Exodus 18

Revised Geneva Translation

18 When Jethro, the Priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard all that God had done for Moses and for Israel, His people (how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt),

² then, Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, (after he had sent her away)

³ and her two sons, one of whom was called Gershom (for he said, ‘I have been an alien in a strange 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 into the wilderness, to Moses and his two sons and his wife, where he camped by the Mount of God.

⁶ And he said to Moses, “I, your father-in-law, Jethro, have come to you and your wife and her two sons with her.”

⁷ And Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and bowed down, and kissed him. And each asked the other of his welfare. And they came into the tent.

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 to them on the way, and how the LORD delivered them.

⁹ And Jethro rejoiced at all the goodness which the LORD had shown to Israel, because He had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.

¹⁰ Therefore, Jethro said, “Blessed be the LORD, 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 the LORD is greater than all the gods. For they had dealt proudly with them.”

¹² Then, Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took burnt offerings and sacrifices to God. And Aaron, and all the elders of Israel, came to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.

¹³ Now, the next day, when Moses sat to judge the people, the people stood around Moses from morning to evening.

¹⁴ And when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did for the people, he said, “What is this that you do for the people? Why do you sit by yourself, and all the people stand around you from morning to evening?”

¹⁵ And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to seek God.

¹⁶ “When they have a matter, they come to me; and I judge between one and another and declare the ordinances of God and His laws.”

¹⁷ But Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing which you do is not good.

¹⁸ “You greatly weary both yourself and these people who are with you. For the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it by yourself.

¹⁹ “Now, hear my voice. I will give you counsel; and God shall be with you. Represent the people before God, and report disputes to God,

²⁰ “and warn them of the ordinances, and of the laws. And show them the way in which they must walk, and the work that they must do.

²¹ “Moreover, provide men of courage among all the people, men who fear God, dealing truly, hating covetousness. And appoint over them rulers over thousands, rulers over hundreds, rulers over fifties, and rulers over tens.

²² “And let them judge the people in all seasons. But, let them bring every great matter to you. And let them judge all small causes. So, it shall be easier for you when they shall bear the burden with you.

²³ “If you do this thing, and God so commands you, you shall be able to endure and all these people shall also go quietly to their place.”

²⁴ So, Moses obeyed the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said.

²⁵ And Moses chose men of courage out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers over thousands, rulers over hundreds, rulers over fifties, and rulers over tens.

²⁶ And they judged the people in all seasons; and they brought the hard causes to Moses. For they judged all small matters themselves.

²⁷ Afterward, Moses let his father-in-law depart; and he went into his country.