Exodus 18 :: Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Jethro, Moses' Father-in-law

(Deu 1:9–18 )

Exo 18:1Jethro, the priest of Mid'ian, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.

Exo 18:2

Exo 18:2Now Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, had taken Zippo'rah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her away,

Exo 18:3

Exo 18:3and her two sons, of whom the name of the one was Gershom (for he said, "I have been a sojourner in a foreign land"),

Exo 18:4

Exo 18:4and the name of the other, Elie'zer (for he said, "The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh").

Exo 18:5

Exo 18:5And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was encamped at the mountain of God.

Exo 18:6

Exo 18:6And when one told Moses, "Lo, your father-in-law Jethro is coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her,"

Exo 18:7

Exo 18:7Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and did obeisance and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare, and went into the tent.

Exo 18:8

Exo 18:8Then 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 in the way, and how the LORD had delivered them.

Exo 18:9

Exo 18:9And Jethro rejoiced for all the good which the LORD had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.

Exo 18:10

Exo 18:10And Jethro said, "Blessed be the LORD, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh.

Exo 18:11

Exo 18:11Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods, because he delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians, when they dealt arrogantly with them."

Exo 18:12

Exo 18:12And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, offered a burnt offering and sacrifices to God; and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before God.

Exo 18:13

Exo 18:13On the morrow Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood about Moses from morning till evening.

Exo 18:14

Exo 18:14When Moses' father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, "What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand about you from morning till evening?"

Exo 18:15

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

Exo 18:16

Exo 18:16when they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between a man and his neighbor, and I make them know the statutes of God and his decisions."

Jethro Counsels Moses

Exo 18:17

Exo 18:17Moses' father-in-law said to him, "What you are doing is not good.

Exo 18:18

Exo 18:18You and the people with you will wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you; you are not able to perform it alone.

Exo 18:19

Exo 18:19Listen now to my voice; I will give you counsel, and God be with you! You shall represent the people before God, and bring their cases to God;

Exo 18:20

Exo 18:20and you shall teach them the statutes and the decisions, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do.

Exo 18:21

Exo 18:21Moreover choose able men from all the people, such as fear God, men who are trustworthy and who hate a bribe; and place such men over the people as rulers of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.

Exo 18:22

Exo 18:22And let them judge the people at all times; every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves; so it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you.

Exo 18:23

Exo 18:23If you do this, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace."

Exo 18:24

Exo 18:24So Moses gave heed to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said.

Exo 18:25

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

Exo 18:26

Exo 18:26And they judged the people at all times; hard cases they brought to Moses, but any small matter they decided themselves.

Exo 18:27

Exo 18:27Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way to his own country.

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Source: Transcribed from: The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version containing the Old and New Testaments, translated from the original tongues: being the version set forth A.D. 1611, revised A.D. 1881-1885 and A.D. 1901: compared with the most ancient authorities and revised A.D. 1946-52. — 2nd ed. of New Testament A.D. 1971. There should be enough in the rest of the description to identify the text.

Language: English

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Exodus 18 :: Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Jethro, Moses' Father-in-law

Jethro Counsels Moses

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