Exodus 18

¹When Iethro the Priest of Midian Moses father in lawe heard all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, and howe the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt,

²Then Iethro the father in lawe of Moses, tooke Zipporah Moses wife, (after he had sent her away)

³And her two sonnes, (whereof the one was called Gershom: for he sayd, I haue bene an aliant in a strange land:

⁴And the name of the other was Eliezer: for the God of my father, said he, was mine helpe, and deliuered me from the sword of Pharaoh)

⁵And Iethro Moses father in law came with his two sonnes, and his wife vnto Moses into the wildernes, where he camped by ye mout of God.

⁶And he said to Moses, I thy father in law Iethro am come to thee, and thy wife and her two sonnes with her.

⁷And Moses went out to meete his father in law, and did obeisance and kissed him, and eche asked other of his welfare: and they came into the tent.

⁸Then Moses told his father in law all that the Lord had done vnto Pharaoh, and to the Egyptians for Israels sake, and all the trauaile that had come vnto them by the way, and howe the Lord deliuered them.

⁹And Iethro reioyced at all the goodnesse, which the Lord had shewed to Israel, and because he had deliuered them out of the hande of the Egyptians.

¹⁰Therfore Iethro sayd, Blessed be the Lord who hath deliuered you out of the hande of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh: who hath also deliuered the people from vnder the hand of the Egyptians.

¹¹Now I know that the Lord is greater then all the gods: for as they haue dealt proudly with them, so are they recompensed.

¹²Then Iethro Moses father in lawe tooke burnt offerings and sacrifices to offer vnto God. And Aaron and all the Elders of Israel came to eat bread with Moses father in law before God.

¹³Now on the morow, when Moses sate to iudge the people, the people stoode about Moses from morning vnto euen.

¹⁴And when Moses father in law saw all that he did to the people, he sayde, What is this that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thy selfe alone, and all the people stande about thee from morning vnto euen?

¹⁵And Moses sayd vnto his father in law, Because the people come vnto me to seeke God.

¹⁶When they haue a matter, they come vnto me, and I iudge betweene one and another, and declare the ordinances of God, and his lawes.

¹⁷But Moses father in law said vnto him, The thing which thou doest, is not well.

¹⁸Thou both weariest thy selfe greatly, and this people that is with thee: for the thing is too heauie for thee: thou art not able to doe it thy selfe alone.

¹⁹Heare nowe my voyce, (I will giue thee counsell, and God shalbe with thee) be thou for the people to Godwarde, and report thou the causes vnto God,

²⁰And admonish them of the ordinances, and of the lawes, and shew them the way, wherein they must walke, and the worke that they must do.

²¹Moreouer, prouide thou among al the people men of courage, fearing God, men dealing truely, hating couetousnesse: and appoynt such ouer them to be rulers ouer thousandes, rulers ouer hundreths, rulers ouer fifties, and rulers ouer tennes.

²²And let them iudge the people at all seasons: but euery great matter let them bring vnto thee, and let them iudge all small causes: so shall it be easier for thee, when they shall beare the burden with thee.

²³If thou do this thing, (and God so command thee) both thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go quietly to their place.

²⁴So Moses obeyed the voyce of his father in law, and did all that he had sayd:

²⁵And Moses chose men of courage out of all Israel, and made them heads ouer the people, rulers ouer thousandes, rulers ouer hundreths, rulers ouer fifties, and rulers ouer tennes.

²⁶And they iudged the people at all seasons, but they brought the hard causes vnto Moses: for they iudged all small matters themselues.

²⁷Afterward Moses let his father in law depart, and he went into his countrey.

Exodus 18

¹When 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;

²Then Jethro, Moses’ father in law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her back,

³And her two sons; of which the name of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been an alien in a strange land:

⁴And 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:

⁵And 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:

⁶And he said unto Moses, I thy father in law Jethro am come unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.

⁷And 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.

⁸And 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.

⁹And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the Lord had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.

¹⁰And 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.

¹¹Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them.

¹²And 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.

¹³And 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.

¹⁴And 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?

¹⁵And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God:

¹⁶When 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.

¹⁷And Moses’ father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good.

¹⁸Thou 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.

¹⁹Hearken 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:

²⁰And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.

²¹Moreover 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:

²²And 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.

²³If 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.

²⁴So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said.

²⁵And 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.

²⁶And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

²⁷And Moses let his father in law depart; and he went his way into his own land.