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Exodus 18
New International Version
Exodus 18
New International Version
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)
2 After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah,(D) his father-in-law Jethro received her 3 and her two sons.(E) One son was named Gershom,[a] for Moses said, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land”;(F) 4 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.”
5 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. 6 Jethro had sent word to him, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.”
7 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. 8 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.
9 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
- Exodus 18:3 Gershom sounds like the Hebrew for a foreigner there.
- Exodus 18:4 Eliezer means my God is helper.
Exodus 18
New King James Version
Exodus 18
New King James Version
Jethro’s Advice(A)
18 And (B)Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that (C)God had done for Moses and for Israel His people—that the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. 2 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took (D)Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her back, 3 with her (E)two sons, of whom the name of one was [a]Gershom (for he said, (F)“I have been a [b]stranger in a foreign land”) 4 and the name of the other was [c]Eliezer (for he said, “The God of my father was my (G)help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh”); 5 and Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness, where he was encamped at (H)the mountain of God. 6 Now he had said to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her.”
7 So Moses (I)went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down, and (J)kissed him. And they asked each other about their well-being, and they went into the tent. 8 And Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had come upon them on the way, and how the Lord had (K)delivered them. 9 Then Jethro rejoiced for all the (L)good which the Lord had done for Israel, whom He had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. 10 And Jethro said, (M)“Blessed be the Lord, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh, and who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that the Lord is (N)greater than all the gods; (O)for in the very thing in which they [d]behaved (P)proudly, He was above them.” 12 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, [e]took a burnt (Q)offering and other sacrifices to offer to God. And Aaron came with all the elders of Israel (R)to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.
13 And so it was, on the next day, that Moses (S)sat to judge the people; and the people stood before Moses from morning until evening. 14 So when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did for the people, he said, “What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone [f]sit, and all the people stand before you from morning until evening?”
15 And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because (T)the people come to me to inquire of God. 16 When they have (U)a [g]difficulty, they come to me, and I judge between one and another; and I make known the statutes of God and His laws.”
17 So Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you do is not good. 18 Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you; (V)you are not able to perform it by yourself. 19 Listen now to my voice; I will give you [h]counsel, and God will be with you: Stand (W)before God for the people, so that you may (X)bring the difficulties to God. 20 And you shall (Y)teach them the statutes and the laws, and show them the way in which they must walk and (Z)the work they must do. 21 Moreover you shall select from all the people (AA)able men, such as (AB)fear God, (AC)men of truth, (AD)hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 22 And let them judge the people at all times. (AE)Then it will be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they themselves shall judge. So it will be easier for you, for (AF)they will bear the burden with you. 23 If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all this people will also go to their (AG)place in peace.”
24 So Moses heeded the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said. 25 And (AH)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 So they judged the people at all times; the (AI)hard[i] cases they brought to Moses, but they judged every small case themselves.
27 Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and (AJ)he went his way to his own land.
Footnotes
- Exodus 18:3 Lit. Stranger There
- Exodus 18:3 sojourner, temporary resident
- Exodus 18:4 Lit. My God Is Help
- Exodus 18:11 acted presumptuously
- Exodus 18:12 So with MT, LXX; Syr., Tg., Vg. offered
- Exodus 18:14 Sit as judge
- Exodus 18:16 dispute
- Exodus 18:19 advice
- Exodus 18:26 difficult matters
2 Mosebok 18
Svenska Folkbibeln
2 Mosebok 18
Svenska Folkbibeln
Jetro besöker Mose
18 Moses svärfar Jetro, prästen i Midjan, fick höra om allt som Gud hade gjort med Mose och med sitt folk Israel, hur Herren hade fört dem ut ur Egypten. 2 Då tog Jetro, Moses svärfar, med sig Moses hustru Sippora, som Mose tidigare hade sänt hem. 3 Han hade också med sig hennes två söner. En av dem hade fått namnet Gersom, ty Mose sade: "Jag är främling i ett främmande land." 4 Den andre fick namnet Elieser, ty Mose sade: "Min faders Gud kom till min hjälp och räddade mig från faraos svärd."[a]
5 När Jetro, Moses svärfar, tillsammans med Moses söner och hans hustru kom till Mose i öknen, där han slagit läger vid Guds berg, 6 sände han detta bud till Mose: "Jag, din svärfar Jetro, kommer till dig med din hustru och hennes båda söner." 7 Då gick Mose ut och mötte sin svärfar, bugade sig för honom och kysste honom, och när de hälsat varandra gick de in i tältet. 8 Och Mose berättade för sin svärfar allt som Herren gjort med farao och egyptierna för Israels skull, och han berättade om all den möda de hade utstått på vägen och hur Herren hade räddat dem. 9 Jetro gladde sig över allt det goda som Herren hade gjort mot Israel, att han hade räddat dem ur egyptiernas hand. 10 Han sade: "Lovad vare Herren, som har räddat er ur egyptiernas och faraos hand och som har räddat folket undan egyptiernas hand! 11 Nu vet jag att Herren är större än alla gudarna. Det visade han när man handlade övermodigt mot detta folk." 12 Jetro, Moses svärfar, bar fram ett brännoffer och några slaktoffer åt Gud. Och Aron och alla de äldste i Israel kom och höll måltid inför Gud tillsammans med Moses svärfar.
Mose tillsätter domare
13 Följande dag satte Mose sig för att döma folket, och folket stod omkring honom från morgonen ända till kvällen. 14 När Moses svärfar såg allt han gjorde för folket, sade han: "Vad är det för bestyr du har med folket? Varför sitter du här ensam, medan allt folket måste stå omkring dig från morgon till kväll?" 15 Mose svarade sin svärfar: "Folket kommer till mig för att fråga Gud. 16 De kommer till mig när de har någon rättssak, och då dömer jag mellan dem. Jag låter dem veta Guds stadgar och bud."
17 Då sade Moses svärfar till honom: "Ditt sätt att arbeta är inte bra. 18 Både du själv och folket som är hos dig blir ju uttröttade. Den här uppgiften är alldeles för tung för dig, och du kan inte klara av den ensam. 19 Lyssna nu på mig! Jag vill råda dig, och Gud skall vara med dig. Du skall föra folkets talan inför Gud och lägga fram deras ärenden inför honom. 20 Du skall upplysa dem om stadgar och bud och låta dem veta vilken väg de skall vandra och vad de skall göra. 21 Men välj ut åt dig dugliga män från allt folket, män som fruktar Gud, är pålitliga och hatar orätt vinning, och sätt dem till föreståndare för folket, somliga över tusen, andra över hundra, andra över femtio och andra över tio. 22 De skall alltid döma folket, men varje viktigt ärende skall hänskjutas till dig. I alla enklare mål skall de döma själva. Så skall du göra din börda lättare, genom att de bär den tillsammans med dig. 23 Om du gör på detta sätt och om Gud befaller dig det, skall du kunna hålla ut. Och allt folket här kan då också gå hem i frid."
24 Mose lyssnade till sin svärfars ord och gjorde allt som han sagt. 25 Han valde ut dugliga män ur hela Israel och gjorde dem till huvudmän för folket, till föreståndare, somliga över tusen, andra över hundra, andra över femtio och andra över tio. 26 Dessa skulle alltid döma folket. Alla svårare ärenden skulle de hänskjuta till Mose, men alla enklare mål skulle de själva avgöra. 27 Sedan lät Mose sin svärfar resa hem, och han återvände till sitt land.
Footnotes
- 2 Mosebok 18:4 Gersom . . . Elieser Ger i Gersom betyder "främling". Eli i Elieser betyder "min Gud", och eser betyder "hjälp".
Exodus 18
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
Exodus 18
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
Jethro’s Visit
18 Moses’s father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian,(A) heard about everything that God had done for Moses and for God’s people Israel when the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt.
2 Now Jethro, Moses’s father-in-law, had taken in Zipporah,(B) Moses’s wife, after he had sent her back, 3 along with her two sons, one of whom was named Gershom[a] (because Moses had said, ‘I have been a resident foreigner in a foreign land’)(C) 4 and the other Eliezer (because he had said, ‘The God of my father was my helper and rescued me from Pharaoh’s sword’).[b]
5 Moses’s father-in-law, Jethro, along with Moses’s wife and sons, came to him in the wilderness where he was camped at the mountain of God.(D) 6 He sent word to Moses, ‘I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.’
7 So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down,(E) and then kissed him. They asked each other how they had been[c] and went into the tent. 8 Moses recounted to his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardships that confronted them on the way, and how the Lord rescued them.(F)
9 Jethro rejoiced over all the good things the Lord had done for Israel when he rescued them from the power of the Egyptians. 10 ‘Blessed be the Lord,’(G) Jethro exclaimed, ‘who rescued you from the power of Egypt and from the power of Pharaoh. He has rescued the people from under the power of Egypt! 11 Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods, because he did wonders when the Egyptians acted arrogantly against Israel.’[d](H)
12 Then Jethro, Moses’s father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses’s father-in-law in God’s presence.
13 The next day Moses sat down to judge the people, and they stood around Moses from morning until evening. 14 When Moses’s father-in-law saw everything he was doing for them he asked, ‘What is this you’re doing for the people? Why are you alone sitting as judge, while all the people stand around you from morning until evening? ’
15 Moses replied to his father-in-law, ‘Because the people come to me to enquire of God. 16 Whenever they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I make a decision between one man and another. I teach them God’s statutes and laws.’(I)
17 ‘What you’re doing is not good,’ Moses’s father-in-law said to him. 18 ‘You will certainly wear out both yourself and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you. You can’t do it alone.(J) 19 Now listen to me; I will give you some advice, and God be with you. You be the one to represent the people before God and bring their cases to him. 20 Instruct them about the statutes and laws, and teach them the way to live and what they must do.(K) 21 But you should select from all the people able men, God-fearing, trustworthy, and hating dishonest profit.(L) Place them over the people as commanders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.(M) 22 They should judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you every major case but judge every minor case themselves. In this way you will lighten your load,[e] and they will bear it with you.(N) 23 If you do this, and God so directs you, you will be able to endure, and also all these people will be able to go home satisfied.’[f]
24 Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. 25 So Moses chose able men from all Israel and made them leaders over the people as commanders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. 26 They judged the people at all times; they would bring the hard cases to Moses, but they would judge every minor case themselves.
27 Moses let his father-in-law go, and he journeyed to his own land.(O)
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Svenska Folkbibeln (SFB)
1996, 1998 by Stiftelsen Svenska Folkbibeln
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised (CSBA)
Copyright © 2024 by Holman Bible Publishers.