Exodus

18 And Jethro, priest of Midian, father-in-law of Moses, heard all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people,—in that Yahweh had brought forth Israel out of Egypt.

2 So Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife,—after she had been sent home;

3 and her two sons,—of whom the name of the one was Gershom, for, said he, A sojourner am I in a strange land,

4 and the name of the other Eliezer, for The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.

5 And Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came in with his two sons and his wife unto Moses,—into the desert where he was encamping, the mountain of God;

6 and said unto Moses, I, thy father-in-law Jethro, am coming in unto thee,—and thy wife and her two sons with her.

7 So Moses went forth to meet his father-in-law, and bowed himself down to him and kissed him, and they asked each other of their welfare,—and came into the tent.

8 Then Moses recounted to his father-in-law, all that Yahweh had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians, for Israel’s sake,—all the hardship which had befallen them by the way, and how Yahweh had delivered them.

9 Then did Jethro rejoice, for all the good which Yahweh had done to Israel,—whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.

10 And Jethro said—Blessed be Yahweh, 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 greater is Yahweh than all the gods,—Even in the thing wherein they were arrogant over them.

12 Then took Jethro, father-in-law of Moses, an ascending-offering and sacrifices to God,—and Aaron and all the elders of Israel came in to eat bread with the father-in-law of Moses before God.

13 Now it came to pass, on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people,—and the people stood by Moses, from the morning until the evening.

14 And when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said—What is this thing which thou art doing for the people? Wherefore art thou sitting alone, with all the people stationed by thee from morning until evening?

15 And Moses said to his father-in-law,—Because the people come in unto me to seek God:

16 When they have a matter they come in unto me, then do I judge between a man and his neighbour,—and make known the statutes of God and his laws.

17 Then said Moses’ father-in-law unto him,—Not good is the thing that thou art doing.

18 Thou wilt get quite worn out, both thou and this people that is with thee,—for the thing is too heavy for thee, thou canst not do it alone.

19 Now hearken thou to my voice—let me counsel thee, and may God be with thee: Be thou for the people in front of God, so shalt thou bring the matters unto God;

20 and shalt cause to shine upon them, the statutes and the laws,—and make known to them the way wherein they should go, and the work they should do.

21 Thou thyself, therefore, shalt look out, from among all the people—men of ability, reverers of God, men of fidelity, haters of extortion,—and place [them] over them as rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

22 So shall they judge the people at any time, and it shall be all the great matters shall they bring in unto thee, but all the small matters shall they themselves judge,—so, lighten thou the burden for thyself, and let them bear it with thee.

23 If this thing thou wilt do, and God shall command thee, then shalt thou be able to endure,—yea, moreover, all this people shall go in unto their dwellings contented.

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

25 and Moses chose men of ability out of all Israel, and set them to be heads over the people,—rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

26 And they shall judge the people at any time,—the hard matters shall they bring in unto Moses, but all the small matters shall they themselves judge.

27 And Moses sent forth his father-in-law,—and he went his way by himself unto his own land.