EXODUS 18      Other translations  -  previous  -  next  -  meaning  -  Exodus  -  BM Home  -  Full Page

1. And Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses‘ father-in-law, heard all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel His people, in that Jehovah had brought forth Israel out of Egypt.

2. And Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Zipporah, Mosess wife, after he had sent her away:

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

4. And the name of the other was Eliezer; Because the God of my father was my help, and liberated me from the sword of Pharaoh.

5. And Jethro Moses‘ father-in-law came, and his sons, and his wife, unto Moses, unto the wilderness where he was encamped at the mount of God.

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

7. And Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and bowed himself down, and kissed him; and they asked a man his companion as to peace; and they came into the tent.

8. And Moses told his father-in-law all that Jehovah had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the trouble that found them in the way, and Jehovah rescued them.

9. And Jethro rejoiced over all the good that Jehovah had done to Israel, who rescued them out of the hand of the Egyptians.

10. And Jethro said, Blessed be Jehovah, who hath rescued you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh; who rescued His people from under the hand of the Egyptians.

11. Now I know that Jehovah is great above all the gods; for the reason that they dealt proudly over 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 was on the morrow, and Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood over Moses from the morning until the evening.

14. And Moses‘ father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, and he said, What is this word that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou alone, and all the people standing over thee from the morning until the evening?

15. And Moses said to his father-in-law, Because the people cometh unto me to inquire of God:

16. When they have a word, it cometh unto me; and I judge between a man and his companion, and I make known the judgments of God, and His laws.

17. And Moses’ father-in-law said unto him, The word that thou doest is not good.

18. Wearing thou wilt wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee; because the word is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to do it, thou alone.

19. Now hear my voice, I will counsel thee, and God shall be with thee: be thou for the people with God, and bring thou the words unto God:

20. And do thou teach them the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.

21. And do thou see out of all the people men of strenuousness, fearing God, men of truth, hating gain; and do thou set of them for princes of thousands, princes of hundreds, princes of fifties, and princes of tens:

22. And let them judge the people in every time; and it shall be, every great word let them bring unto thee, and every small word let them judge; and devolve from upon thee, and let them bear with thee.

23. If thou do this word, and God have commanded thee, then thou shalt be able to stand, and also all this people shall come upon its place in peace.

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

25. And Moses chose men of strenuousness out of all Israel, and gave them as heads over the people: princes of thousands, princes of hundreds, princes of fifties, and princes of tens.

26. And they shall judge the people in every time, the difficult word they shall bring unto Moses, and every small word they shall judge.

27. And Moses let his father-in-law go, and he went to himself unto his own land.