| NET Bible | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 1Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard about all that God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt. | 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. |
| 2Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took Moses' wife Zipporah after he had sent her back, | 2Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took Moses' wife Zipporah, after he had sent her away, |
| 3and her two sons, one of whom was named Gershom (for Moses had said, "I have been a foreigner in a foreign land"), | 3and her two sons, of whom one was named Gershom, for Moses said, "I have been a sojourner in a foreign land." |
| 4and the other Eliezer (for Moses had said, "The God of my father has been my help and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh"). | 4The other was named Eliezer, for he said, "The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh." |
| 5Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, together with Moses' sons and his wife, came to Moses in the desert where he was camping by the mountain of God. | 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. |
| 6He said to Moses, "I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you, along 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 with her." |
| 7Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him; they each asked about the other's welfare, and then they went into the tent. | 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. |
| 8Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to Egypt for Israel's sake, and all the hardship that had come on them along the way, and how the LORD had delivered them. | 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. |
| 9Jethro rejoiced because of all the good that the LORD had done for Israel, whom he had delivered from the hand of Egypt. | 9Jethro rejoiced over all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, in delivering them from the hand of the Egyptians. |
| 10Jethro said, "Blessed be the LORD who has delivered you from the hand of Egypt, and from the hand of Pharaoh, who has delivered the people from the Egyptians' control! | 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. |
| 11Now I know that the LORD is greater than all the gods, for in the thing in which they dealt proudly against them he has destroyed them." | 11"Now I know that the LORD is greater than all the gods; indeed, it was proven when they dealt proudly against the people." |
| 12Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices for God, and Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat food with the father-in-law of Moses before God. | 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. |
| 13On the next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning until evening. | 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. |
| 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 are you sitting by yourself, and all the people stand around you 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?" |
| 15Moses said to his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to inquire of God. | 15Moses said to his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to inquire of God. |
| 16When they have a dispute, it comes to me and I decide between a man and his neighbor, and I make known the decrees of God and his laws." | 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." |
| 17Moses' father-in-law said to him, "What you are doing is not good! | 17Moses' father-in-law said to him, "The thing that you are doing is not good. |
| 18You will surely wear out, both you and these people who are with you, for this is too heavy a burden for you; you are not able to do it by yourself. | 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. |
| 19Now listen to me, I will give you advice, and may God be with you: You be a representative for the people to God, and you bring their disputes to God; | 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, |
| 20warn them of the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do. | 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. |
| 21But you choose from the people capable men, God-fearing, men of truth, those who hate bribes, and put them over the people as rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. | 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. |
| 22They will judge the people under normal circumstances, and every difficult case they will bring to you, but every small case they themselves will judge, so that you may make it easier for yourself, and they will bear the burden with you. | 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. |
| 23If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people will be able to go home satisfied." | 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." |
| 24Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he had said. | 24So Moses listened to his father-in-law and did all that he had said. |
| 25Moses chose capable men from all Israel, and he made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. | 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. |
| 26They judged the people under normal circumstances; the difficult cases they would bring to Moses, but every small case they would judge themselves. | 26They judged the people at all times; the difficult dispute they would bring to Moses, but every minor dispute they themselves would judge. |
| 27Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and so Jethro went to his own land. | 27Then Moses bade his father-in-law farewell, and he went his way into his own land. |
| NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. //netbible.com. Used by permission. All rights reserved. | 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 |
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