1 Quando Jetro, o sacerdote de Midiã, sogro de Moisés, ouviu tudo que Deus havia feito a Moisés e a Israel, seu povo, e que o SENHOR havia tirado Israel do Egito,2 então Jetro, sogro de Moisés, tomou Zípora, esposa de Moisés, depois que ele a enviara de volta,3 e seus dois filhos, dos quais o nome de um era Gérson, porque ele disse: Fui estrangeiro em uma terra estranha,4 o nome do outro era Eliézer, porque o Deus de meu pai, disse ele, foi minha ajuda, e me libertou da espada de Faraó,5 e Jetro, sogro de Moisés, veio com seus filhos e sua esposa a Moisés no deserto, onde ele acampava junto ao monte de Deus;6 e disse a Moisés: Eu, teu sogro Jetro, venho a ti, com tua esposa e os seus dois filhos com ela.7 E Moisés saiu ao encontro de seu sogro, e inclinou-se e o beijou. E perguntaram-se pelo seu bem-estar, e entraram na tenda.8 E Moisés contou a seu sogro tudo que o SENHOR havia feito a Faraó e aos egípcios por causa de Israel, e toda a aflição que os acometera no caminho, e como o SENHOR os livrara.9 E Jetro se alegrou por toda a bondade que o SENHOR havia feito a Israel, a quem havia libertado da mão dos egípcios.10 E Jetro disse: Bendito seja o SENHOR, que vos livrou da mão dos egípcios, e da mão de Faraó; que livrou o povo de debaixo da mão dos egípcios.11 Agora eu sei que o SENHOR é maior que todos os deuses, naquilo em que se ensoberbeceram, ele prevaleceu contra eles.12 E Jetro, sogro de Moisés, tomou uma oferta queimada e sacrifícios para Deus. E veio Arão, e todos os anciãos de Israel, para comer pão com o sogro de Moisés diante de Deus.13 E aconteceu que ao amanhecer, Moisés sentou-se para julgar o povo. E o povo estava em pé diante de Moisés desde a manhã até a tarde.14 E quando o sogro de Moisés viu tudo que ele fazia ao povo, disse: O que é isto que fazes ao povo? Por que te assentas sozinho, e todo o povo fica em pé diante de ti desde a manhã até a tarde?15 E disse Moisés a seu sogro: Porque o povo vem a mim para perguntar a Deus.16 Quando eles têm uma questão, vêm a mim, e eu julgo entre um e outro, e os faço saber os estatutos de Deus, e suas leis.17 E o sogro de Moisés lhe disse: O que estás fazendo não é bom.18 Certamente desfalecerás, tu e este povo que está contigo, porque isto é muito pesado para ti; não és capaz de realizar isto sozinho.19 Ouve a minha voz: Dar-te-ei conselho, e Deus será contigo; sê tu pelo povo diante de Deus, para que leves as causas a Deus;20 e tu lhes ensinarás as ordens e leis, e lhes mostrarás o caminho em que devem andar, e a obra que devem realizar.21 Além disso, tu proverás de todo o povo homens capazes, tementes a Deus, homens da verdade, que aborreçam a avareza, e os colocarás sobre eles, para serem governantes de mil, e governantes de cem, governantes de cinquenta e governantes de dez.22 Para que julguem o povo em todo o tempo. E será que, toda causa grave eles trarão a ti, mas toda causa pequena eles julgarão; assim será mais fácil para ti, e eles carregarão a carga contigo.23 Se fizeres isto, e Deus te ordenar assim, então serás capaz de suportar, e todo este povo também voltará a seu lugar em paz.24 Então Moisés ouviu a voz do seu sogro, e fez tudo que ele dissera.25 E Moisés escolheu homens capazes de todo o Israel, e os fez por cabeças sobre o povo; governantes de mil, governantes de cem, governantes de cinquenta e governantes de dez.26 E eles julgaram o povo em todo o tempo; as causas graves traziam a Moisés, mas toda causa pequena julgavam eles mesmos.27 E Moisés deixou seu sogro partir. E ele seguiu o caminho para a sua própria terra.

1 And Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard all that God had done for Moses and for His people Israel; that Jehovah had brought Israel out of Egypt.2 And Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife (after Moses had sent her away),3 with her two sons, of whom the name of 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 in the wilderness, where he was encamped at the mountain of God.6 And he said to Moses, I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her.7 And Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down, and kissed him. And they asked each other about their welfare, and they went into the tent.8 And Moses told his father-in-law all that Jehovah had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians on account of Israel, all the distress that they had encountered along the way, and how Jehovah had delivered them.9 And Jethro rejoiced for all the good which Jehovah had done for Israel, whom He had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.10 And Jethro said, Blessed be Jehovah, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh, and who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.11 Now I know that Jehovah is greater than all the gods; for in the very things in which they behaved proudly, He was above them.12 And Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices unto God. And Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.13 And so it was, on the next day, that Moses sat to judge the people; and the people stood before Moses from morning until evening.14 And when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did for the people, he said, What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit, and all the people stand before you from morning until 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 known the statutes of God and His Laws.17 And Moses’ father-in-law said to him, The thing that you do is not good.18 Both you and these people who are with you will droop to exhaustion. For this thing is too much of a burden for you; you are not able to do it by yourself.19 Listen now to my voice; I will give you counsel, and God be with you: Be before God for the people, so that you may bring the matters to God.20 And you shall teach them the statutes and the Laws, and show them the way in which they should walk and the work they should do.21 Moreover you shall select from all the people able men, who fear God, men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place these over them as rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.22 And let them judge the people at all times. Then it will be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they themselves shall judge. So it will be easier for you, and they shall bear the burden with you.23 If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all this people will also go to their place in peace.24 So Moses heeded 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 times; the hard matters they brought to Moses, but they judged every small matter themselves.27 And Moses sent his father-in-law away, and he departed to his own land.