1 A nd Jethro priest of Midian, father-in-law of Moses, heareth all that God hath done for Moses, and for Israel his people, that Jehovah hath brought out Israel from Egypt,

And 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.

2 a nd Jethro, father-in-law of Moses, taketh Zipporah, wife of Moses, besides her parents,

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 Gershom, for he said, `a sojourner I have been in a strange land:'

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

4 a nd the name of the other Eliezer, for, `the God of my father for my help, and doth deliver me from the sword of Pharaoh.'

and 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”);

5 A nd Jethro, father-in-law of Moses, cometh, and his sons, and his wife, unto Moses, unto the wilderness where he is encamping -- the mount of God;

and 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.

6 a nd he saith unto Moses, `I, thy father-in-law, Jethro, am coming unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.'

Now he had said to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her.”

7 A nd Moses goeth out to meet his father-in-law, and boweth himself, and kisseth him, and they ask one at another of welfare, and come into the tent;

So 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.

8 a nd Moses recounteth to his father-in-law all that Jehovah hath done to Pharaoh, and to the Egyptians, on account of Israel, all the travail which hath found them in the way, and Jehovah doth deliver them.

And 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.

9 A nd Jethro rejoiceth for all the good which Jehovah hath done to Israel, whom He hath delivered from the hand of the Egyptians;

Then Jethro rejoiced for all the good which the Lord had done for Israel, whom He had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.

10 a nd Jethro saith, `Blessed Jehovah, who hath delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians, and from the hand of Pharaoh -- who hath delivered this 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, and who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.

11 n ow I have known that Jehovah greater than all the gods, for in the thing they have acted proudly -- above them!'

Now 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.”

12 A nd Jethro, father-in-law of Moses, taketh a burnt-offering and sacrifices for God; and Aaron cometh in, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with the father-in-law of Moses, before God.

Then 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.

13 A nd it cometh to pass on the morrow, that Moses sitteth to judge the people, and the people stand before Moses, from the morning unto the evening;

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

14 a nd the father-in-law of Moses seeth all that he is doing to the people, and saith, `What this thing which thou art doing to the people? wherefore art thou sitting by thyself, and all the people standing by thee from morning till evening?'

So 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?”

15 A nd Moses saith to his father-in-law, `Because the people come unto me to seek God;

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

16 w hen they have a matter, it hath come unto me, and I have judged between a man and his neighbour, and made known the statutes of God, and His laws.'

When 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.”

17 A nd the father-in-law of Moses saith unto him, `The thing which thou art doing not good;

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

18 t hou dost surely wear away, both thou, and this people which with thee, for the thing is too heavy for thee, thou art not able to do it by thyself.

Both 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.

19 ` Now, hearken to my voice, I counsel thee, and God is with thee: be thou for the people over-against God, and thou hast brought in the things unto God;

Listen 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.

20 a nd thou hast warned them the statutes and the laws, and hast made known to them the way in which they go, and the work which they do.

And 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.

21 ` And thou -- thou dost provide out of all the people men of ability, fearing God, men of truth, hating dishonest gain, and hast placed over them, heads of thousands, heads of hundreds, heads of fifties, and heads of tens,

Moreover 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.

22 a nd they have judged the people at all times; and it hath come to pass, every great matter they bring in unto thee, and every small matter they judge themselves; and lighten it from off thyself, and they have borne with thee.

And 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.

23 I f thou dost this thing, and God hath commanded thee, then thou hast been able to stand, and all this people also goeth in unto its place in peace.'

If 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.”

24 A nd Moses hearkeneth to the voice of his father-in-law, and doth all that he said,

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

25 a nd Moses chooseth men of ability out of all Israel, and maketh them chiefs over the people, heads of thousands, heads of hundreds, heads of fifties, and heads of tens,

And 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.

26 a nd they have judged the people at all times; the hard matter they bring in unto Moses, and every small matter they judge themselves.

So they judged the people at all times; the hard cases they brought to Moses, but they judged every small case themselves.

27 A nd Moses sendeth his father-in-law away, and he goeth away unto his own land.

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