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.

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

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

3 a nd her two sons, of whom one was named Gershom, for Moses 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 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.”

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 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.

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 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.”

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 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.

¶ 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 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.

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

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 the Lord is greater than all the gods; indeed, it was proven when they dealt proudly against the people.”

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 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.

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 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.

¶ 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 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?”

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

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

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

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.

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 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,

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.”

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 S o Moses listened to 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 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.

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

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

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

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