1
When Jethro[H3503], the priest[H3548] of Midian[H4080], Moses[H4872]' father in law[H2859], heard[H8085] of all that God[H430] had done[H6213] for Moses[H4872], and for Israel[H3478] his people[H5971], and that the LORD[H3068] had brought[H3318]Israel[H3478] out of Egypt[H4714];
2
Then Jethro[H3503], Moses[H4872]' father in law[H2859], took[H3947]Zipporah[H6855], Moses[H4872]' wife[H802], after[H310] he had sent her back[H7964],
3
And her two[H8147]sons[H1121]; of which the name[H8034] of the one[H259] was Gershom[H1647]; for he said[H559], I have been an alien[H1616] in a strange[H5237]land[H776]:
4
And the name[H8034] of the other[H259] was Eliezer[H461]; for the God[H430] of my father[H1], said he, was mine help[H5828], and delivered[H5337] me from the sword[H2719] of Pharaoh[H6547]:
5
And Jethro[H3503], Moses[H4872]' father in law[H2859], came[H935] with his sons[H1121] and his wife[H802] unto Moses[H4872] into the wilderness[H4057], where he encamped[H2583] at the mount[H2022] of God[H430]:
6
And he said[H559] unto Moses[H4872], I thy father in law[H2859]Jethro[H3503] am come[H935] unto thee, and thy wife[H802], and her two[H8147]sons[H1121] with her.
7
And Moses[H4872] went out[H3318] to meet[H7125] his father in law[H2859], and did obeisance[H7812], and kissed[H5401] him; and they asked[H7592]each[H376]other[H7453] of their welfare[H7965]; and they came[H935] into the tent[H168].
8
And Moses[H4872]told[H5608] his father in law[H2859] all that the LORD[H3068] had done[H6213] unto Pharaoh[H6547] and to the Egyptians[H4714] for Israel's sake[H182], and all the travail[H8513] that had come[H4672] upon them by the way[H1870], and how the LORD[H3068]delivered[H5337] them.
9
And Jethro[H3503]rejoiced[H2302] for all the goodness[H2896] which the LORD[H3068] had done[H6213] to Israel[H3478], whom he had delivered[H5337] out of the hand[H3027] of the Egyptians[H4714].
10
And Jethro[H3503]said[H559], Blessed[H1288] be the LORD[H3068], who hath delivered[H5337] you out of the hand[H3027] of the Egyptians[H4714], and out of the hand[H3027] of Pharaoh[H6547], who hath delivered[H5337] the people[H5971] from under the hand[H3027] of the Egyptians[H4714].
11
Now I know[H3045] that the LORD[H3068] is greater[H1419] than all gods[H430]: for in the thing[H1697] wherein they dealt proudly[H2102] he was above them.
12
And Jethro[H3503], Moses[H4872]' father in law[H2859], took[H3947] a burnt offering[H5930] and sacrifices[H2077] for God[H430]: and Aaron[H175]came[H935], and all the elders[H2205] of Israel[H3478], to eat[H398]bread[H3899] with Moses[H4872]' father in law[H2859]before[H6440]God[H430].
13
And it came to pass on the morrow[H4283], that Moses[H4872]sat[H3427] to judge[H8199] the people[H5971]: and the people[H5971]stood[H5975] by Moses[H4872] from the morning[H1242] unto the evening[H6153].
14
And when Moses[H4872]' father in law[H2859]saw[H7200] all that he did[H6213] to the people[H5971], he said[H559], What is this thing[H1697] that thou doest[H6213] to the people?[H5971] why sittest[H3427] thou thyself alone, and all the people[H5971]stand[H5324] by thee from morning[H1242] unto even?[H6153]
15
And Moses[H4872]said[H559] unto his father in law[H2859], Because the people[H5971]come[H935] unto me to enquire[H1875] of God[H430]:
16
When they have a matter[H1697], they come[H935] unto me; and I judge[H8199] between one[H376] and another[H7453], and I do make them know[H3045] the statutes[H2706] of God[H430], and his laws[H8451].
17
And Moses[H4872]' father in law[H2859]said[H559] unto him, The thing[H1697] that thou doest[H6213] is not good[H2896].
18
Thou wilt surely[H5034] wear away[H5034], both thou, and this people[H5971] that is with thee: for this thing[H1697] is too heavy[H3515] for thee; thou art not able[H3201] to perform[H6213] it thyself alone.
19Hearken[H8085] now unto my voice[H6963], I will give thee counsel[H3289], and God[H430] shall be[H1961] with thee: Be[H1961] thou for the people[H5971] to God-ward[H4136], that thou mayest bring[H935] the causes[H1697] unto God[H430]:
20
And thou shalt teach[H2094] them ordinances[H2706] and laws[H8451], and shalt shew[H3045] them the way[H1870] wherein they must walk[H3212], and the work[H4639] that they must do[H6213].
21
Moreover thou shalt provide[H2372] out of all the people[H5971]able[H2428]men[H582], such as fear[H3373]God[H430], men[H582] of truth[H571], hating[H8130]covetousness[H1215]; and place[H7760] such over them, to be rulers[H8269] of thousands[H505], and rulers[H8269] of hundreds[H3967], rulers[H8269] of fifties[H2572], and rulers[H8269] of tens[H6235]:
22
And let them judge[H8199] the people[H5971] at all seasons[H6256]: and it shall be, that every great[H1419]matter[H1697] they shall bring[H935] unto thee, but every small[H6996]matter[H1697] they shall judge[H8199]: so shall it be easier[H7043] for thyself, and they shall bear[H5375] the burden with thee.
23
If thou shalt do[H6213] this thing[H1697], and God[H430]command[H6680] thee so, then thou shalt be able[H3201] to endure[H5975], and all this people[H5971] shall also go[H935] to their place[H4725] in peace[H7965].
24
So Moses[H4872]hearkened[H8085] to the voice[H6963] of his father in law[H2859], and did[H6213] all that he had said[H559].
25
And Moses[H4872]chose[H977]able[H2428]men[H582] out of all Israel[H3478], and made[H5414] them heads[H7218] over the people[H5971], rulers[H8269] of thousands[H505], rulers[H8269] of hundreds[H3967], rulers[H8269] of fifties[H2572], and rulers[H8269] of tens[H6235].
26
And they judged[H8199] the people[H5971] at all seasons[H6256]: the hard[H7186]causes[H1697] they brought[H935] unto Moses[H4872], but every small[H6996]matter[H1697] they judged[H8199] themselves.
27
And Moses[H4872] let his father in law[H2859]depart[H7971]; and he went[H3212] his way into his own land[H776].