1 Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, how that LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.
2 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her away,
3 and her two sons, of whom the name of the one was Gershom, for he said, I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.
4 And the name of the other was Eliezer, for [he said], The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.
5 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses into the wilderness where he was encamped, at the mount of God.
6 And he said to Moses, I, thy father-in-law Jethro, have come to thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.
7 And Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and did obeisance, and kissed him. And they asked each other of their welfare, and they came into the tent.
8 And Moses told his father-in-law all that LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, all the travail that had come upon them by the way, and how LORD delivered them.
9 And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which LORD had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.
10 And Jethro said, Blessed be LORD, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.
11 Now I know that LORD is greater than all gods, yea, in the thing wherein they dealt proudly against them.
12 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took a burnt-offering and sacrifices for God. And Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before God.
13 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood about Moses from the morning to the evening.
14 And when Moses' father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou do to the people? Why do thou sit by thyself, and all the people stand about thee from morning to evening?
15 And Moses said to his father-in-law, Because the people come to me to inquire of God.
16 When they have a matter, they come to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor. And I make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.
17 And Moses' father-in-law said to him, The thing that thou do is not good.
18 Thou will surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee, for the thing is too heavy for thee. Thou are not able to perform it thyself alone.
19 Hearken now to my voice. I will give thee counsel, and God be with thee. Be thou for the people toward God, and bring thou the cases to God.
20 And thou shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and shall show them the way in which they must walk, and the work that they must do.
21 Moreover thou shall provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating unjust gain, and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens,
22 and let them judge the people at all seasons. And it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring to thee, but every small matter they shall judge themselves. So shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear [the burden
23 If thou shall do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shall be able to endure, and all this people also shall go to their place in peace.
24 So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said.
25 And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens,
26 and they judged the people at all seasons. The hard cases they brought to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.
27 And Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way into his own land.
1 Iethro the prest of Madian Moses father in lawe herde of all that God had done vnto Moses and to Israel his people, how that the Lorde had broughte Israel out of Egipte.
2 And he toke Ziphora Moses wyfe, after she was sente backe,
3 and hir .ij. sonnes, of which the one was called Gerson, for he sayde: I haue bene an alient in a straunge lande.
4 And the other was called Eliesar: for the God of my father was myne helpe ad delyuered me from the swerde of Pharao.
5 And Iethro Moses father in lawe came wyth his two sonnes and his wife vnto Moses in to the wildernesse: where he had pitched his tente by the mounte of God.
6 And he sent worde to Moses: I thi father in law Iethro am come to the, and thi wyfe also, and hir two sonnes with her.
7 And Moses went out to mete his father in lawe and dyd obeyssaunce and kyssed him, and they saluted etch other ad came in to the tente.
8 And Moses tolde his father in lawe all that the Lorde had done vnto Pharao and to the Egiptians for Israels sake, and all the trauayle that had happened them by the waye, and how the Lorde had delyuered them.
9 And Iethro reioesed ouer all the good which the Lorde had done to Israel, and because he had delyuered them out of the hande of the Egiptians.
10 And Iethro sayde: blessed be the Lorde which hath delyuered you out of the hande of the Egiptians ad out of the hande of Pharao, which hath delyuered his people from vnder the power of the Egiptians.
11 Now I knowe that the Lorde is greater the all goddes, for because that they dealte prowdly with them.
12 And Iethro Moses father in lawe offred burntoffrynges and sacrifyces vnto God. And Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eate bred with Moses father in lawe before God.
13 And it chaunched on the morow, that Moses satt to iudge the people, and the people stode aboute Moses from mornynge vnto euen.
14 when his father in lawe sawe all that he dyd vnto the people, he sayde: what is this that thou doest vnto the people? why syttest thou thi self and lettest all the people stonde aboute the fro mornynge vnto euen?
15 And Moses sayde vnto his father in lawe: because the people came vnto me to seke councell of God.
16 For whe they haue a matter, they come vnto me, and I must iudge betwene euery man and his neyboure, and must shewe them the ordinauces of God and his lawes.
17 And his father in lawe sayde vnto him: it is not well that thou dost.
18 Thou doest vnwysely and also this people that is with the: because the thinge is to greuous for the, and thou art not able to do it thi selfe alone.
19 But heare my voyce, and I will geue the councell, and God shalbe with the. Be thou vnto the people to Godwarde, and brynge the causes vnto God
20 and prouyde them ordinaunces and lawes, ad shewe them the waye wherin they must walke and the werkes that they must doo.
21 Morouer seke out amonge all the people, men of actiuite which feare God and men that are true ad hate covetuousnes: and make them heedes ouer the people, captaynes ouer thousandes, ouer hundredes, ouer fyftie, and ouer ten.
22 And let them iudge the people at all seasons: Yf there be any greate matter, let them brynge that vnto the, and let them iudge all small causes them selues, and ease thi selfe, ad let them bere with the.
23 Yf thou shalt doo this thinge, then thou shalt be able to endure that which God chargeth the with all, and all this people shall goo to their places quietly.
24 And Moses herde the voyce of his father in lawe, and dyd all that he had sayde,
25 and chose actyue men out of all Israel and made them heedes ouer the people, captaynes ouer thousandes, ouer hundreds, ouer fiftie and ouer ten
26 And they iudged the people at all seasons, ad broughte the harde causes vnto Moses: and iudged all small maters them selues.
27 And tha Moses let his father in lawe departe, and he went in to his awne londe.