Study Desk

He said to him, "I am the Lord your God. If you listen to me and do what I say is right, and if you obey all my commands and laws, then I will not give you any of the sicknesses that I gave the Egyptians. I am the Lord who heals you."

"I have heard the complaints of the Israelites. So tell them, ‘Tonight you will eat meat. And in the morning you will have all the bread you want. Then you will know you can trust the Lord , your God.'"

So Moses said to Joshua, "Choose some men and go and fight the Amalekites tomorrow. I will stand on the top of the hill and watch you. I will be holding the walking stick God gave me."

Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, was a priest in Midian. He heard about the many ways that God helped Moses and the Israelites. He heard about the Lord leading the Israelites out of Egypt.

So Jethro went to Moses while Moses was camped near the mountain of God. Jethro brought Moses' wife, Zipporah, with him. (Zipporah was not with Moses, because Moses had sent her home.)

The other son was named Eliezer, because when he was born, Moses said, "The God of my father helped me and saved me from the king of Egypt."

So Jethro went to Moses while Moses was camped in the desert near the mountain of God. Moses' wife and his two sons were with Jethro.

Now I know the Lord is greater than all the gods. They thought they were in control, but look what God did!"

Jethro got some sacrifices and offerings to honor God. Then Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat with Moses' father-in-law Jethro. They all ate together there with God.

Now, listen to me. Let me give you some advice. And I pray God will be with you. You should continue listening to the problems of the people. And you should continue to speak to God about these things.

But you should also choose some of the people to be judges and leaders. "Choose good men you can trust—men who respect God. Choose men who will not change their decisions for money. Make these men rulers over the people. There should be rulers over 1000 people, 100 people, 50 people, and even over ten people.

If you do this as God directs you, then you will be able to do your job without tiring yourself out. And the people can still have all their problems solved before they return home."

Then Moses climbed up the mountain to meet with God. The Lord spoke to him on the mountain and said, "Tell this to the Israelites, the great family of Jacob:

Then the Lord said to Moses, "I will come to you in the thick cloud. I will speak to you. All the people will hear me talking to you. I will do this so that they will always believe what you tell them." Then Moses told God everything the people had said.

Then Moses said to the people, "Be ready for the meeting with God in three days. Until that time do not have sexual relations."

Then Moses led the people out of the camp to a place near the mountain to meet God.

The noise from the trumpet became louder and louder. Every time Moses spoke to God, God answered him with a voice like thunder.

These are the things God told his people:

"I am the Lord your God. I am the one who freed you from the land of Egypt, where you were slaves.

Don't worship or serve idols of any kind, because I, the Lord , am your God. I hate my people worshiping other gods. People who sin against me become my enemies, and I will punish them. And I will punish their children, their grandchildren, and even their great-grandchildren.