1 A nd Jethro the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done to Moses, and to Israel his people; that Jehovah had brought Israel out of Egypt.

¶ When Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done with Moses and with Israel his people and how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt,

2 A nd Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her back,

then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her back,

3 a nd her two sons, of whom the name of the one was Gershom—for he said, I have been a sojourner in a foreign land,

and her two sons, of which the name of the one was Gershon, for he said, I have been an alien in a strange land,

4 — and the name of the other, Eliezer—For the God of my father has been my help, and has delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.

and the name of the other was Eliezer, for the God of my father, said he, helped me and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh;

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

and Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness, where he was camped next to the mount of God;

6 A nd he sent word to Moses: I, thy father-in-law Jethro, am come to thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.

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 A nd Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other their welfare, and went into the tent.

¶ And Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and did obeisance and kissed him; and they asked each other of their peace; and they came into the tent.

8 A nd Moses told his father-in-law all that Jehovah had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake; all the trouble that had befallen them on the way, and Jehovah had delivered them.

And Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake and all the travail that had come upon them in the way and how the LORD delivered them.

9 A nd Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness that Jehovah had done to Israel; that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.

And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.

10 A nd Jethro said, Blessed be Jehovah, 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 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.

11 N ow I know that Jehovah is greater than all gods; for in the thing in which they acted haughtily above them.

Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods; for in the thing in which they dealt proudly he prevailed against them.

12 A nd 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 in the presence of God.

And Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took burnt offerings and sacrifices for God; and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.

13 A nd it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people; and the people stood by Moses from the morning to the evening.

¶ And it came to pass another day that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood before Moses from the morning unto the evening.

14 A nd Moses' father-in-law saw all that he did with the people, and said, What is this thing which thou art doing with the people? why dost thou sit alone, and all the people are standing by thee from morning to evening?

And when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this that thou doest to the people? Why sittest thou thyself alone and all the people stand before thee from morning unto evening?

15 A nd Moses said to his father-in-law, Because the people come to me to enquire of God.

And Moses said unto his father-in-law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God.

16 W hen they have a matter, they come to me, and I judge between one and another; and I make known the statutes of God, and his laws.

When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I declare unto them the statutes of God and his laws.

17 A nd Moses' father-in-law said to him, The thing that thou art doing is not good.

Then Moses’ father-in-law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good.

18 T hou wilt be quite exhausted, both thou and this people that is with thee; for the thing is too heavy for thee: thou canst not perform it alone.

Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou and this people that is with thee; for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.

19 H earken now to my voice: I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee. Be thou for the people with God, and bring the matters before God;

Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people before God that thou may submit the causes unto God.

20 a nd teach them the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they must walk, and the work that they must do.

And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws and shalt show them the way in which they must walk and the work that they must do.

21 B ut do thou provide among all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place over them, chiefs of thousands, chiefs of hundreds, chiefs of fifties, and chiefs of tens,

Moreover thou shalt consider out of all the people men of virtue, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness, and place princes over them, of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.

22 t hat they may judge the people at all times; and it shall be they shall bring to thee every great matter, and that they shall judge every small matter, and they shall lighten on thee, and they shall bear with thee.

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, so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.

23 I f thou do this thing, and God command thee, thou wilt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.

If thou shalt do this thing and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.

24 A nd Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said.

So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said.

25 A nd Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, chiefs of thousands, chiefs of hundreds, chiefs of fifties, and chiefs of tens.

And Moses chose men of virtue out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, princes over thousands, over hundreds, over fifties, and over tens.

26 A nd they judged the people at all times: the hard matters they brought to Moses, but every small matter they judged.

And they judged the people at all seasons; the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

27 A nd Moses sent away his father-in-law, and he departed into his land.

And Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went to his own land.