Open English Translation EXO Chapter 18

18 Now Yetro (Jethro), the priest at Midian and Mosheh’s father-in-law, heard about everything that God had done for Mosheh and for his people the Israelis—that Yahweh had brought the Israelis out of Egypt. 2 (Yetro had been looking after Mosheh’s wife Zipporah and their two sons after he had sent her back[ref] 3 along with their two sons. One was named ‘Gershom’ (which sounds like the Hebrew word for ‘foreigner’) because Mosheh had said, “I’ve been a foreigner living in another country.”[ref] 4 Their other son’s name was ‘Eliezer’ (which sounds like the Hebrew word that means ‘God helps me’, because Mosheh had said, “God, who my father worshipped, has helped me and stopped the Egyptian king Far’oh from killing me.”)

5 So now Mosheh’s father-in-law brought Mosheh’s wife and sons to the wilderness where the people were camping near the mountain of God. 6 He had sent a message ahead saying, “I, your father-in-law Yetro, am coming to you, as well as your wife and your two sons.” 7 So Mosheh went out to meet his father-in-law, and he bowed down and kissed him. They asked each other about their welfare, then they went into the tent, 8 and Mosheh related to his father-in-law all that Yahweh had done to Far’oh and to Egypt on account of Israel, all the hardship that found them along the way, and about how Yahweh had rescued them. 9 Yetro was very happy to hear about all the good things that Yahweh had done for Israel when he had rescued them out from Egyptian control, 10 and he said, “Bless Yahweh, who rescued you from slavery in Egypt, and from Far’oh’s power. 11 Now I can see that Yahweh is greater than all the other gods because of the this result after the Egyptians had acted proudly against you all.” 12 Then Mosheh’s father-in-law Yetro made a burnt offering as well as sacrifices to God, and Aharon and all of the Israeli elders came to eat bread with Mosheh’s father-in-law in God’s presence.

13 The following day, Mosheh sat down to judge the people, and the people stood around him from morning until evening. 14 When his father-in-law noticed everything that he personally did for the people, he asked, “What’s this that you’re doing with the people? Why do you sit there alone, and all the people position themselves around you from morning until evening?”

15 “Because the people come to me to find out what God wants for them,” Mosheh replied to Yetro. 16 “When a difficult situation comes up among them, someone comes to me and I make the judgement between a man and his neighbour. In addition, I help them understand the God’s statutes and laws.”

17 “It’s not a good idea what you’re doing,” said Yetro. 18 “You’re definitely on the road to wear yourself out, plus you’ll also wear out these people who’re with you, because the responsibility is too heavy for you—you can’t just do it alone. 19 Now, listen to this: I’ll advise you and God will be with you. You be before God for the people, and you should bring their disputes to God yourself. 20 You should also teach them the statutes and the laws, and you should teach them the way they should live and the work that they should do. 21 But you yourself should search through all the people to find capable men who’re godly and faithful, and not greedy for dishonest profit. Then appoint the best of them to be over a thousand households, and then others to be over groups of one hundred, fifty, and ten households. 22 They’ll be the ones to judge the people, except that every serious situation they’ll bring to you—they’ll judge every minor situation themselves. Yes, you must lighten this load off yourself, and they’ll share the load with you. 23 If you do that, and if God tells you to proceed, then you’ll be able to endure in the long term, plus all of these people standing around will be able to return to their tents peacefully.”

24 So Mosheh took his father-in-law’s advice and implemented all of his suggestions. 25 He chose capable men from among all the Israelis, and he appointed them as heads over the people: leaders of thousands, leaders of hundreds, leaders of fifties, and leaders of tens of households. 26 They became the ones who settled most disputes for the people. They brought the difficult cases to Mosheh, but they judged each minor situation themselves.

27 Then Mosheh bid farewell to Yetro and he returned to his own home.