Exodus 18:1 ¶ Now Jethro,3503 the priest3548 of Midian,4080 Moses'4872 father-in-law,2859 heard8085 of all that God430 had done6213 for Moses,4872 and for Israel3478 his people,5971 how that Yahweh3068 had brought3318 Israel3478 out of Egypt.47142 Jethro,3503 Moses'4872 father-in-law,2859 received3947 Zipporah,6855 Moses'4872 wife,802 after310 he had sent her away,79643 and her two8147 sons.1121 The name8034 of one259 son was Gershom,1647{“Gershom” sounds like the Hebrew for “an alien there”.} for Moses said,559 "I have lived as a foreigner1616 in a foreign5237 land".7764 The name8034 of the other259 was Eliezer,461{Eliezer means “God is my helper”.} for he said, "My father's1 God430 was my help5828 and delivered5337 me from Pharaoh's6547 sword."27195 Jethro,3503 Moses'4872 father-in-law,2859 came935 with his sons1121 and his wife802 to Moses4872 into the wilderness4057 where he was encamped,2583 at the Mountain2022 of God.4306 He said559 to Moses,4872 "I, your father-in-law2859 Jethro,3503 have come935 to you with your wife,802 and her two8147 sons1121 with her."
Exodus 18:7 ¶ Moses4872 went out3318 to meet7125 his father-in-law,2859 and bowed7812 and kissed5401 him. They asked7592 each376 other7453 of their welfare,7965 and they came935 into the tent.1688 Moses4872 told5608 his father-in-law2859 all that Yahweh3068 had done6213 to Pharaoh6547 and to the Egyptians4714 for Israel's3478 sake,182 all the hardships8513 that had come4672 on them on the way,1870 and how Yahweh3068 delivered5337 them.
9 Jethro3503 rejoiced2302 for all the goodness2896 which Yahweh3068 had done6213 to Israel,3478 in that he had delivered5337 them out of the hand3027 of the Egyptians.471410 Jethro3503 said,559 "Blessed1288 be Yahweh,3068 who has delivered5337 you out of the hand3027 of the Egyptians,4714 and out of the hand3027 of Pharaoh;6547 who has delivered5337 the people5971 from under the hand3027 of the Egyptians.471411 Now I know3045 that Yahweh3068 is greater1419 than all gods430 because of the thing1697 in which they dealt arrogantly2102 against them."
12 Jethro,3503 Moses'4872 father-in-law,2859 took3947 a burnt offering5930 and sacrifices2077 for God.430 Aaron175 came935 with all of the elders2205 of Israel,3478 to eat398 bread3899 with Moses'4872 father-in-law2859 before6440 God.430
Exodus 18:13 ¶ It happened on the next day,4283 that Moses4872 sat3427 to judge8199 the people,5971 and the people5971 stood5975 around Moses4872 from the morning1242 to the evening.615314 When Moses'4872 father-in-law2859 saw7200 all that he did6213 to the people,5971 he said,559 "What is this thing1697 that you do6213 for the people?5971 Why do you sit3427 alone, and all the people5971 stand5324 around you from morning1242 to evening?"6153
Exodus 18:15 ¶ Moses4872 said559 to his father-in-law,2859 "Because the people5971 come935 to me to inquire1875 of God.43016 When they have a matter,1697 they come935 to me, and I judge8199 between a man376 and his neighbor,7453 and I make them know3045 the statutes2706 of God,430 and his laws."845117 Moses'4872 father-in-law2859 said559 to him, "The thing1697 that you do6213 is not good.289618 You will surely5034 wear away,5034 both you, and this people5971 that is with you; for the thing1697 is too heavy3515 for you. You are not able3201 to perform6213 it yourself alone.
19 Listen8085 now to my voice.6963 I will give you counsel,3289 and God430 be1961 with you. You represent the people5971 before God,4136 and bring935 the causes1697 to God.43020 You shall teach2094 them the statutes2706 and the laws,8451 and shall show3045 them the way1870 in which they must walk,3212 and the work4639 that they must do.621321 Moreover you shall provide2372 out of all the people5971 able2428 men,582 such as fear3373 God:430 men582 of truth,571 hating8130 unjust gain;1215 and place7760 such over them, to be rulers8269 of thousands,505 rulers8269 of hundreds,3967 rulers8269 of fifties,2572 and rulers8269 of tens.623522 Let them judge8199 the people5971 at all times.6256 It shall be that every great1419 matter1697 they shall bring935 to you, but every small6996 matter1697 they shall judge8199 themselves. So shall it be easier7043 for you, and they shall share5375 the load with you.
23 If you will do6213 this thing,1697 and God430 commands6680 you so, then you will be able3201 to endure,5975 and all of these people5971 also will go935 to their place4725 in peace."7965
Exodus 18:24 ¶ So Moses4872 listened8085 to the voice6963 of his father-in-law,2859 and did6213 all that he had said.55925 Moses4872 chose977 able2428 men582 out of all Israel,3478 and made5414 them heads7218 over the people,5971 rulers8269 of thousands,505 rulers8269 of hundreds,3967 rulers8269 of fifties,2572 and rulers8269 of tens.623526 They judged8199 the people5971 at all times.6256 They brought935 the hard7186 causes1697 to Moses,4872 but every small6996 matter1697 they judged8199 themselves.
27 Moses4872 let his father-in-law2859 depart,7971 and he went3212 his way into his own land.776