Exodus 18

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 Now Moses' father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for his people Israel: how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.	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;
2 So his father-in-law Jethro took along Zipporah, Moses' wife, whom Moses had sent back to him,	2 Then Jethro, Moses' father in law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her back,
3 and her two sons. One of these was called Gershom; for he said, "I am a stranger in a foreign land."	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:
4 The other was called Eliezer; for he said, "My father's God is my helper; he has rescued me from Pharaoh's sword."	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:
5 Together with Moses' wife and sons, then, his father-in-law Jethro came to him in the desert where he was encamped near the mountain of God,	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:
6 and he sent word to Moses, "I, Jethro, your father-in-law, am coming to you, along with your wife and her two sons."	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.
7 Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down before him, and kissed him. Having greeted each other, they went into the tent.	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.
8 Moses then told his father-in-law of all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for the sake of Israel, and of all the hardships they had had to endure on their journey, and how the LORD had come to their rescue.	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.
9 Jethro rejoiced over all the goodness that the LORD had shown Israel in rescuing them from the hands of the Egyptians.	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.
10 "Blessed be the LORD," he said, "who has rescued his people from the hands of Pharaoh and the Egyptians.	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.
11 Now I know that the LORD is a deity great beyond any other; for he took occasion of their being dealt with insolently to deliver the people from the power of the Egyptians."	11 Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them.
12 Then Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, brought a holocaust and other sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to participate with Moses' father-in-law in the meal before God.	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 The next day Moses sat in judgment for the people, who waited about him from morning until evening.	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.
14 When his father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he inquired, "What sort of thing is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone while all the people have to stand about you from morning till evening?"	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?
15 Moses answered his father-in-law, "The people come to me to consult God.	15 And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to inquire of God:
16 Whenever they have a disagreement, they come to me to have me settle the matter between them and make known to them God's decisions and regulations."	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.
17 "You are not acting wisely," his father-in-law replied.	17 And Moses' father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good.
18 "You will surely wear yourself out, and not only yourself but also these people with you. The task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.	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.
19 Now, listen to me, and I will give you some advice, that God may be with you. Act as the people's representative before God, bringing to him whatever they have to say.	19 Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to Godward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God:
20 Enlighten them in regard to the decisions and regulations, showing them how they are to live and what they are to do.	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.
21 But you should also look among all the people for able and God-fearing men, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain, and set them as officers over groups of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.	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:
22 Let these men render decisions for the people in all ordinary cases. More important cases they should refer to you, but all the lesser cases they can settle themselves. Thus, your burden will be lightened, since they will bear it with you.	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.
23 If you do this, when God gives you orders you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied."	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.
24 Moses followed the advice of his father-in-law and did all that he had suggested.	24 So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said.
25 He picked out able men from all Israel and put them in charge of the people as officers over groups of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.	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.
26 They rendered decisions for the people in all ordinary cases. The more difficult cases they referred to Moses, but all the lesser cases they settled themselves.	26 And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.
27 Then Moses bade farewell to his father-in-law, who went off to his own country.	27 And Moses let his father in law depart; and he went his way into his own land.