1 Ora, Jetro, sacerdote de Midiã, sogro de Moisés, ouviu todas as coisas que Deus tinha feito a Moisés e a Israel, seu povo; como o Senhor trouxera a Israel do Egito. 2 Jetro, sogro de Moisés, tomou a Zípora, mulher de Moisés, depois que este lha enviara, 3 com os dois filhos dela, dos quais um se chamava Gérson, pois disse Moisés: Fui peregrino em terra estrangeira; 4 e o outro, Eliézer, pois disse: O Deus de meu pai foi a minha ajuda e me livrou da espada de Faraó. 5 Veio Jetro, sogro de Moisés, com os filhos e a mulher deste, a Moisés no deserto onde se achava acampado, junto ao monte de Deus, 6 e mandou dizer a Moisés: Eu, teu sogro Jetro, venho a ti, com a tua mulher e seus dois filhos. 7 Então, saiu Moisés ao encontro do seu sogro, inclinou-se e o beijou; e, indagando pelo bem-estar um do outro, entraram na tenda. 8 Contou Moisés a seu sogro tudo o que o Senhor havia feito a Faraó e aos egípcios por amor de Israel, e todo o trabalho que passaram no Egito, e como o Senhor os livrara.

9 Alegrou-se Jetro de todo o bem que o Senhor fizera a Israel, livrando-o da mão dos egípcios, 10 e disse: Bendito seja o Senhor, que vos livrou da mão dos egípcios e da mão de Faraó; 11 agora, sei que o Senhor é maior que todos os deuses, porque livrou este povo de debaixo da mão dos egípcios, quando agiram arrogantemente contra o povo. 12 Então, Jetro, sogro de Moisés, tomou holocausto e sacrifícios para Deus; e veio Arão e todos os anciãos de Israel para comerem pão com o sogro de Moisés, diante de Deus.

13 No dia seguinte, assentou-se Moisés para julgar o povo; e o povo estava em pé diante de Moisés desde a manhã até ao pôr do sol. 14 Vendo, pois, o sogro de Moisés tudo o que ele fazia ao povo, disse: Que é isto que fazes ao povo? Por que te assentas só, e todo o povo está em pé diante de ti, desde a manhã até ao pôr do sol? 15 Respondeu Moisés a seu sogro: É porque o povo me vem a mim para consultar a Deus; 16 quando tem alguma questão, vem a mim, para que eu julgue entre um e outro e lhes declare os estatutos de Deus e as suas leis. 17 O sogro de Moisés, porém, lhe disse: Não é bom o que fazes. 18 Sem dúvida, desfalecerás, tanto tu como este povo que está contigo; pois isto é pesado demais para ti; tu só não o podes fazer. 19 Ouve, pois, as minhas palavras; eu te aconselharei, e Deus seja contigo; representa o povo perante Deus, leva as suas causas a Deus, 20 ensina-lhes os estatutos e as leis e faze-lhes saber o caminho em que devem andar e a obra que devem fazer. 21 Procura dentre o povo homens capazes, tementes a Deus, homens de verdade, que aborreçam a avareza; põe-nos sobre eles por chefes de mil, chefes de cem, chefes de cinquenta e chefes de dez; 22 para que julguem este povo em todo tempo. Toda causa grave trarão a ti, mas toda causa pequena eles mesmos julgarão; será assim mais fácil para ti, e eles levarão a carga contigo. 23 Se isto fizeres, e assim Deus to mandar, poderás, então, suportar; e assim também todo este povo tornará em paz ao seu lugar. 24 Moisés atendeu às palavras de seu sogro e fez tudo quanto este lhe dissera. 25 Escolheu Moisés homens capazes, de todo o Israel, e os constituiu por cabeças sobre o povo: chefes de mil, chefes de cem, chefes de cinquenta e chefes de dez. 26 Estes julgaram o povo em todo tempo; a causa grave trouxeram a Moisés e toda causa simples julgaram eles. 27 Então, se despediu Moisés de seu sogro, e este se foi para a sua terra.

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 Jehovah 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 unto Moses into the wilderness where he was encamped, at the mount of God: 6 and he said unto Moses, I, thy father-in-law Jethro, am come unto 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 Jehovah had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the travail that had come upon them by the way, and how Jehovah delivered them. 9 And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which Jehovah had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians. 10 And Jethro said, Blessed be Jehovah, who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh; who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that Jehovah 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 unto 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 doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand about thee from morning unto even? 15 And Moses said unto his father-in-law, Because the people come unto me to inquire of God: 16 when they have a matter, they come unto 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 unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good. 18 Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for the thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone. 19 Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God be with thee: be thou for the people to God-ward, and bring thou the causes unto God: 20 and thou shalt teach them the statutes and the laws, and shalt show them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do. 21 Moreover thou shalt 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 unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge themselves: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee. 23 If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt 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 causes they brought unto 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 Now 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.

2 After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro received her

3 and her two sons. One son was named Gershom, "for Moses said, "I have become a foreigner in a foreign land";

4 and the other was named Eliezer, "for he said, "My father's God was my helper; he saved me from the sword of Pharaoh."

5 Jethro, 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.

6 Jethro had sent word to him, "I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons."

7 So 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.

8 Moses 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.

9 Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things the LORD had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians.

10 He 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 other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly."

12 Then 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.

13 The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening.

14 When 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?"

15 Moses answered him, "Because the people come to me to seek God's will.

16 Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God's decrees and instructions."

17 Moses' father-in-law replied, "What you are doing is not good.

18 You 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 Listen 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.

20 Teach them his decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave.

21 But 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 Have 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 and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied."

24 Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said.

25 He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.

26 They served as judges for the people at all times. The difficult cases they brought to Moses, but the simple ones they decided themselves.

27 Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro returned to his own country.