Exodus 18
Jethro’s Advice
And aJethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that bGod had done for Moses and for Israel His people—that the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. 2 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took aZipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her back, 3 with her atwo sons, of whom the name of one was Gershom (for he said, b“I have been a stranger in a foreign land”) 4 and the name of the other was Eliezer (for he said, “The God of my father was my ahelp, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh”); 5 and Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness, where he was encamped at athe mountain of God. 6 Now he had said to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her.”
7 So Moses awent out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down, and bkissed him. And they asked each other about their well-being, and they went into the tent. 8 And 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 upon them on the way, and how the Lord had adelivered them. 9 Then Jethro rejoiced for all the agood which the Lord had done for Israel, whom He had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. 10 And Jethro said, a“Blessed be the Lord, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh, and who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that the Lord is agreater than all the gods; bfor in the very thing in which they behaved cproudly, He was above them.” 12 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt aoffering and other sacrifices to offer to God. And Aaron came with all the elders of Israel bto eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.
13 And so it was, on the next day, that Moses asat to judge the people; and the people stood before Moses from morning until evening. 14 So when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did for the people, he said, “What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit, and all the people stand before you from morning until evening?”
15 And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because athe people come to me to inquire of God. 16 When they have aa difficulty, they come to me, and I judge between one and another; and I make known the statutes of God and His laws.”
17 So Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you do is not good. 18 Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you; ayou are not able to perform it by yourself. 19 Listen now to my voice; I will give you counsel, and God will be with you: Stand abefore God for the people, so that you may bbring the difficulties to God. 20 And you shall ateach them the statutes and the laws, and show them the way in which they must walk and bthe work they must do. 21 Moreover you shall select from all the people aable men, such as bfear God, cmen of truth, dhating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 22 And let them judge the people at all times. aThen it will be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they themselves shall judge. So it will be easier for you, for bthey will bear the burden with you. 23 If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all this people will also go to their aplace in peace.”
24 So Moses heeded the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said. 25 And aMoses 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 So they judged the people at all times; the ahard cases they brought to Moses, but they judged every small case themselves.
27 Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and ahe went his way to his own land.
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson.
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