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Exodus 18 :: New American Standard Bible 2020 (NASB20)

Jethro, Moses’ Father-in-law

(Deu 1:9–18 )

Exo 18:1

Exo 18:1

Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard about everything that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people, how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.

Exo 18:2

Exo 18:2And Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took in Moses’ wife Zipporah, after he had sent her away,

Exo 18:3

Exo 18:3and her two sons, [fn]one of whom was named Gershom, for Moses said, “I have been a stranger in a foreign land.”

Exo 18:4

Exo 18:4And [fn]the other was named [fn]Eliezer, for he said, “The God of my father was my help, and saved me from the sword of Pharaoh.”

Exo 18:5

Exo 18:5

Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses [fn]in the wilderness where he was camped, at the mountain of God.

Exo 18:6

Exo 18:6And he [fn]sent word to Moses: “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her.”

Exo 18:7

Exo 18:7Then Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and he bowed down and kissed him; and they asked each other about their welfare, and went into the tent.

Exo 18:8

Exo 18:8Moses told his father-in-law everything that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had confronted them on the journey, and how the LORD had rescued them.

Exo 18:9

Exo 18:9And Jethro rejoiced over all the goodness which the LORD had done for Israel, [fn]in rescuing [fn]them from the hand of the Egyptians.

Exo 18:10

Exo 18:10So Jethro said, “Blessed be the LORD who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.

Exo 18:11

Exo 18:11“Now I know that the LORD is greater than all the gods; indeed, [fn]it was proven when they acted insolently against [fn]the people.”

Exo 18:12

Exo 18:12Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat [fn]a meal with Moses’ father-in-law before God.

Jethro Counsels Moses

Exo 18:13

Exo 18:13

And it came about the next day, that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood before Moses from the morning until the evening.

Exo 18:14

Exo 18:14Now when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge and all the people stand before you from morning until evening?”

Exo 18:15

Exo 18:15Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God.

Exo 18:16

Exo 18:16“When they have a [fn]dispute, it comes to me, and I judge between someone and his neighbor and make known the statutes of God and His laws.”

Exo 18:17

Exo 18:17Moses’ father-in-law then said to him, “The thing that you are doing is not good.

Exo 18:18

Exo 18:18“You will surely wear out, both yourself and [fn]these people who are with you, because the [fn]task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.

Exo 18:19

Exo 18:19“Now listen to [fn]me: I will give you counsel, and God be with you. [fn]You be the people’s representative before God, and you bring the [fn]disputes to God,

Exo 18:20

Exo 18:20then admonish them about the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they are to walk and the work they are to do.

Exo 18:21

Exo 18:21“Furthermore, you shall [fn]select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them as leaders of thousands, [fn]of hundreds, [fn]of fifties, and [fn]of tens.

Exo 18:22

Exo 18:22“Let them judge the people at all times; and let it be that they will bring to you every major matter, but they will judge every minor matter themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will carry the burden with you.

Exo 18:23

Exo 18:23“If you do this thing and God so commands you, then you will be able to [fn]endure, and all [fn]these people also will go to [fn]their places in peace.”

Exo 18:24

Exo 18:24

So Moses listened [fn]to his father-in-law and did everything that he had said.

Exo 18:25

Exo 18:25Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, leaders of thousands, [fn]of hundreds, [fn]of fifties, and [fn]of tens.

Exo 18:26

Exo 18:26Then they judged the people at all times; they would bring the difficult matter to Moses, but they would judge every minor matter themselves.

Exo 18:27

Exo 18:27Then Moses [fn]said goodbye to his father-in-law, and [fn]Jethro went his way to his own land.
See the NASB20 Preface (Especially for Parenthesis, Brackets, & Asterisks).
NASB20 Footnotes
Lit the name of the one was
Lit The name of the other was
Heb El-ezer; i.e., my God is help
Lit unto
Lit said
Lit in that He had delivered
Lit him
Lit in the thing in which they acted
Lit them
Lit bread
Lit matter
Lit this
Lit matter
Lit my voice
Lit You be for the people in front of God
Lit matters
Lit see
Lit leaders of
Lit leaders of
Lit leaders of
Lit stand
Lit this
Lit his
Lit to the voice of
Lit leaders of
Lit leaders of
Lit leaders of
Lit sent off his father-in-law
Lit he
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