Exodus 18

Jethro, the priest of Midian and Moses's father-in-law, learned about everything God had done for Moses and for Israel His people — how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.

KJV 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;

Jethro, Moses's father-in-law, had taken Zipporah, Moses's wife, after Moses had sent her back,

KJV Then Jethro, Moses’ father in law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her back,

along with her two sons, one of whom was named Gershom — for Moses had said, "I have been a sojourner in a foreign land" —

KJV 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:

and the other was named Eliezer — "for the God of my father was my help and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh."

KJV 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:

Jethro, Moses's father-in-law, came with Moses's sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was camped, at the mountain of God.

KJV 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:

He sent word to Moses, "I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons."

KJV And he said unto Moses, I thy father in law Jethro am come unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.

Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They asked each other about their welfare and went into the tent.

KJV 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.

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 befallen them on the way, and how the LORD had delivered them.

KJV 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.

Jethro rejoiced over all the good that the LORD had done for Israel, in that He had delivered them from the hand of the Egyptians.

KJV 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.

Jethro said, "Blessed be the LORD, who has delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh, and who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.

KJV 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.

Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods, because in this matter where they dealt arrogantly, He was above them."

KJV Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them.

Then Jethro, Moses's father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God, and Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat bread with Moses's father-in-law before God.

KJV 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.

The next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning until evening.

KJV 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.

When Moses's 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 until evening?"

KJV 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?

Moses said to his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to inquire of God.

KJV And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God:

When they have a dispute, they come to me, and I judge between one person and another, and I make known the statutes of God and His instructions."

KJV 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.

Moses's father-in-law said to him, "What you are doing is not good.

KJV And Moses’ father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good.

You will surely wear out, both you and this people who are with you, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone.

KJV 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.

Now listen to my voice; I will give you counsel, and God be with you. You shall represent the people before God and bring their cases to God.

KJV 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:

You shall teach them the statutes and the instructions and make known to them the way in which they must walk and the work that they must do.

KJV 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.

Moreover, look for able men from all the people — men who fear God, who are trustworthy and who hate dishonest gain — and appoint them as leaders over thousands, over hundreds, over fifties, and over tens.

KJV 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:

Let them judge the people at all times. Every major matter they shall bring to you, but every minor matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you.

KJV 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.

If you do this, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace."

KJV 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.

Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said.

KJV So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said.

Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people — leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.

KJV 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.

They judged the people at all times. The difficult cases they brought to Moses, but every minor matter they decided themselves.

KJV And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went away to his own land.

KJV And Moses let his father in law depart; and he went his way into his own land.