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Exodus 18 :: Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

Exo 18:1And Jethro priest of Midian, father-in-law of Moses, heareth all that God hath done for Moses, and for Israel his people, that Jehovah hath brought out Israel from Egypt,
Exo 18:2and Jethro, father-in-law of Moses, taketh Zipporah, wife of Moses, besides her parents,
Exo 18:3and her two sons, of whom the name of the one is Gershom, for he said, 'a sojourner I have been in a strange land:'
Exo 18:4and the name of the other is Eliezer, for, 'the God of my father is for my help, and doth deliver me from the sword of Pharaoh.'
Exo 18:5And Jethro, father-in-law of Moses, cometh, and his sons, and his wife, unto Moses, unto the wilderness where he is encamping -- the mount of God;
Exo 18:6and he saith unto Moses, 'I, thy father-in-law, Jethro, am coming unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.'
Exo 18:7And Moses goeth out to meet his father-in-law, and boweth himself, and kisseth him, and they ask one at another of welfare, and come into the tent;
Exo 18:8and Moses recounteth to his father-in-law all that Jehovah hath done to Pharaoh, and to the Egyptians, on account of Israel, all the travail which hath found them in the way, and Jehovah doth deliver them.
Exo 18:9And Jethro rejoiceth for all the good which Jehovah hath done to Israel, whom He hath delivered from the hand of the Egyptians;
Exo 18:10and Jethro saith, 'Blessed is Jehovah, who hath delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians, and from the hand of Pharaoh -- who hath delivered this people from under the hand of the Egyptians;
Exo 18:11now I have known that Jehovah is greater than all the gods, for in the thing they have acted proudly -- He is above them!'
Exo 18:12And Jethro, father-in-law of Moses, taketh a burnt-offering and sacrifices for God; and Aaron cometh in, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with the father-in-law of Moses, before God.
Exo 18:13And it cometh to pass on the morrow, that Moses sitteth to judge the people, and the people stand before Moses, from the morning unto the evening;
Exo 18:14and the father-in-law of Moses seeth all that he is doing to the people, and saith, 'What is this thing which thou art doing to the people? wherefore art thou sitting by thyself, and all the people standing by thee from morning till evening?'
Exo 18:15And Moses saith to his father-in-law, 'Because the people come unto me to seek God;
Exo 18:16when they have a matter, it hath come unto me, and I have judged between a man and his neighbour, and made known the statutes of God, and His laws.'

Jethro Counsels Moses

Exo 18:17And the father-in-law of Moses saith unto him, 'The thing which thou art doing is not good;
Exo 18:18thou dost surely wear away, both thou, and this people which is with thee, for the thing is too heavy for thee, thou art not able to do it by thyself.
Exo 18:19'Now, hearken to my voice, I counsel thee, and God is with thee: be thou for the people over-against God, and thou hast brought in the things unto God;
Exo 18:20and thou hast warned them concerning the statutes and the laws, and hast made known to them the way in which they go, and the work which they do.
Exo 18:21'And thou -- thou dost provide out of all the people men of ability, fearing God, men of truth, hating dishonest gain, and hast placed these over them, heads of thousands, heads of hundreds, heads of fifties, and heads of tens,
Exo 18:22and they have judged the people at all times; and it hath come to pass, every great matter they bring in unto thee, and every small matter they judge themselves; and lighten it from off thyself, and they have borne with thee.
Exo 18:23If thou dost this thing, and God hath commanded thee, then thou hast been able to stand, and all this people also goeth in unto its place in peace.'
Exo 18:24And Moses hearkeneth to the voice of his father-in-law, and doth all that he said,
Exo 18:25and Moses chooseth men of ability out of all Israel, and maketh them chiefs over the people, heads of thousands, heads of hundreds, heads of fifties, and heads of tens,
Exo 18:26and they have judged the people at all times; the hard matter they bring in unto Moses, and every small matter they judge themselves.
Exo 18:27And Moses sendeth his father-in-law away, and he goeth away unto his own land.
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The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.

Pericope

Pericope taken from the NASB95 and has been graciously provided by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved.

New American Standard Bible
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by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif.
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