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 her3 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.

1 فسمع يثرون كاهن مديان حمو موسى كل ما صنع الله الى موسى والى اسرائيل شعبه. ان الرب اخرج اسرائيل من مصر.2 فأخذ يثرون حمو موسى صفّورة امرأة موسى بعد صرفها3 وابنيها اللذين اسم احدهما جرشوم لانه قال كنت نزيلا في ارض غريبة4 واسم الآخر أليعازر لانه قال اله ابي كان عوني وانقذني من سيف فرعون.5 وأتى يثرون حمو موسى وابناه وامرأته الى موسى الى البرية حيث كان نازلا عند جبل الله.6 فقال لموسى انا حموك يثرون آت اليك وامرأتك وابناها معها.7 فخرج موسى لاستقبال حميه وسجد وقبّله. وسأل كل واحد صاحبه عن سلامته. ثم دخلا الى الخيمة8 فقصّ موسى على حميه كل ما صنع الرب بفرعون والمصريين من اجل اسرائيل وكل المشقة التي اصابتهم في الطريق فخلصهم الرب.9 ففرح يثرون بجميع الخير الذي صنعه الى اسرائيل الرب الذي انقذه من ايدي المصريين.10 وقال يثرون مبارك الرب الذي انقذكم من ايدي المصريين ومن يد فرعون. الذي انقذ الشعب من تحت ايدي المصريين.11 الآن علمت ان الرب اعظم من جميع الآلهة لانه في الشيء الذي بغوا به كان عليهم.12 فأخذ يثرون حمو موسى محرقة وذبائح لله. وجاء هرون وجميع شيوخ اسرائيل ليأكلوا طعاما مع حمي موسى امام الله13 وحدث في الغد ان موسى جلس ليقضي للشعب. فوقف الشعب عند موسى من الصباح الى المساء.14 فلما رأى حمو موسى كل ما هو صانع للشعب قال ما هذا الامر الذي انت صانع للشعب. ما بالك جالسا وحدك وجميع الشعب واقف عندك من الصباح الى المساء.15 فقال موسى لحميه ان الشعب يأتي اليّ ليسأل الله.16 اذا كان لهم دعوى ياتون اليّ فاقضي بين الرجل وصاحبه واعرّفهم فرائض الله وشرائعه17 فقال حمو موسى له ليس جيدا الامر الذي انت صانع.18 انك تكلّ انت وهذا الشعب الذي معك جميعا. لان الامر اعظم منك. لا تستطيع ان تصنعه وحدك.19 الآن اسمع لصوتي فانصحك. فليكن الله معك. كن انت للشعب امام الله. وقدم انت الدعاوي الى الله.20 وعلّمهم الفرائض والشرائع وعرّفهم الطريق الذي يسلكونه والعمل الذي يعملونه.21 وانت تنظر من جميع الشعب ذوي قدرة خائفين الله امناء مبغضين الرشوة وتقيمهم عليهم رؤساء الوف ورؤساء مئات ورؤساء خماسين ورؤساء عشرات22 فيقضون للشعب كل حين. ويكون ان كل الدعاوي الكبيرة يجيئون بها اليك وكل الدعاوي الصغيرة يقضون هم فيها. وخفف عن نفسك فهم يحملون معك.23 ان فعلت هذا الامر واوصاك الله تستطيع القيام. وكل هذا الشعب ايضا يأتي الى مكانه بالسلام24 فسمع موسى لصوت حميه وفعل كل ما قال.25 واختار موسى ذوي قدرة من جميع اسرائيل وجعلهم رؤوسا على الشعب رؤساء الوف ورؤساء مئات ورؤساء خماسين ورؤساء عشرات.26 فكانوا يقضون للشعب كل حين. الدعاوي العسرة يجيئون بها الى موسى وكل الدعاوي الصغيرة يقضون هم فيها.27 ثم صرف موسى حماه فمضى الى ارضه