| 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. 2 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took
Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her away, 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: 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. 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: 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.
11 Now I know that Jehovah is greater than all gods; yea, in the thing
wherein they dealt proudly against them. 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.
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. 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? 15 And Moses said
unto his father-in-law, Because the people come unto me to inquire of God:
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.
17 And Moses' father-in-law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is
not good. 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. 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: 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. 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: 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. 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. 24 So Moses hearkened
to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said. 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. 26 And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they
brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves. 27 And
Moses let his father-in-law depart; and he went his way into his own land.
Genesis - Public
Domain
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