叶忒罗看望摩西

18 摩西的岳父——米甸的祭司叶忒罗,听说上帝为摩西和祂的子民以色列人所做的一切事——如何带领他们离开埃及, 就带着女儿西坡拉和两个外孙去见摩西。西坡拉是摩西的妻子,摩西曾让她回娘家暂时居住。 摩西的两个儿子一个叫革舜,因为摩西说:“我成了在异乡寄居的人”; 一个叫以利以谢,因为摩西说:“我父亲的上帝帮助我,从法老的刀下拯救了我。” 摩西的岳父叶忒罗带着摩西的妻子和两个儿子来到上帝的山,就是摩西在旷野安营的地方。 叶忒罗事先差人把他带着摩西的妻子和两个儿子要来的消息通知摩西。 摩西出去迎接岳父,向他下拜,与他亲吻,彼此问安,然后大家都进了帐篷。 摩西把耶和华为拯救以色列人而向法老和埃及人所行的事,以及怎样救百姓脱离路上遇见的种种困难,都告诉了叶忒罗。 叶忒罗为耶和华恩待以色列人、把他们救出埃及而高兴, 10 便说:“耶和华当受称颂,因为祂从埃及人和法老手中拯救了你们,把这百姓从埃及人手中拯救了出来。 11 我现在知道,耶和华比一切神明都伟大,因为祂惩治了虐待这些百姓的狂妄之徒。”

12 摩西的岳父叶忒罗说完,便向上帝献燔祭及其他祭物。亚伦和以色列的长老都来与他一起在上帝面前吃饭。

13 第二天,摩西坐着审理百姓的纠纷,百姓从早到晚都站在摩西周围。 14 摩西的岳父叶忒罗看见摩西对百姓所行的一切,就对摩西说:“你为什么这样处理百姓的事?为什么你独自坐着,众百姓从早到晚都站在你周围?” 15 摩西对岳父说:“他们是来求问上帝的, 16 我亲自审理他们中间的是非,教他们认识上帝的律例和法度。” 17 摩西的岳父叶忒罗劝摩西说:“这不是好方法, 18 你和这些百姓都会疲惫不堪,你一个人无法担当如此繁重的工作。 19 你要听我的劝告,愿上帝与你同在。你要做百姓的代表,把案件奏明上帝, 20 又要教导他们律例和法度,指示他们当行的道、当做的事。 21 此外,要在百姓当中挑选一些敬畏上帝、有才干、诚实、正直、憎恶不义之财的人,派他们做千夫长、百夫长、五十夫长和十夫长,管理百姓。 22 让他们随时为百姓判案,处理小纠纷,遇到大事才由你审理。有他们分担你的责任,你会更轻省。 23 如果你这样做,并且上帝也这样吩咐你,你就能承受得住,百姓也可以平安地回家。”

24 于是,摩西接纳了岳父的建议,依言而行, 25 从百姓中挑选有才干的人,委派他们做千夫长、百夫长、五十夫长和十夫长管理百姓。 26 他们负责随时审理百姓的事,遇到难断的案件就呈到摩西那里,自己则审理普通的事。 27 之后,摩西送岳父上路,他就返回了家乡。

18 And Jethro priest of Midian, father-in-law of Moses, heareth all that God hath done for Moses, and for Israel his people, that Jehovah hath brought out Israel from Egypt,

and Jethro, father-in-law of Moses, taketh Zipporah, wife of Moses, besides her parents,

and her two sons, of whom the name of the one [is] Gershom, for he said, `a sojourner I have been in a strange land:'

and the name of the other [is] Eliezer, for, `the God of my father [is] for my help, and doth deliver me from the sword of Pharaoh.'

And Jethro, father-in-law of Moses, cometh, and his sons, and his wife, unto Moses, unto the wilderness where he is encamping -- the mount of God;

and he saith unto Moses, `I, thy father-in-law, Jethro, am coming unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.'

And Moses goeth out to meet his father-in-law, and boweth himself, and kisseth him, and they ask one at another of welfare, and come into the tent;

and Moses recounteth to his father-in-law all that Jehovah hath done to Pharaoh, and to the Egyptians, on account of Israel, all the travail which hath found them in the way, and Jehovah doth deliver them.

And Jethro rejoiceth for all the good which Jehovah hath done to Israel, whom He hath delivered from the hand of the Egyptians;

10 and Jethro saith, `Blessed [is] Jehovah, who hath delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians, and from the hand of Pharaoh -- who hath delivered this people from under the hand of the Egyptians;

11 now I have known that Jehovah [is] greater than all the gods, for in the thing they have acted proudly -- [He is] above them!'

12 And Jethro, father-in-law of Moses, taketh a burnt-offering and sacrifices for God; and Aaron cometh in, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with the father-in-law of Moses, before God.

13 And it cometh to pass on the morrow, that Moses sitteth to judge the people, and the people stand before Moses, from the morning unto the evening;

14 and the father-in-law of Moses seeth all that he is doing to the people, and saith, `What [is] this thing which thou art doing to the people? wherefore art thou sitting by thyself, and all the people standing by thee from morning till evening?'

15 And Moses saith to his father-in-law, `Because the people come unto me to seek God;

16 when they have a matter, it hath come unto me, and I have judged between a man and his neighbour, and made known the statutes of God, and His laws.'

17 And the father-in-law of Moses saith unto him, `The thing which thou art doing [is] not good;

18 thou dost surely wear away, both thou, and this people which [is] with thee, for the thing is too heavy for thee, thou art not able to do it by thyself.

19 `Now, hearken to my voice, I counsel thee, and God is with thee: be thou for the people over-against God, and thou hast brought in the things unto God;

20 and thou hast warned them [concerning] the statutes and the laws, and hast made known to them the way in which they go, and the work which they do.

21 `And thou -- thou dost provide out of all the people men of ability, fearing God, men of truth, hating dishonest gain, and hast placed [these] over them, heads of thousands, heads of hundreds, heads of fifties, and heads of tens,

22 and they have judged the people at all times; and it hath come to pass, every great matter they bring in unto thee, and every small matter they judge themselves; and lighten it from off thyself, and they have borne with thee.

23 If thou dost this thing, and God hath commanded thee, then thou hast been able to stand, and all this people also goeth in unto its place in peace.'

24 And Moses hearkeneth to the voice of his father-in-law, and doth all that he said,

25 and Moses chooseth men of ability out of all Israel, and maketh them chiefs over the people, heads of thousands, heads of hundreds, heads of fifties, and heads of tens,

26 and they have judged the people at all times; the hard matter they bring in unto Moses, and every small matter they judge themselves.

27 And Moses sendeth his father-in-law away, and he goeth away unto his own land.

Jethro Visits Moses

18 Now Jethro,(A) the priest of Midian(B) and father-in-law of Moses, heard of everything God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, and how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt.(C)

After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah,(D) his father-in-law Jethro received her and her two sons.(E) One son was named Gershom,[a] for Moses said, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land”;(F) and the other was named Eliezer,[b](G) for he said, “My father’s God was my helper;(H) he saved me from the sword of Pharaoh.”

Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, together with Moses’ sons and wife, came to him in the wilderness, where he was camped near the mountain(I) of God. Jethro had sent word to him, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.”

So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down(J) and kissed(K) him. They greeted each other and then went into the tent. Moses told his father-in-law about everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake and about all the hardships(L) they had met along the way and how the Lord had saved(M) them.

Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things(N) the Lord had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians. 10 He said, “Praise be to the Lord,(O) who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods,(P) for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly.”(Q) 12 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law,(R) brought a burnt offering(S) and other sacrifices(T) to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal(U) with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence(V) of God.

13 The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. 14 When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, “What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?”

15 Moses answered him, “Because the people come to me to seek God’s will.(W) 16 Whenever they have a dispute,(X) it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God’s decrees and instructions.”(Y)

17 Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good. 18 You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.(Z) 19 Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you.(AA) You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes(AB) to him. 20 Teach them his decrees and instructions,(AC) and show them the way they are to live(AD) and how they are to behave.(AE) 21 But select capable men(AF) from all the people—men who fear(AG) God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain(AH)—and appoint them as officials(AI) over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 22 Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case(AJ) to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share(AK) it with you. 23 If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.”

24 Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. 25 He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders(AL) of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.(AM) 26 They served as judges(AN) for the people at all times. The difficult cases(AO) they brought to Moses, but the simple ones they decided themselves.(AP)

27 Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro returned to his own country.(AQ)

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 18:3 Gershom sounds like the Hebrew for a foreigner there.
  2. Exodus 18:4 Eliezer means my God is helper.

Moses’ Father-in-law Visits Israel’s Camp

18 Moses’ father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard about everything God had done for Moses and his people Israel and how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. When Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro had taken her in, along with her two sons. The one son was named Gershom [Foreigner], because Moses said, “I was a foreigner living in another country.” The name of the other was Eliezer [My God Is a Helper], because he said, “My father’s God was my helper. He saved me from Pharaoh’s death sentence.”

Moses’ father-in-law Jethro brought Moses’ sons and wife to Moses in the desert where he was camped near the mountain of God. Jethro had sent word to Moses, “I’m coming to ⌞visit⌟ you, ⌞and I’m bringing⌟ your wife and her two sons.”

So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law. Moses bowed with his face touching the ground and kissed Jethro. After they asked each other how they were, they went into the tent. Moses told his father-in-law everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel, all the hardships they had had on the way, and how the Lord had saved them.

Jethro was delighted ⌞to hear⌟ about all the good things the Lord had done for Israel in rescuing them from the Egyptians. 10 He said, “Thank the Lord! He rescued you from the Egyptians and their Pharaoh and rescued these people from the control of the Egyptians, 11 who treated Israel with contempt. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods.”

12 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God. Aaron and all the leaders of Israel came to eat the meal with Moses’ father-in-law in God’s presence.

13 The next day Moses was settling disagreements among the people. The people stood around Moses from morning until evening. 14 When Moses’ father-in-law saw everything Moses was doing for the people, he asked, “Why are you doing this for the people? Why do you sit here alone, while all the people stand around you from morning until evening?”

15 Moses answered his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to find out God’s will. 16 Whenever they have a disagreement and bring it to me, I decide which person is right, and I tell them God’s laws and instructions.”

17 Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you’re doing is not good. 18 You and your people will wear yourselves out. This is too much work for you. You can’t do it alone! 19 Now listen to me, and I’ll give you some advice. May God be with you! You must be the people’s representative to God and bring their disagreements to him. 20 You must instruct them in the laws and the teachings, show them how to live, and tell them what to do.

21 “But choose capable men from all the people, men who fear God, men you can trust, men who hate corruption. Put them in charge of groups of 1,000, or 100, or 50, or 10 people. 22 Let them be the ones who usually settle disagreements among the people. They should bring all important cases to you, but they should settle all minor cases themselves. Make it easier for yourself by letting them help you. 23 If God commands you, and you do this, you will be able to continue your work, and all these people will have their disagreements settled so that they can go home.”

24 Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. 25 Moses chose capable men from all the Israelites and put them in charge of groups of 1,000, or 100, or 50, or 10 people. 26 These men were the ones who usually settled disagreements among the people. They would bring difficult cases to Moses, but they settled all minor ones themselves.

27 Moses sent his father-in-law on his way. So Jethro went back to his own country.