Exod 18
1
Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses` father-in-law, heard of all that God had
done for Moses, and for Israel his people, how that YHWH had brought Israel out of
Egypt.
2
And Jethro, Moses` father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses` wife, after he had sent her
away,
3
and her two sons; of whom the name of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been
a sojourner in a foreign land:
4
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
And Jethro, Moses` father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses into the
wilderness where he was encamped, at the mount of God:
6
and he said to Moses, I, your father-in-law Jethro, am come to you, and your wife,
and her two sons with her.
7
And Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and did obeisance, and kissed him: and
they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent.
8
And Moses told his father-in-law all that YHWH had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians
for Israel`s sake, all the travail that had come upon them by the way, and how YHWH
delivered them.
9
And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which YHWH had done to Israel, in that he
had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.
10
And Jethro said, Blessed be YHWH, 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
Now I know that YHWH is greater than all gods; yea, in the thing wherein they dealt
proudly against them.
12
And Jethro, Moses` father-in-law, took a burnt-offering and sacrifices for God: and
Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses` father-in-law before
God.
13
And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people
stood about Moses from the morning to the evening.
14
And when Moses` father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is
this thing that you do to the people? why sit you yourself alone, and all the people
stand about you from morning to even?
15
And Moses said to his father-in-law, Because the people come to me to inquire of God:
16
when they have a matter, they come to me; and I judge between a man and his neighbor,
and I make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.
17
And Moses` father-in-law said to him, The thing that you do is not good.
18
You will surely wear away, both you, and this people that is with you: for the thing
is too heavy for you; you are not able to perform it yourself alone.
19
Hearken now to my voice, I will give you counsel, and God be with you: be you for
the people to God-ward, and bring you the causes to God:
20
and you shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and shall show them the way wherein
they must walk, and the work that they must do.
21
Moreover you shall provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of
truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers
of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:
22
and let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter
they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall judge themselves: so shall
it be easier for yourself, and they shall bear [the burden] with you.
23
If you shall do this thing, and God command you so, then you shall be able to endure,
and all this people also shall go to their place in peace.
24
So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said.
25
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
And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought to Moses,
but every small matter they judged themselves.
27
And Moses let his father-in-law depart; and he went his way into his own land.