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 Yahweh
had brought Israel out of Egypt. 2 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, received
Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her away, 3 and her two sons. The
name of one son was Gershom,*1 for Moses said, “I have lived as a foreigner in a foreign
land”. 4 The name of the other was Eliezer,*2 for he said, “My father’s God was my help and delivered me from
Pharaoh’s sword.” 5 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and
his wife to Moses into the wilderness where he was encamped, at the Mountain
of God. 6 He said to Moses, I, your father-in-law Jethro, have come to you
with your wife, and her two sons with her. 7 Moses went out to meet his
father-in-law, and bowed and kissed him. They asked each other of their
welfare, and they came into the tent. 8 Moses told his father-in-law all
that Yahweh had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all
the hardships that had come on them on the way, and how Yahweh delivered
them. 9 Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which Yahweh had done to
Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.
10 Jethro said, “Blessed be Yahweh, who has delivered you out of the hand
of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh; who has delivered the
people from under the hand of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that Yahweh is
greater than all gods because of the thing in which they dealt arrogantly
against them.” 12 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and
sacrifices for God. Aaron came with all of the elders of Israel, to eat bread
with Moses’ father-in-law before God.
13 It happened on the next day, that Moses sat to judge the people, and
the people stood around Moses from the morning to the evening. 14 When
Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said, “What is
this thing that you do for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the
people stand around you from morning to evening?”
15 Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to
inquire of God. 16 When they have a matter, they come to me, and I judge
between a man and his neighbor, and I make them know the statutes of God, and
his laws.” 17 Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you do is
not good. 18 You will surely wear away, both you, and this people that is
with you; for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to perform it
yourself alone. 19 Listen now to my voice. I will give you counsel, and
God be with you. You represent the people before God, and bring the causes to
God. 20 You shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and shall show
them the way in which they must walk, and the work that they must do.
21 Moreover you shall 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 Let them judge the people at all times. It shall be that every great
matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall judge
themselves. So shall it be easier for you, and they shall share the load with
you. 23 If you will do this thing, and God commands you so, then you will
be able to endure, and all of these people also will go to their place in
peace.”
24 So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that
he had said. 25 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 They judged the people at all times. They
brought the hard causes to Moses, but every small matter they judged
themselves. 27 Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way
into his own land.
1 “Gershom” sounds like the Hebrew for “an
alien there.” 2 Eliezer means “God is my
helper.”
World English Bible - Public Domain |
|
|