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 Yahweh had brought Israel out of Egypt. 2 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, received Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her away, 3 and her two sons. The name of one son was Gershom, for Moses said, "I have lived as a foreigner in a foreign land". 4 The name of the other was Eliezer, for he said, "My father’s God was my help and delivered me from Pharaoh’s sword." 5 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with Moses’ sons and his wife to Moses into the wilderness where he was encamped, at the Mountain of God. 6 He said to Moses, "I, your father-in-law Jethro, have come to you with your wife, and her two sons with her."

7 Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and bowed and kissed him. They asked each other of their welfare, and they came into the tent. 8 Moses told his father-in-law all that Yahweh had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardships that had come on them on the way, and how Yahweh delivered them. 9 Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which Yahweh had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians. 10 Jethro said, "Blessed be Yahweh, 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 Yahweh is greater than all gods because of the way that they treated people arrogantly." 12 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God. Aaron came with all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.

13 On the next day, Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from the morning to the evening. 14 When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said, "What is this thing that you do for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning to evening?"

15 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 Moses’ father-in-law said to him, "The thing that you do is not good. 18 You will surely wear away, both you, and this people that is with you; for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to perform it yourself alone. 19 Listen now to my voice. I will give you counsel, and God be with you. You represent the people before God, and bring the causes to God. 20 You 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 you shall provide out of all the people able men which 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 Let them judge the people at all times. It shall be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall judge themselves. So shall it be easier for you, and they shall share the load with you. 23 If you will do this thing, and God commands you so, then you will be able to endure, and all these people also will go to their place in peace."

24 So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said. 25 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 They judged the people at all times. They brought the hard cases to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves. 27 Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way into his own land.

1 Toe Jetro, die priester van M¡dian, Moses se skoonvader, hoor alles wat God aan Moses en aan sy volk Israel gedoen het -- dat die HERE Israel uit Egipte uitgelei het --

2 het Jetro, Moses se skoonvader, Sippora, die vrou van Moses, geneem -- nadat hy haar teruggestuur het --

3 en haar twee seuns. Die naam van die een was Gersom, want hy het gesê: Ek het 'n vreemdeling geword in 'n vreemde land;

4 en die naam van die ander was Eliëser; want, het hy gesê, die God van my vader is my hulp en het my van Farao se swaard verlos.

5 En Jetro, Moses se skoonvader, het met sy seuns en sy vrou na Moses gekom in die woestyn waar hy by die berg van God met die laer gestaan het.

6 En hy het Moses laat weet: Ek, jou skoonvader Jetro, kom na jou met jou vrou en haar twee seuns saam met haar.

7 Daarop gaan Moses uit, sy skoonvader tegemoet, en hy het gebuig en hom gesoen; en hulle het na mekaar se welstand gevra en in die tent ingegaan.

8 Moses vertel toe aan sy skoonvader alles wat die HERE aan Farao en aan die Egiptenaars, ter wille van Israel, gedoen het; al die moeilikheid wat hulle op die pad oorgekom het, en dat die HERE hulle verlos het.

9 En Jetro het hom verheug oor al die goeie wat die HERE aan Israel gedoen het, dat Hy hulle uit die hand van die Egiptenaars verlos het.

10 Daarop sê Jetro: Geseënd is die HERE wat julle verlos het uit die hand van die Egiptenaars en uit die hand van Farao, wat die volk onder die hand van die Egiptenaars uit verlos het.

11 Nou weet ek dat die HERE groter is as al die gode, naamlik in die saak waarin hulle vermetel was teen hulle.

12 Daarop het Jetro, Moses se skoonvader, 'n brandoffer en slagoffers geneem tot eer van God. En A„ron en al die oudstes van Israel het gekom om saam met Moses se skoonvader brood te eet voor die aangesig van God.

13 En die volgende dag het Moses gesit om reg te spreek vir die volk; en die volk het voor Moses gestaan van die môre tot die aand toe.

14 En toe Moses se skoonvader sien alles wat hy vir die volk doen, sê hy: Wat is dit wat jy vir die volk doen? Waarom sit jy alleen, en die hele volk staan voor jou van die môre tot die aand toe?

15 En Moses antwoord sy skoonvader: Omdat die volk na my kom om God te raadpleeg.

16 As hulle 'n saak het, kom hulle na my; en dan moet ek regspreek tussen die partye en die insettinge van God en sy wette bekend maak.

17 Maar Moses se skoonvader sê vir hom: Die ding wat jy doen, is nie goed nie.

18 Jy sal heeltemal uitgeput raak, jy sowel as hierdie volk wat by jou is. Want die saak is te swaar vir jou; jy kan dit nie alleen doen nie.

19 Luister nou na my; ek sal jou raad gee, en God sal met jou wees. Wat jou betref, wees jy die verteenwoordiger van die volk by God en bring jy die sake voor God,

20 en onderrig hulle in die insettinge en die wette, en maak hulle die weg bekend waarop hulle moet gaan, en die werk wat hulle moet doen.

21 Maar kies jy uit die hele volk bekwame manne wat God vrees, betroubare manne wat onregverdige wins haat. En stel die aan oor hulle: owerstes oor duisend, owerstes oor honderd, owerstes oor vyftig en owerstes oor tien;

22 en laat hulle voortdurend oor die volk die regspraak uitoefen: al die groot sake moet hulle na jou bring, maar in al die klein sake moet hulle self regspreek. Maak dit so ligter vir jou, en laat hulle saam met jou dra.

23 As jy dit doen en God dit jou beveel, kan jy dit uithou en sal ook al hierdie mense tevrede na hulle woonplek gaan.

24 Moses het toe geluister na sy skoonvader en alles gedoen wat hy gesê het --

25 Moses het bekwame manne uit die hele Israel gekies en hulle as hoofde oor die volk aangestel -- owerstes oor duisend, owerstes oor honderd, owerstes oor vyftig en owerstes oor tien.

26 En hulle het voortdurend oor die volk die regspraak uitgeoefen: die moeilike sake het hulle na Moses gebring, maar in al die klein sake self reggespreek.

27 Toe het Moses sy skoonvader laat gaan, en hy het na sy land getrek.