Jethro’s visit
1Jethro, priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard about everything God had done for Moses and for Israel his people — how Yahweh had brought Israel out of Egypt. 2Now Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, had taken in Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after Moses had sent her back, 3along with her two sons. The name of the one was Gershom, for Moses had said, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land,” 4and the name of the other was Eliezer, for he had said, “The God of my father was my help, and he delivered me from Pharaoh’s sword.” 5Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with Moses’ sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness, where he was camped at the mountain of God. 6He sent word to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you, with your wife and her two sons.” 7So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law; he bowed down and kissed him, and each asked the other how he was, and they went into the tent. 8Moses told his father-in-law everything Yahweh had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardships that had come upon them on the way, and how Yahweh had delivered them. 9Jethro rejoiced over all the good Yahweh had done for Israel, delivering them from the hand of Egypt. 10“Blessed be Yahweh,” Jethro said, “who has delivered you from the hand of Egypt and from the hand of Pharaoh, who has delivered the people from under the hand of Egypt. 11Now I know that Yahweh is greater than all gods, because he did this to those who dealt arrogantly against them.” 12Then 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 bread with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of God.
Jethro’s advice
13The next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around him from morning until evening. 14When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, with all the people standing around you from morning until evening?” 15Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to seek God. 16Whenever they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I judge between one person and another, and I make known the statutes of God and his instructions.” 17Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. 18You will surely wear yourself out — both you and these people with you — for the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone. 19Now listen to me; I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You represent the people before God, bringing their disputes to him, 20and you teach them the statutes and the instructions, and show them the way they are to walk and the things they are to do. 21But you should select capable men from all the people — men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain — and appoint them over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. 22Let them judge the people at all times. Every major dispute they are to bring to you, but every minor case they can decide themselves. That will lighten your load, and they will share it with you. 23If you do this, and God so commands you, you will be able to endure, and all these people will go home satisfied.” 24So Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he had said. 25He chose capable men from all Israel and made them heads over the people, leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. 26They judged the people at all times; the hard cases they brought to Moses, but every minor case they decided themselves. 27Then Moses said farewell to his father-in-law, and Jethro went on his way to his own country.
