Exodus 18
18
Jethro’s Visit
1Moses’s father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, # 18:1 Ex 2:16,18; 3:1 heard about everything that God had done for Moses and for God’s people Israel when the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt.
2Now Jethro, Moses’s father-in-law, had taken in Zipporah, # 18:2 Ex 2:21; 4:25 Moses’s wife, after he had sent her back, 3along with her two sons, one of whom was named Gershom # 18:3 In Hb the name Gershom sounds like the phrase “a stranger there.” (because Moses had said, “I have been a resident alien in a foreign land”) # 18:3 Ex 2:22; 4:20; Ac 7:29 4and the other Eliezer (because he had said, “The God of my father was my helper and rescued me from Pharaoh’s sword”). # 18:4 = My God Is Help
5Moses’s father-in-law, Jethro, along with Moses’s wife and sons, came to him in the wilderness where he was camped at the mountain of God. # 18:4–5 Ex 3:1; 1Ch 23:15 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, bowed down, # 18:7 Gn 29:13; Ex 18:2 and then kissed him. They asked each other how they had been # 18:7 Lit other about well-being and went into the tent. 8Moses recounted to his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardships that confronted them on the way, and how the Lord rescued them. # 18:8 Ex 15:6,16; Ps 81:7
9Jethro rejoiced over all the good things the Lord had done for Israel when he rescued them from the power of the Egyptians. 10“Blessed be the Lord,” # 18:10 Gn 14:20; 2Sm 18:28 Jethro exclaimed, “who rescued you from the power of Egypt and from the power of Pharaoh. He has rescued the people from under the power of Egypt! 11Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods, because he did wonders when the Egyptians acted arrogantly against Israel.” # 18:11 Hb obscure,# 18:11 2Ch 2:5; Lk 1:51
12Then Jethro, Moses’s father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses’s father-in-law in God’s presence.
13The next day Moses sat down to judge the people, and they stood around Moses from morning until evening. 14When Moses’s father-in-law saw everything he was doing for them he asked, “What is this you’re doing for the people? Why are you alone sitting as judge, while all the people stand around you from morning until evening? ”
15Moses replied to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God. 16Whenever they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I make a decision between one man and another. I teach them God’s statutes and laws.” # 18:15–16 Ex 24:14; Lv 24:12; Nm 15:34; Dt 17:8
17“What you’re doing is not good,” Moses’s father-in-law said to him. 18“You will certainly wear out both yourself and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you. You can’t do it alone. # 18:18 Ex 3:12; 4:16; Nm 27:5 19Now listen to me; I will give you some advice, and God be with you. You be the one to represent the people before God and bring their cases to him. 20Instruct them about the statutes and laws, and teach them the way to live and what they must do. # 18:20 Dt 1:18; 5:1; Ps 143:8 21But you should select from all the people able men, God-fearing, trustworthy, and hating dishonest profit. # 18:21 Ex 18:8; Dt 16:19; Ac 6:3 Place them over the people as commanders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. # 18:21 Dt 1:15; 2Ch 19:5–10 22They should judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you every major case but judge every minor case themselves. In this way you will lighten your load, # 18:22 Lit lighten from on you and they will bear it with you. # 18:22 Lv 24:11; Nm 11:17; Dt 1:17 23If you do this, and God so directs you, you will be able to endure, and also all these people will be able to go home satisfied.” # 18:23 Lit go to their place in peace
24Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. 25So Moses chose able men from all Israel and made them leaders over the people as commanders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. 26They judged the people at all times; they would bring the hard cases to Moses, but they would judge every minor case themselves.
27Moses let his father-in-law go, and he journeyed to his own land. # 18:25–27 Ex 18:22; Nm 10:29–30; Dt 1:15
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Exodus 18: CSB
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© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Exodus 18
18
Jethro visits Moses
1Jethro was the priest of Midian and the father-in-law of Moses. And he heard what the LORD God had done for Moses and his people, after rescuing them from Egypt.
2-4In the meantime, Moses had sent his wife Zipporah and her two sons to stay with Jethro, and he had welcomed them. Moses was still a foreigner in Midian when his first son was born, and so Moses said, “I'll name him Gershom.”#18.2-4 Gershom: See the note at 2.22.#Ex 2.21,22.#Ac 7.29.
When his second son was born, Moses said, “I'll name him Eliezer,#18.2-4 Eliezer: In Hebrew “Eliezer” means “God has helped me”. because the God my father worshipped has saved me from the king of Egypt.”#18.2-4 saved…Egypt: See 2.1-15.
5-6While Israel was camped in the desert near Mount Sinai,#18.5,6 Mount Sinai: Hebrew “the mountain of God”. Jethro sent Moses this message: “I am coming to visit you, and I am bringing your wife and two sons.”
7When they arrived, Moses went out and bowed down in front of Jethro, then kissed him. After they had greeted each other, they went into the tent, 8where Moses told him everything the LORD had done to protect Israel against the Egyptians and their king. He also told him how the LORD had helped them in all their troubles.
9Jethro was so pleased to hear this good news about what the LORD had done, 10that he shouted, “Praise the LORD! He rescued you and the Israelites from the Egyptians and their king. 11Now I know that the LORD is the greatest God, because he has rescued Israel from their arrogant enemies.” 12Jethro offered sacrifices to God. Then Aaron and Israel's leaders came to eat with Jethro there at the place of worship.
Judges are appointed
(Deuteronomy 1.9-18)
13The next morning Moses sat down at the place where he decided legal cases for the people, and everyone crowded around him until evening. 14Jethro saw how much Moses had to do for the people, and he asked, “Why are you the only judge? Why do you let these people crowd around you from morning till evening?”
15Moses answered, “Because they come here to find out what God wants them to do. 16They bring their complaints to me, and I make decisions on the basis of God's laws.”
17Jethro replied:
That isn't the best way to do it. 18You and the people who come to you will soon be worn out. The job is too much for one person; you can't do it alone. 19God will help you if you follow my advice. You should be the one to speak to God for the people, 20and you should teach them God's laws and show them what they must do to live right.
21You will need to appoint some competent leaders who respect God and are trustworthy and honest. Then put them over groups of ten, fifty, a hundred, and a thousand. 22These judges can handle the ordinary cases and bring the more difficult ones to you. Having them to share the load will make your work easier. 23This is the way God wants it done. You won't be under nearly as much stress, and everyone else will return home feeling satisfied.
24Moses followed Jethro's advice. 25He chose some competent leaders from every tribe in Israel and put them over groups of ten, fifty, a hundred, and a thousand. 26They served as judges, deciding the easy cases themselves, but bringing the more difficult ones to Moses.
27After Moses and his father-in-law Jethro had said goodbye to each other, Jethro returned home.
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© British and Foreign Bible Society 2012