Jethro Visits Moses
1 Moses' father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard about everything that God had done for Moses and the people of Israel when he led them out of Egypt. 2 So he came to Moses, bringing with him Moses' wife Zipporah, who had been left behind, 3 and Gershom and Eliezer, her two sons. (Moses had said, “I have been a foreigner in a strange land”; so he had named one son Gershom. 4 He had also said, “The God of my father helped me and saved me from being killed by the king of Egypt”; so he had named the other son Eliezer. ) 5 Jethro came with Moses' wife and her two sons into the desert where Moses was camped at the holy mountain. 6 He had sent word to Moses that they were coming, 7 so Moses went out to meet him, bowed before him, and kissed him. They asked about each other's health and then went into Moses' tent. 8 Moses told Jethro everything that the Lord had done to the king and the people of Egypt in order to rescue the Israelites. He also told him about the hardships the people had faced on the way and how the Lord had saved them. 9 When Jethro heard all this, he was happy 10 and said, “Praise the Lord, who saved you from the king and the people of Egypt! Praise the Lord, who saved his people from slavery! 11 Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods, because he did this when the Egyptians treated the Israelites with such contempt.” 12 Then Jethro brought an offering to be burned whole and other sacrifices to be offered to God; and Aaron and all the leaders of Israel went with him to eat the sacred meal as an act of worship.
The Appointment of Judges
(Deuteronomy 1.9-18)13 The next day Moses was settling disputes among the people, and he was kept busy from morning till night. 14 When Jethro saw everything that Moses had to do, he asked, “What is all this that you are doing for the people? Why are you doing this all alone, with people standing here from morning till night to consult you?”
15 Moses answered, “I must do this because the people come to me to learn God's will. 16 When two people have a dispute, they come to me, and I decide which one of them is right, and I tell them God's commands and laws.”
17 Then Jethro said, “You are not doing this right. 18 You will wear yourself out and these people as well. This is too much for you to do alone. 19 Now let me give you some good advice, and God will be with you. It is right for you to represent the people before God and bring their disputes to him. 20 You should teach them God's commands and explain to them how they should live and what they should do. 21 But in addition, you should choose some capable men and appoint them as leaders of the people: leaders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. They must be God-fearing men who can be trusted and who cannot be bribed. 22 Let them serve as judges for the people on a permanent basis. They can bring all the difficult cases to you, but they themselves can decide all the smaller disputes. That will make it easier for you, as they share your burden. 23 If you do this, as God commands, you will not wear yourself out, and all these people can go home with their disputes settled.”
24 Moses took Jethro's advice 25 and chose capable men from among all the Israelites. He appointed them as leaders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. 26 They served as judges for the people on a permanent basis, bringing the difficult cases to Moses but deciding the smaller disputes themselves.
27 Then Moses said good-bye to Jethro, and Jethro went back home.
1 When Iethro the Priest of Midian Moses father in lawe heard all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, and howe the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt, 2 Then Iethro the father in lawe of Moses, tooke Zipporah Moses wife, (after he had sent her away) 3 And her two sonnes, (whereof the one was called Gershom: for he sayd, I haue bene an aliant in a strange land: 4 And the name of the other was Eliezer: for the God of my father, said he, was mine helpe, and deliuered me from the sword of Pharaoh) 5 And Iethro Moses father in law came with his two sonnes, and his wife vnto Moses into the wildernes, where he camped by ye mout of God. 6 And he said to Moses, I thy father in law Iethro am come to thee, and thy wife and her two sonnes with her. 7 And Moses went out to meete his father in law, and did obeisance and kissed him, and eche asked other of his welfare: and they came into the tent. 8 Then Moses told his father in law all that the Lord had done vnto Pharaoh, and to the Egyptians for Israels sake, and all the trauaile that had come vnto them by the way, and howe the Lord deliuered them. 9 And Iethro reioyced at all the goodnesse, which the Lord had shewed to Israel, and because he had deliuered them out of the hande of the Egyptians. 10 Therfore Iethro sayd, Blessed be the Lord who hath deliuered you out of the hande of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh: who hath also deliuered the people from vnder the hand of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that the Lord is greater then all the gods: for as they haue dealt proudly with them, so are they recompensed. 12 Then Iethro Moses father in lawe tooke burnt offerings and sacrifices to offer vnto God. And Aaron and all the Elders of Israel came to eat bread with Moses father in law before God. 13 Now on the morow, when Moses sate to iudge the people, the people stoode about Moses from morning vnto euen. 14 And when Moses father in law saw all that he did to the people, he sayde, What is this that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thy selfe alone, and all the people stande about thee from morning vnto euen? 15 And Moses sayd vnto his father in law, Because the people come vnto me to seeke God. 16 When they haue a matter, they come vnto me, and I iudge betweene one and another, and declare the ordinances of God, and his lawes. 17 But Moses father in law said vnto him, The thing which thou doest, is not well. 18 Thou both weariest thy selfe greatly, and this people that is with thee: for the thing is too heauie for thee: thou art not able to doe it thy selfe alone. 19 Heare nowe my voyce, (I will giue thee counsell, and God shalbe with thee) be thou for the people to Godwarde, and report thou the causes vnto God, 20 And admonish them of the ordinances, and of the lawes, and shew them the way, wherein they must walke, and the worke that they must do. 21 Moreouer, prouide thou among al the people men of courage, fearing God, men dealing truely, hating couetousnesse: and appoynt such ouer them to be rulers ouer thousandes, rulers ouer hundreths, rulers ouer fifties, and rulers ouer tennes. 22 And let them iudge the people at all seasons: but euery great matter let them bring vnto thee, and let them iudge all small causes: so shall it be easier for thee, when they shall beare the burden with thee. 23 If thou do this thing, (and God so command thee) both thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go quietly to their place. 24 So Moses obeyed the voyce of his father in law, and did all that he had sayd: 25 And Moses chose men of courage out of all Israel, and made them heads ouer the people, rulers ouer thousandes, rulers ouer hundreths, rulers ouer fifties, and rulers ouer tennes. 26 And they iudged the people at all seasons, but they brought the hard causes vnto Moses: for they iudged all small matters themselues. 27 Afterward Moses let his father in law depart, and he went into his countrey.