- thou dost provide out of all the people men of ability, fearing God, men of truth, hating dishonest gain, and hast placed over them, heads of thousands, heads of hundreds, heads of fifties, and heads of tens,

22 A nd let them judge the people at all times; every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall judge. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you.

and they have judged the people at all times; and it hath come to pass, every great matter they bring in unto thee, and every small matter they judge themselves; and lighten it from off thyself, and they have borne with thee.

23 I f you will do this, and God so commands you, you will be able to endure, and all these people also will go to their in peace.

If thou dost this thing, and God hath commanded thee, then thou hast been able to stand, and all this people also goeth in unto its place in peace.'

24 S o Moses listened to and heeded the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said.

And Moses hearkeneth to the voice of his father-in-law, and doth all that he said,

25 M oses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.

and Moses chooseth men of ability out of all Israel, and maketh them chiefs over the people, heads of thousands, heads of hundreds, heads of fifties, and heads of tens,

26 A nd they judged the people at all times; the hard cases they brought to Moses, but every small matter they decided themselves.

and they have judged the people at all times; the hard matter they bring in unto Moses, and every small matter they judge themselves.

27 T hen Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way into his own land.

And Moses sendeth his father-in-law away, and he goeth away unto his own land.