Exodus Chapter 18 (Index)

001  When Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father in law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, and that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt;

002  Then Jethro, Moses' father in law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her back,

003  And her two sons; of which the name of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been an alien in a strange land:

004  And the name of the other was Eliezer; for the God of my father, said he, was mine help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh:

005  And Jethro, Moses' father in law, came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped at the mount of God:

006  And he said unto Moses, I thy father in law Jethro am come unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.

007  And Moses went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent.

008  And Moses told his father in law all that the LORD had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, and all the travail that had come upon them by the way, and how the LORD delivered them.

009  And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.

010  And Jethro said, Blessed be the LORD, 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.

011  Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them.

012  And Jethro, Moses' father in law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses' father in law before God.

013  And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening.

014  And when Moses' father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even?

015  And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to inquire of God:

016  When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.

017  And Moses' father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good.

018  Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.

019  Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God:

020  And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt show them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.

021  Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:

022  And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.

023  If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.

024  So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said.

025  And Moses 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.

026  And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

027  And Moses let his father in law depart; and he went his way into his own land.