18:1 Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, how that Jehovah had brought Israel out of Egypt.
18:1 Now Jethro, 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.

18:2 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her away,
18:2 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took Moses' wife Zipporah, after he had sent her away,

18:3 and her two sons; of whom the name of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been a sojourner in a foreign land:
18:3 and her two sons, of whom one was named Gershom, for he said, "I have been a sojourner in a foreign land."

18:4 and the name of the other was Eliezer; for (he said), The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.
18:4 And the other was named Eliezer, for [he said,] "The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh."

18:5 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness where he was encamped, at the mount of God:
18:5 Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was camped, at the mount of God.

18:6 and he said unto Moses, I, thy father-in-law Jethro, am come unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.
18:6 And he sent word to Moses, "I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her."

18:7 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.
18:7 Then Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and he bowed down and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare, and went into the tent.

18:8 And Moses told his father-in-law all that Jehovah had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, all the travail that had come upon them by the way, and how Jehovah delivered them.
18:8 And 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 journey, and [how] the LORD had delivered them.

18:9 And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which Jehovah had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.
18:9 And Jethro rejoiced over all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, in delivering them from the hand of the Egyptians.

18:10 And Jethro said, Blessed be Jehovah, 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.
18:10 So Jethro said, "Blessed be the LORD who delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh, [and] who delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.

18:11 Now I know that Jehovah is greater than all gods; yea, in the thing wherein they dealt proudly against them.
18:11 "Now I know that the LORD is greater than all the gods; indeed, it was proven when they dealt proudly against the people."

18:12 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.
18:12 Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses' father-in-law before God.

18:13 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood about Moses from the morning unto the evening.
18:13 And it came about the next day that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood about Moses from the morning until the evening.

18:14 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 about thee from morning unto even?
18:14 Now when Moses' father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, "What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit [as judge] and all the people stand about you from morning until evening?"

18:15 And Moses said unto his father-in-law, Because the people come unto me to inquire of God:
18:15 And Moses said to his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to inquire of God.

18:16 when they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between a man and his neighbor, and I make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.
18:16 "When they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor, and make known the statutes of God and His laws."

18:17 And Moses' father-in-law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good.
18:17 And Moses' father-in-law said to him, "The thing that you are doing is not good.

18:18 Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for the thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.
18:18 "You will surely wear out, both yourself and these people who are with you, for the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.

18:19 Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God be with thee: be thou for the people to God-ward, and bring thou the causes unto God:
18:19 "Now listen to me: I shall give you counsel, and God be with you. You be the people's representative before God, and you bring the disputes to God,

18:20 and thou shalt teach them the statutes and the laws, and shalt show them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.
18:20 then teach them the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they are to walk, and the work they are to do.

18:21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:
18:21 "Furthermore, you shall select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place [ these] over them, [as] leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens.

18:22 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 themselves: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear (the burden) with thee.
18:22 "And let them judge the people at all times; and let it be that every major dispute they will bring to you, but every minor dispute they themselves will judge. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear [the burden] with you.

18:23 If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people also shall go to their place in peace.
18:23 "If you do this thing and God [so] commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people also will go to their place in peace."

18:24 So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said.
18:24 So Moses listened to his father-in-law, and did all that he had said.

18:25 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.
18:25 And 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.

18:26 And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.
18:26 And they judged the people at all times; the difficult dispute they would bring to Moses, but every minor dispute they themselves would judge.

18:27 And Moses let his father-in-law depart; and he went his way into his own land.
18:27 Then Moses bade his father-in-law farewell, and he went his way into his own land.