Dual Panel1Now Jethro<3503>, the priest<3548> of Midian<4080>, Moses'<4872> father-in-law<2860>, heard<8085> of all<3605> that God<430> had done<6213> for Moses<4872> and for Israel<3478> His people<5971>, how<3588> the LORD<3068> had brought<3318> Israel<3478> out of Egypt<4714>.
2Jethro<3503>, Moses'<4872> father-in-law<2860>, took<3947> Moses'<4872> wife<802> Zipporah<6855>, after<310> he had sent<7971> her away<7971>,
3and her two<8147> sons<1121>, of whom<834> one<259> was named<8034> Gershom<1647>, for Moses said<559>, "I have been<1961> a sojourner<1616> in a foreign<5237> land<776>."
4The other<259> was named<8034> Eliezer<461>, for he said, "The God<430> of my father<1> was my help<5828>, and delivered<5337> me from the sword<2719> of Pharaoh<6547>."
5Then Jethro<3503>, Moses'<4872> father-in-law<2860>, came<935> with his sons<1121> and his wife<802> to Moses<4872> in the wilderness<4057> where<834><8033> he was camped<2583>, at the mount<2022> of God<430>.
6He sent<559> word<559> to Moses<4872>, "I, your father-in-law<2860> Jethro<3503>, am coming<935> to you with your wife<802> and her two<8147> sons<1121> with her."
7Then Moses<4872> went<3318> out to meet<7122> his father-in-law<2860>, and he bowed<7812> down<7812> and kissed<5401> him; and they asked<7592> each<376> other<7453> of their welfare<7965> and went<935> into the tent<168>.
8Moses<4872> told<5608> his father-in-law<2860> all<3605> that the LORD<3068> had done<6213> to Pharaoh<6547> and to the Egyptians<4714> for Israel's<3478> sake<5921><182>, all<3605> the hardship<8513> that had befallen<4672> them on the journey<1870>, and how the LORD<3068> had delivered<5337> them.
9Jethro<3503> rejoiced<2302> over<5921> all<3605> the goodness<2899> which<834> the LORD<3068> had done<6213> to Israel<3478>, in delivering<5337> them from the hand<3027> of the Egyptians<4714>.
10So Jethro<3503> said<559>, "Blessed<1288> be the LORD<3068> who<834> delivered<5337> you from the hand<3027> of the Egyptians<4714> and from the hand<3027> of Pharaoh<6547>, and who<834> delivered<5337> the people<5971> from under<8478> the hand<3027> of the Egyptians<4714>.
11"Now<6258> I know<3045> that the LORD<3068> is greater<1419> than<4480> all<3605> the gods<430>; indeed<3588>, it was proven<1697> when<834> they dealt<2102> proudly<2102> against<5921> the people."
12Then Jethro<3503>, Moses'<4872> father-in-law<2860>, took<3947> a burnt<5930> offering<5930> and sacrifices<2077> for God<430>, and Aaron<175> came<935> with all<3605> the elders<2205> of Israel<3478> to eat<398> a meal<3899> with Moses'<4872> father-in-law<2860> before<6440> God<430>.
13It came<1961> about the next<4283> day<4283> that Moses<4872> sat<3427> to judge<8199> the people<5971>, and the people<5971> stood<5975> about<5921> Moses<4872> from the morning<1242> until<5704> the evening<6153>.
14Now when Moses'<4872> father-in-law<2860> saw<7200> all<3605> that he was doing<6213> for the people<5971>, he said<559>, "What<4100> is this<2088> thing<1697> that you are doing<6213> for the people<5971>? Why<4069> do you alone<905> sit<3427> as judge and all<3605> the people<5971> stand<5324> about<5921> you from morning<1242> until<5704> evening<6153>?"
15Moses<4872> said<559> to his father-in-law<2860>, "Because<3588> the people<5971> come<935> to me to inquire<1875> of God<430>.
16"When<3588> they have<1961> a dispute<1697>, it comes<935> to me, and I judge<8199> between<996> a man<376> and his neighbor<7453> and make<3045> known<3045> the statutes<2706> of God<430> and His laws<8451>."
17Moses'<4872> father-in-law<2860> said<559> to him, "The thing<1697> that you are doing<6213> is not good<2896>.
18"You will surely<5034> wear<5034> out, both<1571> yourself<859> and these<2088> people<5971> who<834> are with you, for the task<1697> is too<4480> heavy<3515> for you; you cannot<3201><3808> do<6213> it alone<905>.
19"Now<6258> listen<8085> to me: I will give<3289> you counsel<3289>, and God<430> be with you. You be the people's<5971> representative before<4136> God<430>, and you bring<935> the disputes<1697> to God<430>,
20then teach<2094> them the statutes<2706> and the laws<8451>, and make<3045> known<3045> to them the way<1870> in which they are to walk<1980> and the work<4639> they are to do<6213>.
21"Furthermore, you shall select<2372> out of all<3605> the people<5971> able<2428> men<376> who fear<3372> God<430>, men<376> of truth<571>, those who hate<8130> dishonest<1215> gain<1215>; and you shall place<7760> these over<5921> them as leaders<8269> of thousands<505>, of hundreds<3967>, of fifties<2572> and of tens<6235>.
22"Let them judge<8199> the people<5971> at all<3605> times<6256>; and let it be that every<3605> major<1419> dispute<1697> they will bring<935> to you, but every<3605> minor<6996> dispute<1697> they themselves will judge<8199>. So it will be easier<7043> for you, and they will bear<5375> the burden with you.
23"If<518> you do<6213> this<2088> thing<1697> and God<430> so commands<6680> you, then you will be able<3201> to endure<5975>, and all<3605> these<2088> people<5971> also<1571> will go<935> to their place<4725> in peace<7965>."
24So Moses<4872> listened<8085> to his father-in-law<2860> and did<6213> all<3605> that he had said<559>.
25Moses<4872> chose<977> able<2428> men<376> out of all<3605> Israel<3478> and made<5414> them heads<7218> over<5921> the people<5971>, leaders<8269> of thousands<505>, of hundreds<3967>, of fifties<2572> and of tens<6235>.
26They judged<8199> the people<5971> at all<3605> times<6256>; the difficult<7186> dispute<1697> they would bring<935> to Moses<4872>, but every<3605> minor<6996> dispute<1697> they themselves would judge<8199>.
27Then Moses<4872> bade<7971> his father-in-law<2860> farewell<7971>, and he went<1980> his way into his own land<776>.