Jethro bringeth to Moses his wife and children. His counsel.
18:1. And when Jethro the priest of Madian, the kinsman of Moses, had
heard all the things that God had done to Moses, and to Israel his
people, and that the Lord had brought forth Israel out of Egypt:
18:2. He took Sephora, the wife of Moses, whom he had sent back:
18:3. And her two sons, of whom one was called Gersam: his father
saying, I have been a stranger in a foreign country.
18:4. And the other Eliezer: For the God of my father, said he, is my
helper, and hath delivered me from the sword of Pharao.
18:5. And Jethro, the kinsman of Moses, came with his sons, and his wife
to Moses into the desert, where he was camped by the mountain of God.
18:6. And he sent word to Moses, saying: I Jethro, thy kinsman, come to
thee, and thy wife, and thy two sons with her.
18:7. And he went out to meet his kinsman, and worshipped and kissed
him: and they saluted one another with words of peace. And when he was
come into the tent,
18:8. Moses told his kinsman all that the Lord had done to Pharao, and
the Egyptians in favour of Israel: and all the labour which had befallen
them in the journey, and that the Lord had delivered them.
18:9. And Jethro rejoiced for all the good things that the Lord had done
to Israel, because he had delivered them out of the hands of the
Egyptians.
18:10. And he said: Blessed is the Lord, who hath delivered his people
out of the hand of Egypt.
18:11. Now I know, that the Lord is great above all gods; because they
dealt proudly against them.
18:12. So Jethro, the kinsman of Moses, offered holocausts and
sacrifices to God: and Aaron and all the ancients of Israel came, to eat
bread with him before God.
18:13. And the next day Moses sat to judge the people, who stood by
Moses from morning until night.
18:14. And when his kinsman had seen all things that he did among the
people, he said: What is it that thou dost among the people? Why sittest
thou alone, and all the people wait from morning till night?
18:15. And Moses answered him: The people come to me to seek the
judgment of God?
18:16. And when any controversy falleth out among them, they come to me
to judge between them, and to shew the precepts of God, and his laws.
18:17. But he said: The thing thou dost is not good.
18:18: Thou art spent with foolish labour, both thou, and this people
that is with thee; the business is above thy strength, thou alone canst
not bear it.
18:19. But hear my words and counsels, and God shall be with thee. Be
thou to the people in those things that pertain to God, to bring their
words to him:
18:20. And to shew the people the ceremonies, and the manner of
worshipping; and the way wherein they ought to walk, and the work that
they ought to do.
18:21. And provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, in
whom there is truth, and that hate avarice, and appoint of them rulers
of thousands, and of hundreds, and of fifties, and of tens,
18:22. Who may judge the people at all times: and when any great matter
soever shall fall out, let them refer it to thee, and let them judge the
lesser matters only: that so it may be lighter for thee, the burden
being shared out unto others.
18:23. If thou dost this, thou shalt fulfil the commandment of God, and
shalt be able to bear his precepts: and all this people shall return to
their places with peace.
18:24. And when Moses heard this, he did all things that he had
suggested unto him.
18:25. And choosing able men out of all Israel, he appointed them rulers
of the people, rulers over thousands, and over hundreds, and over
fifties, and over tens.
18:26. And they judged the people at all times: and whatsoever was of
greater difficulty they referred to him, and they judged the easier
cases only.
18:27. And he let his kinsman depart: and he returned and went into his
own country.