The Visit of Jethro 1 ULT And Jethro, the priest of Midian, father- in- law of Moses, heard all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people; that Yahweh brought Israel out from Egypt. BSB BSB: Now Moses’ father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard about all that God had done for Moses and His people Israel, and how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.
2 ULT And Jethro, father- in- law of Moses, took Zipporah, wife of Moses, after he had sent her back, BSB BSB: After Moses had sent back his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro had received her,
3 ULT and her two sons; one of whose names was Gershom, for he had said,“I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.” BSB BSB: along with her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses had said, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land.”
4 ULT And the name of the other was Eliezer, for“The God of my father was my helper. And he rescued me from the sword of Pharaoh.” BSB BSB: The other son was named Eliezer, for Moses had said, “The God of my father was my helper and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.”
5 ULT And Jethro, the father- in- law of Moses, came, and his sons and his wife, to Moses, to the wilderness where he was camping, at the mountain of God. BSB BSB: Moses’ father-in-law Jethro, along with Moses’ wife and sons, came to him in the desert, where he was encamped at the mountain of God.
6 ULT And he said to Moses,“I, your father- in- law Jethro, am coming to you, and your wife, and her two sons with her.” BSB BSB: He sent word to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.”
7 ULT And Moses went out to meet his father- in- law, and he bowed down and kissed him. And they asked, each man his friend, of their welfare, and they went into the tent. BSB BSB: So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and went into the tent.
8 ULT And Moses related to his father- in- law all that Yahweh had done to Pharaoh and to Egypt on account of Israel, all the hardship that found them along the way, and of Yahweh rescuing them. BSB BSB: Then Moses recounted to his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardships they had encountered along the way, and how the LORD had delivered them.
9 ULT And Jethro rejoiced over all the good that Yahweh had done for Israel, whom he rescued from the hand of Egypt. BSB BSB: And Jethro rejoiced over all the good things the LORD had done for Israel, whom He had rescued from the hand of the Egyptians.
10 ULT And Jethro said,“Bless Yahweh, who rescued you out of the hand of Egypt and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who rescued the people from under the hand of Egypt. BSB BSB: Jethro declared, “Blessed be the LORD, who has delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who has delivered the people from the hand of the Egyptians.
11 ULT Now I know that Yahweh is greater than all the gods, because of the affair{ in} which they acted proudly against them.” BSB BSB: Now I know that the LORD is greater than all other gods, for He did this when they treated Israel with arrogance.”
12 ULT And Jethro, the father- in- law of Moses, took a burnt offering and sacrifices to God. And Aaron came, and all of the elders of Israel, to eat bread before the face of God with the father- in- law of Moses. BSB BSB: Then Moses’ father-in-law Jethro brought a burnt offering and 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 Advises Moses (Deuteronomy 1:9–18)
13 ULT And so it happened the next day that Moses sat down to judge the people. And the people stood around Moses from morning until evening. BSB BSB: The next day Moses took his seat to judge the people, and they stood around him from morning until evening.
14 ULT And the father- in- law of Moses was watching all that he did for the people, and he said,“What is this thing that you are doing with the people? For what purpose do you sit alone, and all the people position themselves next to you from morning until evening?” BSB BSB: When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he asked, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone as judge, with all the people standing around you from morning till evening?”
15 ULT And Moses said to his father- in- law,“Because the people come to me to inquire of God. BSB BSB: “Because the people come to me to inquire of God,” Moses replied.
16 ULT When a situation comes up among them, someone comes to me. And I judge between a man and his associate, and I help them understand the statutes of God and his laws.” BSB BSB: “Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me to judge between one man and another, and I make known to them the statutes and laws of God.”
17 ULT And the father- in- law of Moses said to him,“The thing which you are doing is not good. BSB BSB: But Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good.
18 ULT You will certainly wear yourself out, both you and also these people who are with you, because the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone. BSB BSB: Surely you and these people with you will wear yourselves out, because the task is too heavy for you. You cannot handle it alone.
19 ULT Now, listen to my voice. I will advise you, and God will be with you. You be before God for the people, and you should bring their disputes to God yourself. BSB BSB: Now listen to me; I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their causes to Him.
20 ULT And you should teach them the statutes and the laws. And you should cause them to know the way they should walk in and the work that they should do. BSB BSB: Teach them the statutes and laws, and show them the way to live and the work they must do.
21 ULT And you yourself should search out from all of the people men of ability, fearers of God, men of faithfulness, haters of dishonest profit. And you should appoint over them: leaders of thousands, leaders of hundreds, leaders of fifties, and leaders of tens. BSB BSB: Furthermore, select capable men from among the people—God-fearing, trustworthy men who are averse to dishonest gain. Appoint them over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
22 ULT And they will judge the people at all times. And so it will be, every great situation they will bring to you, and every small situation they will judge themselves. And you must lighten{ this thing} from on you! And they will carry alongside you. BSB BSB: Have these men judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you any major issue, but all minor cases they can judge on their own, so that your load may be lightened as they share it with you.
23 ULT If you do this thing, and God instructs you, then you will be able to endure, and furthermore, all of this people will go to its place in peace.” BSB BSB: If you follow this advice and God so directs you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people can go home in peace.”
24 ULT And Moses listened to the voice of his father- in- law and did everything that he had said. BSB BSB: Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said.
25 ULT And Moses chose men of ability from all Israel, and he appointed them heads over the people, leaders of thousands, leaders of hundreds, leaders of fifties, and leaders of tens. BSB BSB: So Moses chose capable men from all Israel and made them heads over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
26 ULT And they judged the people at all times. They brought the difficult situations to Moses, and they judged each small situation themselves. BSB BSB: And they judged the people at all times; they would bring the difficult cases to Moses, but any minor issue they would judge themselves.
27 ULT And Moses let his father- in- law go, and he went into his own land. BSB BSB: Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro returned to his own land.