Exodus 18

1Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, that Yahweh had brought Israel out of Egypt.

2Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her away.

3and her two sons, of whom the name of the one was Gershom, for he said, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land.”

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

5Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came to Moses in the wilderness, where he was camped at the mountain of God, with his sons and his wife.

6He said to Moses, “I, Jethro your father-in-law, am coming to you, with your wife and her two sons with her.”

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

8Moses told his father-in-law all that Yahweh had done to Pharaoh and to Egypt for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had come upon them on the way, and how Yahweh had delivered them.

9Jethro rejoiced over all the good that Yahweh had done for Israel, whom he had delivered from the hand of Egypt.

10And Yitro said, “Blessed be Yahweh, who delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh, who delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.”

11Now I know that Yahweh is greater than all the gods, because in the matter in which they acted arrogantly against them, he was above them.

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

13And it happened on the next day that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood before Moses from morning until evening.

14When Moses's father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, while all the people stand before you from morning until evening?”

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

16When they have a matter, it comes to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor, and I make known the statutes of God and his laws.

17Moses' father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good.”

18You will surely wear yourself out, both you and this people who are with you, because the matter is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it by yourself.

19Now listen to my voice; I will advise you, and God be with you. You be for the people before God, and you shall bring the matters to God.

20And you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they must walk and the work that they must do.

21But you shall select from all the people able men, those who fear God, men of truth, hating dishonest gain; and you shall appoint them over them as chiefs of thousands, chiefs of hundreds, chiefs of fifties, and chiefs of tens.

22And let them judge the people at all times. Then every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they themselves shall judge. So make it lighter for yourself, and they will bear the burden with you.

23If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace.

24So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he said.

25Moses chose capable men from all Israel and appointed them as heads over the people: commanders of thousands, commanders of hundreds, commanders of fifties, and commanders of tens.

26And they judged the people at all times. Every difficult matter they would bring to Moses, but every small matter they themselves would judge.

27Then Moses sent his father-in-law away, and he went to his own land.