Exodus 18
Tree of Life Version
Parashat Yitro
Jethro’s Advice
18 Now Jethro, the priest of Midian and Moses’ father-in-law, heard about everything God had done for Moses and for His people Israel, and how Adonai had brought Israel out of Egypt. (2 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, had taken in Moses’ wife Zipporah, after he had sent her away 3 with her two sons. One was named Gershom[a] because he said, “I have been an outsider in a foreign land,” 4 and the name of the other was Eliezer because he said, “For my father’s God is my help[b], and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.”)
5 So Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses into the wilderness where he was encamped at the mountain of God. 6 He had told Moses, “I, Jethro your father-in-law, am coming to you, along with your wife and her two sons.” 7 So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, then bowed down and kissed him. They asked each other about their welfare, and went into the tent. 8 Moses told his father-in-law all that Adonai had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, as well as all the travail that had come upon them along the way, and how Adonai delivered them.
9 Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness that Adonai had shown to Israel, since He had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians. 10 Jethro said, “Blessed be Adonai, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh, and has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that Adonai is greater than all gods, since they had acted arrogantly against them.” 12 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, presented a burnt offering and sacrifices to God. Aaron also came along with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.
13 The next day, Moses sat to judge the people, and they stood around Moses from morning till evening. 14 When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did for the people, he said, “What’s this you’re doing to the people? Why sit by yourself, alone, with all the people standing around from morning until evening?”
15 Moses answered his father-in-law, “It’s because the people come to me to inquire of God. 16 When they have an issue, it comes to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor, so I make them understand God’s statutes and His laws.”
17 But Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you’re doing is no good. 18 You will surely wear yourself out, as well as these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you. You cannot do it alone, by yourself. 19 Now listen to my voice—I will give you advice, and may God be with you! You, represent the people before God, and bring their cases to God. 20 Enlighten them as to the statutes and the laws, and show them the way by which they must walk and the work they must do. 21 But you should seek out capable men out of all the people—men who fear God, men of truth, who hate bribery. Appoint them to be rulers over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 22 Let them judge the people all the time. Then let every major case be brought to you, but every minor case they can judge for themselves. Make it easier for yourself, as they bear the burden with you. 23 If you do this thing as God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people will go to their places in shalom.”
24 So Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. 25 Moses chose capable men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 26 They judged the people all the time. The hard cases they brought to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.
27 Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went on his way to his own land.
Footnotes
- Exodus 18:3 Heb. Ger (an outsider) sham (there).
- Exodus 18:4 Heb. Eli (my God) etzer (help).
Êxodo 18
Portuguese New Testament: Easy-to-Read Version
O conselho de Jetro
18 Jetro, sacerdote de Midiã e sogro de Moisés, soube de tudo o que Deus tinha feito por Moisés e pelo seu povo Israel, de como o SENHOR os tinha tirado do Egito. 2 Então Jetro foi se encontrar com Moisés e levou também Zípora, a esposa de Moisés. Zípora não estava com Moisés porque ele a tinha mandado para casa do seu sogro Jetro, e Jetro a tinha recebido. 3 Jetro também levou os dois filhos de Zípora. Um dos filhos se chamava Gérson[a], porque Moisés disse: “Eu era um imigrante, numa terra estrangeira”. 4 O outro se chamava Eliézer[b], porque Moisés disse: “O Deus do meu pai é quem me ajuda. Ele me salvou da espada do faraó”. 5 Jetro, sogro de Moisés, veio com a esposa de Moisés e os seus filhos, ao monte de Deus[c], no deserto, onde Moisés estava acampado.
6 E Jetro mandou dizer a Moisés:
—Eu, Jetro, o seu sogro, venho visitar você e trago também a sua esposa e os seus dois filhos.
7 Moisés saiu para receber o seu sogro, inclinou-se diante dele e o saudou com um beijo no rosto. Depois de se cumprimentarem, entraram na tenda. 8 E Moisés contou ao seu sogro tudo o que o SENHOR tinha feito ao faraó e aos egípcios para ajudar o povo de Israel. Também contou todas as dificuldades que tinham encontrado no caminho e como o SENHOR os tinha salvo. 9 Jetro ficou muito contente ao ouvir todas as coisas boas que o SENHOR tinha feito para salvar Israel do poder do Egito 10 e disse:
—Bendito seja o SENHOR que salvou vocês do poder do Egito e do faraó.
11 Agora sei que o SENHOR é maior do que todos os deuses, porque ele salvou o povo do poder do Egito quando os egípcios os estavam maltratando.
12 Jetro, o sogro de Moisés, ofereceu um animal em sacrifício a Deus e fez outras ofertas. E Aarão e os líderes de Israel comeram com o sogro de Moisés na presença de Deus.
13 No dia seguinte Moisés sentou-se para julgar as questões do povo. As pessoas ficavam o dia todo em pé, diante dele. 14 Quando o sogro de Moisés viu a maneira como Moisés estava tratando o povo, lhe perguntou:
—O que é que está fazendo? Por que só você é quem julga o povo, enquanto as pessoas ficam em pé todo o dia?
15 Moisés respondeu ao seu sogro:
—Porque o povo vem me procurar para saber a vontade de Deus. 16 Quando existe algum problema, eles vêm a mim e eu decido quem tem razão. Eu faço com que eles conheçam as leis e os mandamentos de Deus.
17 Mas o sogro de Moisés disse:
—O que está fazendo não é bom. 18 Você e o seu povo vão ficar cansados. Este trabalho é muito difícil para você, não deve fazer isso sozinho. 19 Agora ouça o que vou dizer, vou lhe dar um conselho e que Deus o ajude. Continue sendo o representante do povo diante de Deus e siga apresentando as dificuldades do povo diante dele. 20 Ensine-lhes as leis e os mandamentos e faça com que eles saibam como devem viver e o que devem fazer. 21 Mas escolha, entre o povo, homens capazes, que temam a Deus, homens sinceros, que não se deixem subornar e faça com que eles também tenham autoridade sobre o povo. Nomeie esses homens como chefes de grupos de mil, de cem, de cinquenta e de dez pessoas. 22 O trabalho deles deverá ser julgar o povo a qualquer momento. Eles julgarão os casos mais simples e apresentarão a você os casos mais difíceis. Assim esses homens dividirão o trabalho com você e farão o seu trabalho mais fácil. 23 Se você fizer tudo isto, e se assim Deus ordenar, então será capaz de suportar o seu trabalho e todo o povo irá em paz para as suas casas.
24 Moisés seguiu o conselho do seu sogro e fez tudo o que ele tinha dito. 25 Escolheu homens capazes entre todo o povo de Israel e os nomeou chefes do povo: chefes de mil, de cem, de cinquenta e de dez pessoas. 26 Eram eles que geralmente administravam a justiça entre os israelitas. Mas apresentavam os casos mais difíceis a Moisés. Os mais fáceis, eles mesmos resolviam.
27 Então Moisés se despediu do seu sogro e Jetro regressou à sua terra.
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.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.
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