1 A nd Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people—that 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 T hen Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her back,

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

3 w ith her two sons, of whom the name of one was Gershom (for he said, “I have been a stranger in a foreign land”)

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

4 a nd the name of the other was 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 a nd Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness, where he was encamped at the mountain 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 N ow he had said 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 S o Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down, and kissed him. And they asked each other about their well-being, and they 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 A nd Moses 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 come upon them on the way, 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 T hen Jethro rejoiced for all the good which the Lord had done for Israel, whom He had delivered out of 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 A nd Jethro said, “Blessed be the Lord, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh, and who has 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; for in the very thing in which they behaved proudly, He was above them.”

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 other sacrifices to offer to God. And Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread 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 A nd so it was, on the next day, that Moses sat to judge the people; and the people stood before Moses from morning until 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 S o when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did for the people, he said, “What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit, and all the people stand before 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 A nd Moses 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 difficulty, they come to me, and I judge between one and another; and I make known the statutes of God and His laws.”

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 S o Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you do is not good.

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

18 B oth you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you; you are not able to perform it by yourself.

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

19 L isten now to my voice; I will give you counsel, and God will be with you: Stand before God for the people, so that you may bring the difficulties 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 A nd you shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and show them the way in which they must walk and the work they must 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 M oreover you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers 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 A nd let them judge the people at all times. Then it will be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they themselves shall judge. So it will be easier for you, for 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 this people will also 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 heeded the voice of 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 A nd Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people: rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers 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 S o they judged the people at all times; the hard cases they brought to Moses, but they judged every small case themselves.

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

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