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.

¶ 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 T hen 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 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”)

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 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”);

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 with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness, where he was 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 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.”

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 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.

¶ 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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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; for in the very thing in which they behaved proudly, He was 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 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.

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 so it was, on the next day, that Moses sat to judge the people; and the people stood before Moses from morning until 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 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?”

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

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

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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 this people will 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 S o Moses heeded 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: rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers 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 S o they judged the people at all times; the hard cases they brought to Moses, but they judged every small case themselves.

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

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