| New American Standard Bible 1995 | New International Version |
| 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. | 1Now Jethro, the priest of Midian and father-in-law of Moses, heard of everything God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, and how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt. |
| 2Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took Moses' wife Zipporah, after he had sent her away, | 2After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro received her |
| 3and her two sons, of whom one was named Gershom, for Moses said, "I have been a sojourner in a foreign land." | 3and her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses said, "I have become a foreigner 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 was named Eliezer, for he said, "My father's God was my helper; he saved me from the sword of Pharaoh." |
| 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. | 5Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, together with Moses' sons and wife, came to him in the wilderness, where he was camped near 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." | 6Jethro had sent word to him, "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 and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and then 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 told his father-in-law about everything the LORD had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel's sake and about all the hardships they had met along the way and how the LORD had saved them. |
| 9Jethro rejoiced over all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, in delivering them from the hand of the Egyptians. | 9Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things the LORD had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand 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. | 10He said, "Praise be to the LORD, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians. |
| 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 other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly." |
| 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' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses' father-in-law in the presence of God. |
| 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 took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till 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 his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, "What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?" |
| 15Moses said to his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to inquire of God. | 15Moses answered him, "Because the people come to me to seek God's will. |
| 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 is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God's decrees and instructions." |
| 17Moses' father-in-law said to him, "The thing that you are doing is not good. | 17Moses' father-in-law replied, "What you are doing is not good. |
| 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. | 18You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle 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, | 19Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people's representative before God and bring their disputes 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. | 20Teach them his decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave. |
| 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 select capable men from all the people--men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain--and appoint them as officials over 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. | 22Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share 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 commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will 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. | 25He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders of the people, officials over 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 served as judges for the people at all times. The difficult cases they brought to Moses, but the simple ones they decided themselves. |
| 27Then Moses bade his father-in-law farewell, and he went his way into his own land. | 27Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro returned to his own country. |
| 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 | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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