Exodus 18

New King James Version

Jethro’s Advice^(A)

18 And^(B)Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that^(C)God had done for Moses and for Israel His people—that theLordhad brought Israel out of Egypt.² Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took^(D)Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her back,³ with her^(E)two sons, of whom the name of onewas^[a]Gershom (for he said,^(F)“I have been a^[b]stranger in a foreign land”)⁴ and the name of the otherwas^[c]Eliezer (forhe said,“The God of my fatherwasmy^(G)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^(H)the mountain of God.⁶ Now he had said to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her.”

⁷ So Moses^(I)went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down, and^(J)kissed him. And they asked each other abouttheirwell-being, and they went into the tent.⁸ And Moses told his father-in-law all that theLordhad done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had come upon them on the way, andhowtheLordhad^(K)delivered them.⁹ Then Jethro rejoiced for all the^(L)good which theLordhad done for Israel, whom He had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.¹⁰ And Jethro said,^(M)“BlessedbetheLord, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh,andwho has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.¹¹ Now I know that theLordis^(N)greater than all the gods;^(O)for in the very thing in which they^[d]behaved^(P)proudly,He wasabove them.”¹² Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law,^[e]took a burnt^(Q)offering andothersacrificesto offerto God. And Aaron came with all the elders of Israel^(R)to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.

¹³ And so it was, on the next day, that Moses^(S)sat to judge the people; and the people stood before Moses from morning until evening.¹⁴ So when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did for the people, he said, “Whatisthis thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone^[f]sit, and all the people stand before you from morning until evening?”

¹⁵ And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because^(T)the people come to me to inquire of God.¹⁶ When they have^(U)a^[g]difficulty, they come to me, and I judge between one and another; and I make known the statutes of God and His laws.”

¹⁷ So Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you doisnot good.¹⁸ Both you and these people whoarewith you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thingistoo much for you;^(V)you are not able to perform it by yourself.¹⁹ Listen now to my voice; I will give you^[h]counsel, and God will be with you: Stand^(W)before God for the people, so that you may^(X)bring the difficulties to God.²⁰ And you shall^(Y)teach them the statutes and the laws, and show them the way in which they must walk and^(Z)the work they must do.²¹ Moreover you shall select from all the people^(AA)able men, such as^(AB)fear God,^(AC)men of truth,^(AD)hating covetousness; and placesuchover themto berulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.²² And let them judge the people at all times.^(AE)Then it will bethatevery great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they themselves shall judge. So it will be easier for you, for^(AF)they will bearthe burdenwith you.²³ If you do this thing, and Godsocommands you, then you will be able to endure, and all this people will also go to their^(AG)place in peace.”

²⁴ So Moses heeded the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said.²⁵ And^(AH)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 So they judged the people at all times; the^(AI)hard^[i]cases they brought to Moses, but they judged every small case themselves.

²⁷ Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and^(AJ)he went his way to his own land.