Exodus, 18

1. When Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father in law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, [and] that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt;

1. Jethro, the priest of Midian, father-in-law of Moses, heard all that God had done for Moses and for Israel, his people, when Yahweh brought Israel out of Egypt.

2. Then Jethro, Moses' father in law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her back,

2. After Moses had sent away Zipporah, his wife, Jethro, his father-in-law, received her

3. And her two sons; of which the name of the one [was] Gershom; for he said, I have been an alien in a strange land:

3. and her two sons. The first, Moses had called Gershom, to remember that he had been a guest in a foreign land,

4. And the name of the other [was] Eliezer; for the God of my father, [said he, was] mine help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh:

4. and the other Eliezer, for he said, "The God of my father came to my help and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh."

5. And Jethro, Moses' father in law, came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped at the mount of God:

5. So Jethro came with Moses' wife and sons to the desert where the people had encamped at the mountain of God.

6. And he said unto Moses, I thy father in law Jethro am come unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.

6. Moses was told, "Your father-in-law Jethro is here. He has come with your wife and her two sons."

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.

7. So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowing low before him, he kissed him, and when each had inquired about the other's health, they entered the tent.

8. 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 by the way, and [how] the LORD delivered them.

8. Moses then told his father-in-law all that Yahweh had done to Pharaoh and Egypt for the sake of Israel and all the difficulties they had met with on the way and how Yahweh had saved them.

9. 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.

9. Jethro rejoiced at all Yahweh's goodness to Israel in freeing them from the power of Egypt and he said,

10. And Jethro said, Blessed [be] the LORD, who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.

10. "Blessed be Yahweh who has delivered you from the power of Egypt and Pharaoh, and has rescued the people from the grip of Egypt.

11. Now I know that the LORD [is] greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly [he was] above them.

11. I know now that Yahweh is greater than all the gods, for he delivered his people when they were being oppressed."

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.

12. Then Jethro brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to offer to God; and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to share this meal with Moses' father-in-law in the presence of God.

13. And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening.

13. The next day Moses took his seat to administer justice for the people who stood around him from morning till night.

14. And when Moses' father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What [is] this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even?

14. His father-in-law, seeing all the work of Moses for the people, said to him, "What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit and judge while all the people stand around you from morning till night?"

15. And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God:

15. Moses answered, "It is the people who come to me to know God's will.

16. When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make [them] know the statutes of God, and his laws.

16. When there is a dispute they bring it to me to decide between the two parties, and I teach them God's decrees and laws."

17. And Moses' father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest [is] not good.

17. Jethro replied, "What you are doing is not good.

18. 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.

18. You and your people will wear yourselves out, for the work is too heavy and you cannot do it alone.

19. Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God:

19. Now listen to the advice I am going to give you and God be with you. You will be the people's representative before God and bring their cases to him.

20. And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.

20. You will teach them the statutes and laws and the way they must live and what they must do.

21. Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place [such] over them, [to be] rulers of thousands, [and] rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:

21. But choose among the people, capable, God-fearing men, men of truth who hate a bribe, and appoint them as leaders for groups of a thousand, a hundred, fifty and ten.

22. 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.

22. They will administer justice at all times, bringing to your attention only those cases of major importance, while they deal with all those of lesser importance. That will ease your burden since they will be sharing it with you.

23. 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.

23. If you do this, God will guide you and you will be able to cope with this duty; and all these people will reach their place in peace."

24. So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said.

24. Moses followed his father-in-law's advice and did as he 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.

25. He chose capable men from among the Israelites and placed them as leaders for groups of a thousand, a hundred, fifty and ten.

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

26. They administered justice at all times, bringing difficult cases to Moses but judging all other cases themselves.

27. And Moses let his father in law depart; and he went his way into his own land.

27. Then Moses let his father-in-law return to his own country.