Exodus 18

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Jethro, priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, had heard al about what God had done for Moses andfor Israel his people: how Yahweh had brought Israel out of Egypt.	1 And when Jethro the priest of Madian, the kinsman of Moses, had heard all the things that God had done to Moses, and to Israel his people, and that the Lord had brought forth Israel out of Egypt,
2 Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, then took back Zipporah, Moses' wife, whom Moses had sent home,	2 He took Sephora the wife of Moses whom he had sent back:
3 with her two sons; one of them was cal ed Gershom because, he had said, 'I am an alien in a foreignland,'	3 And her two sons, of whom one was called Gersam, his father saying: I have been a stranger in a foreign country.
4 and the other cal ed Eliezer because 'My father's God is my help and has delivered me from Pharaoh'ssword.'	4 And the other Eliezer: For the God of my father, said he, is my helper, and hath delivered me from the sword of Pharao.
5 Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, with Moses' sons and wife, came to Moses in the desert where hewas encamped, at the mountain of God.	5 And Jethro the kinsman of Moses came with his sons and his wife, to Moses into the desert, where he was camped by the mountain of God.
6 'Here is your father-in-law Jethro approaching', Moses was told, 'with your wife and her two sons.'	6 And he sent word to Moses, saying: I Jethro thy kinsman come to thee, and thy wife, and thy two sons with her.
7 So Moses went out to greet his father-in-law, bowed low to him and kissed him; and when each hadasked how the other was they went into the tent.	7 And he went out to meet his kinsman, and worshipped and kissed him: and they saluted one another with words of peace. And when he was come into the tent,
8 Moses then told his father-in-law al about what Yahweh had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians forIsrael's sake, and about al the hardships that they had encountered on the way, and how Yahweh had rescuedthem.	8 Moses told his kinsman all that the Lord had done to Pharao, and the Egyptians, in favour of Israel: and all the labour which had befallen them in the journey, and that the Lord had delivered them.
9 And Jethro was delighted at al Yahweh's goodness to Israel in having rescued them from the clutchesof the Egyptians.	9 And Jethro rejoiced for all the good things that the Lord had done to Israel, because he had delivered them out of the hands of the Egyptians.
10 'Blessed be Yahweh', Jethro exclaimed, 'for having rescued you from the clutches of the Egyptiansand the clutches of Pharaoh, for having rescued the people from the grasp of the Egyptians!	10 And he said: Blessed is the Lord, who hath delivered you out of the hand of Pharao, and out of the hand of the Egyptians, who hath delivered his people out of the hand of Egypt.
11 Now I know that Yahweh is greater than al other gods. . .'	11 Now I know that the Lord is great above all gods: because they dealt proudly against them.
12 Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, then offered a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God; and Aaron and al the elders of Israel came and ate with Moses' father-in-law in the presence of God.	12 So Jethro the kinsman of Moses offered holocausts and sacrifices to God: and Aaron and all the ancients of Israel came, to eat bread with them before God.
13 On the fol owing day, Moses took his seat to administer justice for the people, and the people werestanding round him from morning til evening.	13 And the next day Moses sat, to judge the people, who stood by Moses from morning until night.
14 Seeing all he did for the people, Moses' father-in-law said to him, 'Why do you do this for the people,why sit here alone with the people standing round you from morning til evening?'	14 And when his kinsman had seen all things that he did among the people, he said: What is it that thou dost among the people? Why sittest thou alone, and all the people wait from morning till night.
15 Moses replied to his father-in-law, 'Because the people come to me to consult God.	15 And Moses answered him: The people come to me to seek the judgment of God.
16 When they have a problem they come to me, and I give a ruling between the one and the other andmake God's statutes and laws known to them.'	16 And when any controversy falleth out among them, they come to me to judge between them, and to shew the precepts of God, and his laws.
17 Moses' father-in-law then said to him, 'What you are doing is not right.	17 But he said: The thing thou dost is not good.
18 You wil only tire yourself out, and the people with you too, for the work is too heavy for you. Youcannot do it all yourself.	18 Thou are spent with foolish labour, both thou and this people that is with thee: the business is above thy strength, thou alone canst not bear it.
19 Now listen to the advice I am going to give you, and God be with you! Your task is to represent thepeople to God, to lay their cases before God,	19 But hear my words and counsels, and God shall be with thee. Be thou to the people in those things that pertain to God, to bring their words to him:
20 and to teach them the statutes and laws, and show them the way they ought to fol ow and how theyought to behave.	20 And to shew the people the ceremonies and the manner of worshipping, and the way wherein they ought to walk, and the work that they ought to do.
21 At the same time, from the people at large choose capable and God-fearing men, men who aretrustworthy and incorruptible, and put them in charge of them as heads of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens,	21 And provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, in whom there is truth, and that hate avarice, and appoint of them rulers of thousands, and of hundreds, and of fifties, and of tens.
22 and make them the people's permanent judges. They wil refer al important matters to you, but alminor matters they will decide themselves, so making things easier for you by sharing the burden with you.	22 Who may judge the people at all times: and when any great matter soever shall fall out, let them refer it to thee, and let them judge the lesser matters only: that so it may be lighter for thee, the burden being shared out unto others.
23 If you do this -- and may God so command you -- you will be able to stand the strain, and all thesepeople wil go home satisfied.'	23 If thou dost this, thou shalt fulfil the commandment of God, and shalt be able to bear his precepts: and all this people shall return to their places with peace.
24 Moses took his father-in-law's advice and did just as he said.	24 And when Moses heard this, he did all things that he had suggested unto him.
25 Moses chose capable men from al Israel and put them in charge of the people as heads ofthousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.	25 And choosing able men out of all Israel, he appointed them rulers of the people, rulers over thousands, and over hundreds, and over fifties, and over tens.
26 These acted as the people's permanent judges. They referred hard cases to Moses but decidedminor matters themselves.	26 And they judged the people at all times: and whatsoever was of greater difficulty they referred to him, and they judged the easier cases only.
27 Moses then set his father-in-law on his way, and he travelled back to his own country.	27 And he let his kinsman depart: and he returned and went into his own country.