1 Now news came to Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, of all God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, and how the Lord had taken 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, one of whom was named Gershom, for he said, I have been living in a strange land:
4 And the name of the other was Eliezer, for he said, The God of my father was my help, and kept me safe from the sword of Pharaoh:
5 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to where Moses had put up his tent in the waste land, by the mountain of God.
6 And he said to Moses, I, your father-in-law, have come to you, with your wife and your two sons.
7 And Moses went out to his father-in-law, and went down on his face before him and gave him a kiss; and they said to one another, Are you well? and they came into the tent.
8 And Moses gave his father-in-law an account of all the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians because of Israel, and of all the troubles which had come on them by the way, and how the Lord had given them salvation.
9 And Jethro was glad because the Lord had been good to Israel, freeing them from the power of the Egyptians.
10 And Jethro said, Praise be to the Lord, who has taken you out of the hand of Pharaoh and out of the hand of the Egyptians; freeing the people from the yoke of the Egyptians.
11 Now I am certain that the Lord is greater than all gods, for he has overcome them in their pride.
12 Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, made a burned offering to God: and Aaron came, with the chiefs of Israel, and had a meal with Moses' father-in-law, before God.
13 Now on the day after, Moses took his seat to give decisions for the people: and the people were waiting before Moses from morning till evening.
14 And when Moses' father-in-law saw all he was doing, he said, What is this you are doing for the people? why are you seated here by yourself, with all the people waiting before you from morning till evening?
15 And Moses said to his father-in-law, Because the people come to me to get directions from God:
16 And if they have any question between themselves, they come to me, and I am judge between a man and his neighbour, and I give them the orders and laws of God.
17 And Moses' father-in-law said to him, What you are doing is not good.
18 Your strength and that of the people will be completely used up: this work is more than you are able to do by yourself.
19 Give ear now to my suggestion, and may God be with you: you are to be the people's representative before God, taking their causes to him:
20 Teaching them his rules and his laws, guiding them in the way they have to go, and making clear to them the work they have to do.
21 But for the rest, take from among the people able men, such as have the fear of God, true men hating profits wrongly made; and put such men over them, to be captains of thousands, captains of hundreds and of fifties and of tens;
22 And let them be judges in the causes of the people at all times: and let them put before you all important questions, but in small things let them give decisions themselves: in this way, it will be less hard for you, and they will take the weight off you.
23 If you do this, and God gives approval, then you will be able to go on without weariness, and all this people will go to their tents in peace.
24 So Moses took note of the words of his father-in-law, and did as he had said.
25 And he made selection of able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, captains of thousands, captains of hundreds and of fifties and of tens.
26 And they were judges in the causes of the people at all times: the hard questions they put before Moses; but on every small point they gave decisions themselves.
27 And Moses let his father-in-law go away, and he went back to his land.
1 摩西的岳父， 米甸祭司叶忒罗， 听见了 神为摩西和他自己的人民以色列所行的一切， 就是耶和华怎样把以色列人从埃及领出来的事，
2 他就带着摩西的妻子西坡拉， 摩西从前送了她回去，
3 又带着西坡拉的两个儿子， 一个名叫革舜， 因为摩西说： "我在异地作了客旅"；
4 一个名叫以利以谢， 因为他说： "我父亲的 神是我的帮助， 救我脱离了法老的刀。"
5 摩西的岳父叶忒罗， 和摩西的妻子与两个儿子， 来到旷野摩西那里， 就是到 神的山， 摩西安营的地方。
6 叶忒罗叫人告诉摩西说： "你的岳父叶忒罗来见你， 你的妻子和两个儿子也一同来了。"
7 摩西出来迎接他的岳父， 向他下拜， 与他亲嘴， 彼此问候， 然后一起进了帐棚。
8 摩西把耶和华为以色列的缘故， 向法老和埃及人所作的一切， 以及路上遭遇的一切困难， 并且耶和华怎样拯救他们， 都向他的岳父述说。
9 叶忒罗因为耶和华为以色列人所行的美事， 就是拯救他们脱离埃及人的手， 就非常喜乐。
10 叶忒罗说： "耶和华是应当称颂的， 他拯救了你们脱离埃及人的手和法老的手； 他也把这人民从埃及人的手下拯救出来。
11 现在我知道耶和华为至大， 超乎万神之上， 因为这在埃及人以狂傲的态度对以色列人的事上已经证明了。"
12 摩西的岳父叶忒罗把燔祭和几样祭品拿来献给 神； 亚伦和所有以色列的长老都来到 神面前， 与摩西的岳父一同吃饭。
13 次日， 摩西坐着审判人民的案件； 人民从早到晚都站在摩西的身旁。
14 摩西的岳父看见了摩西向人民所行的一切， 就说： "你向人民作的是什么呢？你为什么独自坐着审判， 所有的人民却从早到晚都站在你的身旁呢？"
15 摩西回答他岳父： "因为人民到我这里来求问 神。
16 他们有事件的时候， 就到我这里来， 我就在双方之间施行审判， 使他们认识 神的条例和律法。"
17 摩西的岳父对摩西说： "你这样作不好。
18 你必疲乏不堪； 不但你自己， 连与你在一起的人民也必疲乏不堪， 因为这事太重， 你不能独自一人去作。
19 现在你要听我的话， 我要给你出个主意， 愿 神与你同在； 你要代替人民到 神面前， 把他们的事件带到 神那里。
20 又要把规例和律法教导他们， 使他们知道他们当走的路， 应作的事。
21 你要从人民中间选出有才能的人， 就是敬畏 神、忠实可信、恨恶不义之财的人， 设立他们作千夫长、百夫长、五十夫长、十夫长， 去管理人民，
22 使他们随时可以审判人民的案件； 所有大事件， 他们要带到你这里来； 所有小事件， 他们可以自己审判。这样， 你就轻省些， 他们也可以和你一同分担此事。
23 你若是这样行， 神也这样吩咐你， 你就能站立得住， 所有的人民也都能平平安安地归回自己的地方。"
24 于是， 摩西听从他岳父的话， 照着他所说的行了。
25 摩西从全体以色列人中选出了有才能的人， 立他们作人民的首领， 作千夫长、百夫长、五十夫长、十夫长。
26 他们随时审判人民的案件； 有困难的事件， 他们就带到摩西那里； 所有小事件， 由他们自己审判。
27 后来， 摩西给他的岳父送行， 他就回自己的地方去了。