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

18:2 Now Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, had taken Zippo'rah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her away,
18:2 After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro took her back,

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 along with her two sons. The name of the one was Gershom (for he said, "I have been an alien in a foreign land"),

18:4 and the name of the other, Elie'zer (for he said, "The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh").
18:4 and the name of the other, 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 to Moses in the wilderness where he was encamped at the mountain of God.
18:5 Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came into the wilderness where Moses was encamped at the mountain of God, bringing Moses' sons and wife to him.

18:6 And when one told Moses, "Lo, your father-in-law Jethro is coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her,"
18:6 He sent word to Moses, "I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you, with your wife and her two sons."

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

18:8 Then 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 come upon them in the way, and how the LORD had delivered them.
18:8 Then 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 beset them on the way, and how the LORD had delivered them.

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

18:10 And Jethro said, "Blessed be the LORD, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh.
18:10 Jethro said, "Blessed be the LORD, who has delivered you from the Egyptians and from Pharaoh.

18:11 Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods, because he delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians, when they dealt arrogantly with them."
18:11 Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods, because he delivered the people from the Egyptians, when they dealt arrogantly with them."

18:12 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, offered a burnt offering and sacrifices to God; and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before God.
18:12 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 in the presence of God.

18:13 On the morrow Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood about Moses from morning till evening.
18:13 The next day Moses sat as judge for the people, while the people stood around him from morning until evening.

18:14 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 about you from morning till evening?"
18:14 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, while all the people stand around you from morning until evening?"

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

18:16 when they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between a man and his neighbor, and I make them know the statutes of God and his decisions."
18:16 When they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between one person and another, and I make known to them the statutes and instructions of God."

18:17 Moses' father-in-law said to him, "What you are doing is not good.
18:17 Moses' father-in-law said to him, "What you are doing is not good.

18:18 You and the people with you will wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you; you are not able to perform it alone.
18:18 You will surely wear yourself out, both you and these people with you. For the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.

18:19 Listen now 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;
18:19 Now listen to me. I will give you counsel, and God be with you! You should represent the people before God, and you should bring their cases before God;

18:20 and you shall teach them the statutes and the decisions, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do.
18:20 teach them the statutes and instructions and make known to them the way they are to go and the things they are to do.

18:21 Moreover choose able men from all the people, such as fear God, men who are trustworthy and who hate a bribe; and place such men over the people as rulers of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
18:21 You should also look for able men among all the people, men who fear God, are trustworthy, and hate dishonest gain; set such men over them as officers over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.

18:22 And let them judge the people at all times; 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 bear the burden with you.
18:22 Let them sit as judges for the people at all times; let them bring every important case to you, but decide every minor case themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you.

18:23 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."
18:23 If you do this, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people will go to their home in peace."

18:24 So Moses gave heed 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 Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
18:25 Moses chose able men from all Israel and appointed them as heads over the people, as officers over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.

18:26 And they judged the people at all times; hard cases they brought to Moses, but any small matter they decided themselves.
18:26 And they judged the people at all times; hard cases they brought to Moses, but any minor case they decided themselves.

18:27 Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way to his own country.
18:27 Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went off to his own country.