Jethro's Advice

18 (A)Jethro, (B)the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. Now Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, had taken Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her home, along with her (C)two sons. The name of the one was Gershom ((D)for he said, (E)“I have been a sojourner[a] in a foreign land”), and the name of the other, Eliezer[b] (for he said, “The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh”). Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was encamped at the (F)mountain of God. And when he sent word to Moses, “I,[c] your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her,” Moses (G)went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and (H)kissed him. And they asked each other of their welfare and went into the tent. Then Moses told his father-in-law (I)all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, all the hardship that had come upon them in the way, and how the Lord had delivered them. And Jethro rejoiced for all the good that the Lord had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.

10 Jethro said, (J)“Blessed be the Lord, 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 (K)the Lord is greater than all gods, because in this affair they (L)dealt arrogantly with the people.”[d] 12 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God; and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law (M)before God.

13 The next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning till evening. 14 When Moses' father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning till evening?” 15 And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because (N)the people come to me to inquire of God; 16 (O)when they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between one person and another, and I (P)make them know the statutes of God and his laws.” 17 Moses' father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. 18 You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. (Q)You are not able to do it alone. 19 Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall (R)represent the people before God and (S)bring their cases to God, 20 and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know (T)the way in which they must walk and (U)what they must do. 21 Moreover, look for (V)able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. 22 And (W)let them judge the people at all times. (X)Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will (Y)bear the burden with you. 23 If you do this, God will direct you, you will be (Z)able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace.”

24 So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said. 25 (AA)Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. 26 And (AB)they judged the people at all times. Any hard case they brought to Moses, but any small matter they decided themselves. 27 Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and (AC)he went away to his own country.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 18:3 Gershom sounds like the Hebrew for sojourner
  2. Exodus 18:4 Eliezer means My God is help
  3. Exodus 18:6 Hebrew; Samaritan, Septuagint, Syriac behold
  4. Exodus 18:11 Hebrew with them

[YITRO]

18 When Yitro, the kohen of Midyan, Moshe’s khoten (father-in-law), heard of all that Elohim had done for Moshe, and for Yisroel His people, and that Hashem had brought Yisroel out of Mitzrayim;

Then Yitro, Moshe’s khoten, received Tzipporah, Moshe’ wife, after Moshe had sent her away,

And her two banim; of which the shem of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been a ger in a foreign land;

And the shem of the other was Eliezer; for the Elohei Avi, said he, was ezri (my help), and delivered me from the cherev of Pharaoh;

And Yitro, Moshe’s khoten, came with his banim and his isha unto Moshe into the midbar, where he encamped at the Har HaElohim;

And he said unto Moshe, I thy khoten (father-in-law) Yitro am come unto thee, and thy isha, and her two banim with her.

And Moshe went out to meet his khoten, bowed low, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their shalom (welfare); and they came into the ohel.

And Moshe told his khoten all that Hashem had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for the sake of Yisroel, and all the travail that had befallen them along the derech, and how Hashem saved and delivered them.

And Yitro rejoiced for all the tovah which Hashem had done for Yisroel, whom He had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.

10 And Yitro said, Baruch Hashem, Who hath rescued you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, and Who hath delivered HaAm from under the hand of the Egyptians.

11 Now I have da’as that Hashem is gadol than kol haelohim; for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly He was above them.

12 And Yitro, Moshe’s khoten, brought an olah and zevakhim for Elohim; and Aharon came, and kol Ziknei Yisroel, to eat lechem with Moshe’s khoten before HaElohim.

13 And it came to pass on next day, that Moshe sat to judge HaAm; and HaAm stood around Moshe from the boker unto erev.

14 And when Moshe’s khoten saw all that he was doing for HaAm, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? Why sittest thou thyself alone, and kol HaAm stand around thee from boker unto erev?

15 And Moshe said unto his khoten, Because HaAm come unto me to inquire of Elohim;

16 When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the chukkei HaElohim, and His torot.

17 And Moshe’s khoten said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not tov.

18 Thou wilt surely wear out, both thou, and HaAm hazeh that is with thee; for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.

19 Shema (pay heed) now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and may Elohim be with thee; be thou for HaAm before HaElohim, that thou mayest bring the disputes unto HaElohim;

20 And thou shalt teach them chukkim and torot, and shalt show them the derech wherein they must walk, and the ma’aseh that they must do.

21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of kol HaAm anshei chayil (able men), yirei Elohim, anshei emes, hating bribes; and place such over them, to be over thousands, and over hundreds, over fifties, and over tens;

22 And let them judge HaAm at all times; and it shall be, that every davar hagadol they shall bring unto thee, but every davar hakaton they shall judge; so shall it be eased for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.

23 If thou shalt do this thing, and Elohim command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and kol HaAm hazeh shall also go to their place in shalom.

24 So Moshe paid heed to the voice of his khoten, and did all that he had said.

25 And Moshe chose anshei chayil out of kol Yisroel, and made them rashim over HaAm, over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.

26 And they judged HaAm at all times; the davar hakasheh (difficult case) they brought unto Moshe, but every devar hakaton they judged themselves.

27 And Moshe let his khoten depart; and he went his way into his own land.