| New American Standard Bible 1995 | Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, 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. | 1Moses's father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard about everything that God had done for Moses and for God's people Israel when the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt. |
| 2Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took Moses' wife Zipporah, after he had sent her away, | 2Now Jethro, Moses's father-in-law, had taken in Zipporah, Moses's wife, after he had sent her back, |
| 3and her two sons, of whom one was named Gershom, for Moses said, "I have been a sojourner in a foreign land." | 3along with her two sons, one of whom was named Gershom (because Moses had said, "I have been a resident alien in a foreign land") |
| 4The other was named Eliezer, for he said, "The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh." | 4and the other Eliezer (because he had said, "The God of my father was my helper and rescued me from Pharaoh's sword"). |
| 5Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was camped, at the mount of God. | 5Moses's father-in-law Jethro, along with Moses's wife and sons, came to him in the wilderness where he was camped at the mountain of God. |
| 6He sent word to Moses, "I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her." | 6He sent word to Moses, "I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons." |
| 7Then Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and he bowed down and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare and went into the tent. | 7So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down, and then kissed him. They asked each other how they had been and went into the tent. |
| 8Moses 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 befallen them on the journey, and how the LORD had delivered them. | 8Moses recounted to his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel's sake, all the hardships that confronted them on the way, and how the LORD rescued them. |
| 9Jethro rejoiced over all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, in delivering them from the hand of the Egyptians. | 9Jethro rejoiced over all the good things the LORD had done for Israel when he rescued them from the power of the Egyptians. |
| 10So Jethro said, "Blessed be the LORD who delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh, and who delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. | 10"Blessed be the LORD," Jethro exclaimed, "who rescued you from the power of Egypt and from the power of Pharaoh. He has rescued the people from under the power of Egypt! |
| 11"Now I know that the LORD is greater than all the gods; indeed, it was proven when they dealt proudly against the people." | 11Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods, because he did wonders when the Egyptians acted arrogantly against Israel." |
| 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 a meal with Moses' father-in-law before God. | 12Then Jethro, Moses's father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses's father-in-law in God's presence. |
| 13It came about the next day that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood about Moses from the morning until the evening. | 13The next day Moses sat down to judge the people, and they stood around Moses from morning until evening. |
| 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 about you from morning until evening?" | 14When Moses's father-in-law saw everything he was doing for them he asked, "What is this thing you're doing for the people? Why are you alone sitting as judge, while all the people stand around you from morning until evening?" |
| 15Moses said to his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to inquire of God. | 15Moses replied to his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to inquire of God. |
| 16"When they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor and make known the statutes of God and His laws." | 16Whenever they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I make a decision between one man and another. I teach them God's statutes and laws." |
| 17Moses' father-in-law said to him, "The thing that you are doing is not good. | 17"What you're doing is not good," Moses's father-in-law said to him. |
| 18"You will surely wear out, both yourself and these people who are with you, for the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone. | 18"You will certainly wear out both yourself and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you. You can't do it alone. |
| 19"Now listen to me: I will give you counsel, and God be with you. You be the people's representative before God, and you bring the disputes to God, | 19Now listen to me; I will give you some advice, and God be with you. You be the one to represent the people before God and bring their cases to him. |
| 20then teach them 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. | 20Instruct them about the statutes and laws, and teach them the way to live and what they must do. |
| 21"Furthermore, you shall 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, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens. | 21But you should select from all the people able men, God-fearing, trustworthy, and hating dishonest profit. Place them over the people as commanders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. |
| 22"Let them judge the people at all times; and let it be that every major dispute they will bring to you, but every minor dispute they themselves will judge. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. | 22They should judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you every major case but judge every minor case themselves. In this way you will lighten your load, and they will bear it with you. |
| 23"If you do this thing and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people also will go to their place in peace." | 23If you do this, and God so directs you, you will be able to endure, and also all these people will be able to go home satisfied." |
| 24So Moses listened to his father-in-law and did all that he had said. | 24Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. |
| 25Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens. | 25So Moses chose able men from all Israel and made them leaders over the people as commanders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. |
| 26They judged the people at all times; the difficult dispute they would bring to Moses, but every minor dispute they themselves would judge. | 26They judged the people at all times; they would bring the hard cases to Moses, but they would judge every minor case themselves. |
| 27Then Moses bade his father-in-law farewell, and he went his way into his own land. | 27Moses let his father-in-law go, and he journeyed to his own land. |
| New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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