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, how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt.

Ora Jetro, sacerdote de Midiã, sogro de Moisés, ouviu todas as coisas que Deus tinha feito a Moisés e a Israel, seu povo, como o Senhor tinha tirado a Israel do Egito.

2 J ethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Moses’ wife Zipporah, after he had sent her away,

E Jetro, sogro de Moisés, tomou a Zípora, a mulher de Moisés, depois que este lha enviara,

3 a nd her two sons, of whom one was named Gershom, for Moses said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.”

e aos seus dois filhos, dos quais um se chamava Gérson; porque disse Moisés: Fui peregrino em terra estrangeira;

4 T he other was named Eliezer, for he said, “ The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.”

e o outro se chamava Eliézer; porque disse: O Deus de meu pai foi minha ajuda, e me livrou da espada de Faraó.

5 T hen Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was camped, at the mount of God.

Veio, pois, Jetro, o sogro de Moisés, com os filhos e a mulher deste, a Moisés, no deserto onde se tinha acampado, junto ao monte de Deus;

6 H e sent word to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her.”

e disse a Moisés: Eu, teu sogro Jetro, venho a ti, com tua mulher e seus dois filhos com ela.

7 T hen Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and he bowed down and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare and went into the tent.

Então saiu Moisés ao encontro de seu sogro, inclinou-se diante dele e o beijou; perguntaram um ao outro como estavam, e entraram na tenda.

8 M oses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had befallen them on the journey, and how the Lord had delivered them.

Depois Moisés contou a seu sogro tudo o que o Senhor tinha feito a Faraó e aos egípcios por amor de Israel, todo o trabalho que lhes sobreviera no caminho, e como o Senhor os livrara.

9 J ethro rejoiced over all the goodness which the Lord had done to Israel, in delivering them from the hand of the Egyptians.

E alegrou-se Jetro por todo o bem que o Senhor tinha feito a Israel, livrando-o da mão dos egipcios,

10 S o Jethro said, “ Blessed be the Lord who delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh, and who delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.

e disse: Bendito seja o Senhor, que vos livrou da mão dos egípcios e da mão de Faraó; que livrou o povo de debaixo da mão dos egípcios.

11 N ow I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods; indeed, it was proven when they dealt proudly against the people.”

Agora sei que o Senhor é maior que todos os deuses; até naquilo em que se houveram arrogantemente contra o povo.

12 T hen Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses’ father-in-law before God.

Então Jetro, o sogro de Moisés, tomou holocausto e sacrifícios para Deus; e veio Arão, e todos os anciãos de Israel, para comerem pão com o sogro de Moisés diante de Deus.

13 I t came about the next day that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood about Moses from the morning until the evening.

No dia seguinte assentou-se Moisés para julgar o povo; e o povo estava em pé junto de Moisés desde a manhã até a tarde.

14 N ow when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge and all the people stand about you from morning until evening?”

Vendo, pois, o sogro de Moisés tudo o que ele fazia ao povo, perguntou: Que é isto que tu fazes ao povo? por que te assentas só, permanecendo todo o povo junto de ti desde a manhã até a tarde?

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

Respondeu Moisés a seu sogro: É por que o povo vem a mim para consultar a Deus.

16 W hen they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor and make known the statutes of God and His laws.” Jethro Counsels Moses

Quando eles têm alguma questão, vêm a mim; e eu julgo entre um e outro e lhes declaro os estatutos de Deus e as suas leis.

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

O sogro de Moisés, porém, lhe replicou: Não é bom o que fazes.

18 Y ou will surely wear out, both yourself and these people who are with you, for the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.

certamente desfalecerás, assim tu, como este povo que está contigo; porque isto te é pesado demais; tu só não o podes fazer.

19 N ow listen to me: I will give you counsel, and God be with you. You be the people’s representative before God, and you bring the disputes to God,

Ouve agora a minha voz; eu te aconselharei, e seja Deus contigo: sê tu pelo povo diante de Deus, e leva tu as causas a Deus;

20 t hen teach them the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they are to walk and the work they are to do.

ensinar-lhes-ás os estatutos e as leis, e lhes mostrarás o caminho em que devem andar, e a obra que devem fazer.

21 F urthermore, you shall select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens.

Além disto procurarás dentre todo o povo homens de capacidade, tementes a Deus, homens verazes, que aborreçam a avareza, e os porás sobre eles por chefes de mil, chefes de cem, chefes de cinqüenta e chefes de dez;

22 L et them judge the people at all times; and let it be that every major dispute they will bring to you, but every minor dispute they themselves will judge. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you.

e julguem eles o povo em todo o tempo. Que a ti tragam toda causa grave, mas toda causa pequena eles mesmos a julguem; assim a ti mesmo te aliviarás da carga, e eles a levarão contigo.

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

Se isto fizeres, e Deus to mandar, poderás então subsistir; assim também todo este povo irá em paz para o seu lugar.

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

E Moisés deu ouvidos ã voz de seu sogro, e fez tudo quanto este lhe dissera;

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

e escolheu Moisés homens capazes dentre todo o Israel, e os pôs por cabeças sobre o povo: chefes de mil, chefes de cem, chefes de cinqüenta e chefes de dez.

26 T hey judged the people at all times; the difficult dispute they would bring to Moses, but every minor dispute they themselves would judge.

Estes, pois, julgaram o povo em todo o tempo; as causas graves eles as trouxeram a Moisés; mas toda causa pequena, julgaram-na eles mesmos.

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

Então despediu Moisés a seu sogro, o qual se foi para a sua terra.