出埃及 18
Chinese New Version (Simplified)
叶忒罗见摩西
18 摩西的岳父，米甸祭司叶忒罗，听见了 神为摩西和他自己的人民以色列所行的一切，就是耶和华怎样把以色列人从埃及领出来的事， 2 他就带着摩西的妻子西坡拉，摩西从前送了她回去， 3 又带着西坡拉的两个儿子，一个名叫革舜，因为摩西说：“我在异地作了客旅”； 4 一个名叫以利以谢，因为他说：“我父亲的 神是我的帮助，救我脱离了法老的刀。” 5 摩西的岳父叶忒罗，和摩西的妻子与两个儿子，来到旷野摩西那里，就是到 神的山，摩西安营的地方。 6 叶忒罗叫人告诉摩西说：“你的岳父叶忒罗来见你，你的妻子和两个儿子也一同来了。” 7 摩西出来迎接他的岳父，向他下拜，与他亲吻，彼此问候，然后一起进了帐棚。 8 摩西把耶和华为以色列的缘故，向法老和埃及人所作的一切，以及路上遭遇的一切困难，并且耶和华怎样拯救他们，都向他的岳父述说。 9 叶忒罗因为耶和华为以色列人所行的美事，就是拯救他们脱离埃及人的手，就非常喜乐。 10 叶忒罗说：“耶和华是应当称颂的，他拯救了你们脱离埃及人的手和法老的手；他也把这人民从埃及人的手下拯救出来。 11 现在我知道耶和华为至大，超乎万神之上，因为这在埃及人以狂傲的态度对以色列人的事上已经证明了。” 12 摩西的岳父叶忒罗把燔祭和几样祭品拿来献给 神；亚伦和所有以色列的长老都来到 神面前，与摩西的岳父一同吃饭。
叶忒罗向摩西献计（参(A)
13 次日，摩西坐着审判人民的案件；人民从早到晚都站在摩西的身旁。 14 摩西的岳父看见了摩西向人民所行的一切，就说：“你向人民作的是甚么呢？你为甚么独自坐着审判，所有的人民却从早到晚都站在你的身旁呢？” 15 摩西回答他岳父：“因为人民到我这里来求问 神。 16 他们有事件的时候，就到我这里来，我就在双方之间施行审判，使他们认识 神的条例和律法。” 17 摩西的岳父对摩西说：“你这样作不好。 18 你必疲乏不堪；不但你自己，连与你在一起的人民也必疲乏不堪，因为这事太重，你不能独自一人去作。 19 现在你要听我的话，我要给你出个主意，愿 神与你同在；你要代替人民到 神面前，把他们的事件带到 神那里。 20 又要把规例和律法教导他们，使他们知道他们当走的路，应作的事。 21 你要从人民中间选出有才能的人，就是敬畏 神、忠实可信、恨恶不义之财的人，设立他们作千夫长、百夫长、五十夫长、十夫长，去管理人民， 22 使他们随时可以审判人民的案件；所有大事件，他们要带到你这里来；所有小事件，他们可以自己审判。这样，你就轻省些，他们也可以和你一同分担此事。 23 你若是这样行， 神也这样吩咐你，你就能站立得住，所有的人民也都能平平安安地归回自己的地方。”
摩西言听计从（参(B)
24 于是，摩西听从他岳父的话，照着他所说的行了。 25 摩西从全体以色列人中选出了有才能的人，立他们作人民的首领，作千夫长、百夫长、五十夫长、十夫长。 26 他们随时审判人民的案件；有困难的事件，他们就带到摩西那里；所有小事件，由他们自己审判。 27 后来，摩西给他的岳父送行，他就回自己的地方去了。
Esodo 18
Conferenza Episcopale Italiana
Incontro di Ietro e di Mosè
18 Ietro, sacerdote di Madian, suocero di Mosè, venne a sapere quanto Dio aveva operato per Mosè e per Israele, suo popolo, come il Signore aveva fatto uscire Israele dall'Egitto. 2 Allora Ietro prese con sé Zippora, moglie di Mosè, che prima egli aveva rimandata, 3 e insieme i due figli di lei, uno dei quali si chiamava Gherson, perché egli aveva detto: «Sono un emigrato in terra straniera», 4 e l'altro si chiamava Eliezer, perché «Il Dio di mio padre è venuto in mio aiuto e mi ha liberato dalla spada del faraone». 5 Ietro dunque, suocero di Mosè, con i figli e la moglie di lui venne da Mosè nel deserto, dove era accampato, presso la montagna di Dio. 6 Egli fece dire a Mosè: «Sono io, Ietro, tuo suocero, che vengo da te con tua moglie e i suoi due figli!». 7 Mosè andò incontro al suocero, si prostrò davanti a lui e lo baciò; poi si informarono l'uno della salute dell'altro ed entrarono sotto la tenda. 8 Mosè raccontò al suocero quanto il Signore aveva fatto al faraone e agli Egiziani per Israele, tutte le difficoltà loro capitate durante il viaggio, dalle quali il Signore li aveva liberati. 9 Ietro gioì di tutti i benefici che il Signore aveva fatti a Israele, quando lo aveva liberato dalla mano degli Egiziani. 10 Disse Ietro: «Benedetto sia il Signore, che vi ha liberati dalla mano degli Egiziani e dalla mano del faraone: egli ha strappato questo popolo dalla mano dell'Egitto! 11 Ora io so che il Signore è più grande di tutti gli dei, poiché egli ha operato contro gli Egiziani con quelle stesse cose di cui essi si vantavano». 12 Poi Ietro, suocero di Mosè, offrì un olocausto e sacrifici a Dio. Vennero Aronne e tutti gli anziani d'Israele e fecero un banchetto con il suocero di Mosè davanti a Dio.
Istituzione dei giudici
13 Il giorno dopo Mosè sedette a render giustizia al popolo e il popolo si trattenne presso Mosè dalla mattina fino alla sera. 14 Allora Ietro, visto quanto faceva per il popolo, gli disse: «Che cos'è questo che fai per il popolo? Perché siedi tu solo, mentre il popolo sta presso di te dalla mattina alla sera?». 15 Mosè rispose al suocero: «Perché il popolo viene da me per consultare Dio. 16 Quando hanno qualche questione, vengono da me e io giudico le vertenze tra l'uno e l'altro e faccio conoscere i decreti di Dio e le sue leggi». 17 Il suocero di Mosè gli disse: «Non va bene quello che fai! 18 Finirai per soccombere, tu e il popolo che è con te, perché il compito è troppo pesante per te; tu non puoi attendervi da solo. 19 Ora ascoltami: ti voglio dare un consiglio e Dio sia con te! Tu stà davanti a Dio in nome del popolo e presenta le questioni a Dio. 20 A loro spiegherai i decreti e le leggi; indicherai loro la via per la quale devono camminare e le opere che devono compiere. 21 Invece sceglierai tra tutto il popolo uomini integri che temono Dio, uomini retti che odiano la venalità e li costituirai sopra di loro come capi di migliaia, capi di centinaia, capi di cinquantine e capi di decine. 22 Essi dovranno giudicare il popolo in ogni circostanza; quando vi sarà una questione importante, la sottoporranno a te, mentre essi giudicheranno ogni affare minore. Così ti alleggerirai il peso ed essi lo porteranno con te. 23 Se tu fai questa cosa e se Dio te la comanda, potrai resistere e anche questo popolo arriverà in pace alla sua mèta».
24 Mosè ascoltò la voce del suocero e fece quanto gli aveva suggerito. 25 Mosè dunque scelse uomini capaci in tutto Israele e li costituì alla testa del popolo come capi di migliaia, capi di centinaia, capi di cinquantine e capi di decine. 26 Essi giudicavano il popolo in ogni circostanza: quando avevano affari difficili li sottoponevano a Mosè, ma giudicavano essi stessi tutti gli affari minori. 27 Poi Mosè congedò il suocero, il quale tornò al suo paese.
Exodus 18
Living Bible
18 Word soon reached Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, the priest of Midian, about all the wonderful things God had done for his people and for Moses, and how the Lord had brought them out of Egypt.
2 Then Jethro took Moses’ wife, Zipporah, to him (for he had sent her home), 3 along with Moses’ two sons, Gershom (meaning “foreigner,” for Moses said when he was born, “I have been wandering in a foreign land”) 4 and Eliezer (meaning “God is my help,” for Moses said at his birth, “The God of my fathers was my helper and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh”). 5-6 They arrived while Moses and the people were camped at Mount Sinai.[a]
“Jethro, your father-in-law, has come to visit you,” Moses was told, “and he has brought your wife and your two sons.”
7 Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and greeted him warmly; they asked about each other’s health and then went into Moses’ tent to talk further. 8 Moses related to his father-in-law all that had been happening and what the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians in order to deliver Israel, and all the problems there had been along the way, and how the Lord had delivered his people from all of them. 9 Jethro was very happy about everything the Lord had done for Israel, and about his bringing them out of Egypt.
10 “Bless the Lord,” Jethro said, “for he has saved you from the Egyptians and from Pharaoh, and has rescued Israel. 11 I know now that the Lord is greater than any other god because he delivered his people from the proud and cruel Egyptians.”
12 Jethro offered sacrifices to God,[b] and afterwards Aaron and the leaders of Israel came to meet Jethro, and they all ate the sacrificial meal together before the Lord.
13 The next day Moses sat as usual to hear the people’s complaints against each other, from morning to evening.
14 When Moses’ father-in-law saw how much time this was taking, he said, “Why are you trying to do all this alone, with people standing here all day long to get your help?”
15-16 “Well, because the people come to me with their disputes, to ask for God’s decisions,” Moses told him. “I am their judge, deciding who is right and who is wrong, and instructing them in God’s ways. I apply the laws of God to their particular disputes.”
17 “It’s not right!” his father-in-law exclaimed. 18 “You’re going to wear yourself out—and if you do, what will happen to the people? Moses, this job is too heavy a burden for you to try to handle all by yourself. 19-20 Now listen, and let me give you a word of advice, and God will bless you: Be these people’s lawyer—their representative before God—bringing him their questions to decide; you will tell them his decisions, teaching them God’s laws, and showing them the principles of godly living.
21 “Find some capable, godly, honest men who hate bribes, and appoint them as judges, one judge for each 1000 people; he in turn will have ten judges under him, each in charge of a hundred; and under each of them will be two judges, each responsible for the affairs of fifty people; and each of these will have five judges beneath him, each counseling ten persons. 22 Let these men be responsible to serve the people with justice at all times. Anything that is too important or complicated can be brought to you. But the smaller matters they can take care of themselves. That way it will be easier for you because you will share the burden with them. 23 If you follow this advice, and if the Lord agrees, you will be able to endure the pressures, and there will be peace and harmony in the camp.”
24 Moses listened to his father-in-law’s advice and followed this suggestion. 25 He chose able men from all over Israel and made them judges over the people—thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. 26 They were constantly available to administer justice. They brought the hard cases to Moses but judged the smaller matters themselves.
27 Soon afterwards Moses let his father-in-law return to his own land.
Footnotes
- Exodus 18:5 Mount Sinai, or “Mount Horeb”; literally, “the mountain of God.”
- Exodus 18:12 sacrifices to God, literally, “a burnt offering and sacrifices for God.”
Exodus 18
King James Version
18 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 Then Jethro, Moses' father in law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her back,
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 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 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 said unto Moses, I thy father in law Jethro am come unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.
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 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 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 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 greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them.
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 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 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 And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God:
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 And Moses' father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good.
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 Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God:
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 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 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 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 So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said.
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 And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.
27 And Moses let his father in law depart; and he went his way into his own land.
Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.