Ex 18:1Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people, how Jehovah had brought Israel out of Egypt.
Ex 18:2And Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, had taken Moses’ wife Zipporah, after he had sent her away,
Ex 18:3And her two sons, of whom the name of one was Gershom, for Moses said, I have been a sojourner in a foreign land;
Ex 18:4And 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.
Ex 18:5So Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was encamped, at the mount of God.
Ex 18:6And he sent word to Moses: I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her.
Ex 18:7So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him; and each asked the other’s welfare, and they came into the tent.
Ex 18:8And Moses told his father-in-law all that Jehovah 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 Jehovah delivered them.
Ex 18:9And Jethro rejoiced for all the good which Jehovah had done to Israel, in that He had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.
Ex 18:10And Jethro said, Blessed be Jehovah, who has delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh, who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.
Ex 18:11Now I know that Jehovah is greater than all gods, for it was demonstrated in this matter, when they dealt proudly against the people.
Ex 18:12Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat food with Moses’ father-in-law before God.
Ex 18:13And on the following day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from the morning to the evening.
Ex 18:14And when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit by yourself, and all the people stand around you from morning to evening?
Ex 18:15Then Moses said to his father-in-law, Because the people come to me to inquire of God.
Ex 18:16When they have a dispute, the matter comes to me; and I judge between a man and his neighbor, and I make known the statutes of God and His laws.
Ex 18:17And Moses’ father-in-law said to him, The thing that you are doing is not good.
Ex 18:18You will surely wear yourself out, both you and this people who are with you, for the thing is too heavy for you; you cannot do it by yourself.
Ex 18:19Listen now to my voice: I will give you counsel, and God be with you. You stand for the people before God, and you bring the matters to God.
Ex 18:20And you shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they should walk and the work that they should do.
Ex 18:21You also should look for able men among all the people who fear God, men of truth, who hate unjust gain; and place them over them, as leaders of thousands, leaders of hundreds, leaders of fifties, and leaders of tens.
Ex 18:22And let them judge the people at all times; and let them bring every great matter to you, but every small matter let them judge themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you.
Ex 18:23If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people also will go to their place in peace.
Ex 18:24So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said.
Ex 18:25And Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people: leaders of thousands, leaders of hundreds, leaders of fifties, and leaders of tens.
Ex 18:26And they judged the people at all times; the hard cases they brought to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.
Ex 18:27And Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way to his own land.
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