Chapter 18

When Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father in law,⁶ heard⁴ of all that God had done¹ for Moses, and for Israel his people, [and] that the LORD had brought Israel out⁵² of Egypt;

Then Jethro, Moses' father in law,⁶ took⁴ Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her back,

And her two sons; of which the name of the one [was] Gershom; for he said,¹ I have been an alien in a strange land:

And the name of the other [was] Eliezer; for the God of my father, [said he, was] mine help, and delivered⁵⁵ me from the sword of Pharaoh:

And Jethro, Moses' father in law,⁶ came⁴ with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped⁶ at the mount of God:

And he said⁴ unto Moses, I thy father in law⁶ Jethro am come⁶ unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.

And Moses went out⁴ to meet² his father in law,⁶ and did obeisance,¹⁰¹ and kissed⁴ him; and they asked⁴ each other of [their] welfare; and they came⁴ into the tent.

And Moses told¹⁷ his father in law⁶ all that the LORD had done¹ unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, [and] all the travail that had come upon¹ them by the way, and [how] the LORD delivered⁵⁵ them.

And Jethro rejoiced⁴ for all the goodness which the LORD had done¹ to Israel, whom he had delivered⁵² out of the hand of the Egyptians.

And Jethro said,⁴ Blessed⁷ [be] the LORD, who hath delivered⁵² you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who hath delivered⁵² the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.

Now I know¹ that the LORD [is] greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly¹ [he was] above them.

And Jethro, Moses' father in law,⁶ took⁴ a burnt offering and sacrifices for God: and Aaron came,⁴ and all the elders of Israel, to eat² bread with Moses' father in law⁶ before God.

And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat⁴ to judge² the people: and the people stood⁴ by Moses from the morning unto the evening.

And when Moses' father in law⁶ saw⁴ all that he did⁶ to the people, he said,⁴ What [is] this thing that thou doest⁶ to the people? why sittest⁶ thou thyself alone, and all the people stand¹² by thee from morning unto even?

And Moses said⁴ unto his father in law,⁶ Because the people come⁴ unto me to enquire² of God:

When they have a matter, they come⁶ unto me; and I judge¹ between one and another, and I do make [them] know⁵² the statutes of God, and his laws.

And Moses' father in law⁶ said⁴ unto him, The thing that thou doest⁶ [is] not good.

Thou wilt surely² wear away,⁴ both thou, and this people that [is] with thee: for this thing [is] too heavy for thee; thou art not able⁴ to perform² it thyself alone.

Hearken³ now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel,⁴ and God shall be with thee: Be³ thou for the people to God-ward, ⁴³⁰ that thou mayest bring⁵² the causes unto God:

And thou shalt teach⁵² them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew⁵² them the way wherein they must walk,⁴ and the work that they must do.⁴

Moreover thou shalt provide⁴ out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating⁶ covetousness; and place¹ [such] over them, [to be] rulers of thousands, [and] rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:

And let them judge¹ the people at all seasons: and it shall be, [that] every great matter they shall bring⁵⁵ unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge:⁴ so shall it be easier⁵⁴ for thyself, and they shall bear¹ [the burden] with thee.

If thou shalt do⁴ this thing, and God command¹⁴ thee [so], then thou shalt be able¹ to endure,² and all this people shall also go⁴ to their place in peace.

So Moses hearkened⁴ to the voice of his father in law,⁶ and did⁴ all that he had said.¹

And Moses chose⁴ able men out of all Israel, and made⁴ them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

And they judged¹ the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought⁵⁵ unto Moses, but every small matter they judged⁴ themselves.

And Moses let his father in law⁶ depart;¹⁷ and he went⁴ his way into his own land.