Exodus 18

¹And when Jethro, the priest of Midian, the kinsman of Moses, had heard all that God had done for Moses, and for his people Israel, and that the Lord had led Israel away from Egypt,

²he brought Zipporah, the wife of Moses, whom he was to return to him,

³and her two sons, of whom one was called Gershom, (for his father said, “I have been a newcomer in a foreign land,”)

⁴and the other in truth was Eliezer, (“For the God of my father,” he said, “is my helper, and has rescued me from the sword of Pharaoh.”)

⁵And so Jethro, the kinsman of Moses, with his sons and his wife, came to Moses in the desert, where he was encamped next to the mountain of God.

⁶And he sent word to Moses, saying: “I, Jethro, your kinsman, have come to you, with your wife, and your two sons with her.”

⁷And going out to meet his kinsman, he reverenced and kissed him. And they saluted each other with peaceful words. And when he had arrived at the tent,

⁸Moses explained to his kinsman all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians on behalf of Israel, and all the hardships which had befallen them on the journey, and how the Lord had freed them.

⁹And Jethro was gladdened over all the good that the Lord had done for Israel, because he had rescued them from the hand of the Egyptians.

¹⁰And he said: “Blessed is the Lord, who has freed his people from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh; he has rescued his people from the hand of Egypt.

¹¹Now I know that the great Lord is above all gods. This is why they acted arrogantly against them.”

¹²And so Jethro, the kinsman of Moses, offered holocausts and sacrifices to God. And Aaron arrived with all the elders of Israel, in order to eat bread with him in the sight of God.

¹³Then, the next day, Moses sat down in order to judge the people, and they stood beside Moses from morning, even until evening.

¹⁴And when, of course, his kinsman saw all that he did among the people, he said: “What is this that you do among the people? Why do you sit alone, while all the people stand before you, from morning, even until evening?”

¹⁵And Moses answered him: “The people come to me seeking the verdict of God.

¹⁶And when any kind of dispute occurs among them, they come to me to judge between them, and to reveal the precepts of God and of his laws.”

¹⁷But he said, “This is not good, what you are doing.

¹⁸You will be consumed by foolish efforts, both you and this people who are with you. The task is beyond your strength; you will not be able bear it alone.

¹⁹But listen to my words and counsels, and then God will be with you. Be available to the people in that which pertains to God, so as to refer what they say to him,

²⁰and to reveal to the people the ceremonies, and the rituals of worship, and the way by which they should progress, and the work that they should do.

²¹Then provide, from all of the people, men capable and fearing God, in whom there is truth and who hate avarice, and appoint from them tribunes, and leaders of hundreds, and of fifties, and of tens,

²²who may judge the people at all times. Then, when anything greater will have occurred, they may refer it to you, and let them judge the lesser matters only. And so it may be lighter for you, the burden being divided among others.

²³If you will do this, you will fulfill the orders of God, and you will be able to uphold his precepts. And this entire people will return to their places in peace.”

²⁴Having heard this, Moses did everything that he had suggested to him.

²⁵And choosing virtuous men from all of Israel, he appointed them as leaders of the people: tribunes, and leaders of hundreds, and of fifties, and of tens.

²⁶And they judged the people at all times. But whatever was more serious, they referred to him, and they judged easier matters only.

²⁷And he dismissed his kinsman, who, turning back, went to his own land.

Exodus 18

¹And when Jethro the priest of Madian, the kinsman of Moses, had heard all the things that God had done to Moses, and to Israel his people, and that the Lord had brought forth Israel out of Egypt:

²He took Sephora, the wife of Moses, whom he had sent back:

³And her two sons, of whom one was called Gersam: his father saying, I have been a stranger in a foreign country.

⁴And the other Eliezer: For the God of my father, said he, is my helper, and hath delivered me from the sword of Pharao.

⁵And Jethro, the kinsman of Moses, came with his sons, and his wife to Moses into the desert, where he was camped by the mountain of God.

⁶And he sent word to Moses, saying: I Jethro, thy kinsman, come to thee, and thy wife, and thy two sons with her.

⁷And he went out to meet his kinsman, and worshipped and kissed him: and they saluted one another with words of peace. And when he was come into the tent,

⁸Moses told his kinsman all that the Lord had done to Pharao, and the Egyptians in favour of Israel: and all the labour which had befallen them in the journey, and that the Lord had delivered them.

⁹And Jethro rejoiced for all the good things that the Lord had done to Israel, because he had delivered them out of the hands of the Egyptians.

¹⁰And he said: Blessed is the Lord, who hath delivered his people out of the hand of Egypt.

¹¹Now I know, that the Lord is great above all gods; because they dealt proudly against them.

¹²So Jethro, the kinsman of Moses, offered holocausts and sacrifices to God: and Aaron and all the ancients of Israel came, to eat bread with him before God.

¹³And the next day Moses sat to judge the people, who stood by Moses from morning until night.

¹⁴And when his kinsman had seen all things that he did among the people, he said: What is it that thou dost among the people? Why sittest thou alone, and all the people wait from morning till night?

¹⁵And Moses answered him: The people come to me to seek the judgment of God?

¹⁶And when any controversy falleth out among them, they come to me to judge between them, and to shew the precepts of God, and his laws.

¹⁷But he said: The thing thou dost is not good.

¹⁸Thou art spent with foolish labour, both thou, and this people that is with thee; the business is above thy strength, thou alone canst not bear it.

¹⁹But hear my words and counsels, and God shall be with thee. Be thou to the people in those things that pertain to God, to bring their words to him:

²⁰And to shew the people the ceremonies, and the manner of worshipping; and the way wherein they ought to walk, and the work that they ought to do.

²¹And provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, in whom there is truth, and that hate avarice, and appoint of them rulers of thousands, and of hundreds, and of fifties, and of tens,

²²Who may judge the people at all times: and when any great matter soever shall fall out, let them refer it to thee, and let them judge the lesser matters only: that so it may be lighter for thee, the burden being shared out unto others.

²³If thou dost this, thou shalt fulfil the commandment of God, and shalt be able to bear his precepts: and all this people shall return to their places with peace.

²⁴And when Moses heard this, he did all things that he had suggested unto him.

²⁵And choosing able men out of all Israel, he appointed them rulers of the people, rulers over thousands, and over hundreds, and over fifties, and over tens.

²⁶And they judged the people at all times: and whatsoever was of greater difficulty they referred to him, and they judged the easier cases only.

²⁷And he let his kinsman depart: and he returned and went into his own country.