Study Desk

Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard about everything that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people, how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.

When Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father in law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, and that the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt;

And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took in Moses' wife Zipporah, after he had sent her away,

Then Jethro, Moses' father in law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her back,

and her two sons, one of whom was named Gershom, for Moses said, "I have been a stranger in a foreign land."

And her two sons; of which the name of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been an alien in a strange land:

And the other was named Eliezer, for he said, "The God of my father was my help, and saved me from the sword of Pharaoh."

And the name of the other was Eliezer; for the God of my father, said he, was mine help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh:

Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was camped, at the mountain of God.

And Jethro, Moses' father in law, came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped at the mount of God:

And he sent word to Moses: "I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her."

And he said unto Moses, I thy father in law Jethro am come unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.

Then Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and he bowed down and kissed him; and they asked each other about their welfare, and went into the tent.

And Moses went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent.

Moses told his father-in-law everything that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, all the hardship that had confronted them on the journey, and how the LORD had rescued them.

And Moses told his father in law all that the Lord had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, and all the travail that had come upon them by the way, and how the Lord delivered them.

And Jethro rejoiced over all the goodness which the LORD had done for Israel, in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians.

And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the Lord had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.

So Jethro said, "Blessed be the LORD who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.

And Jethro said, Blessed be the Lord , who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.

"Now I know that the LORD is greater than all the gods; indeed, it was proven when they acted insolently against the people."

Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them.

Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses' father-in-law before God.

And Jethro, Moses' father in law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses' father in law before God.

And it came about the next day, that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood before Moses from the morning until the evening.

And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening.

Now when Moses' father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, "What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge and all the people stand before you from morning until evening?"

And when Moses' father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even?

Moses said to his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to inquire of God.

And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God:

"When they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I judge between someone and his neighbor and make known the statutes of God and His laws."

When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.

Moses' father-in-law then said to him, "The thing that you are doing is not good.

And Moses' father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good.

"You will surely wear out, both yourself and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.

Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.

"Now listen to me: I will give you counsel, and God be with you. You be the people's representative before God, and you bring the disputes to God,

Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God:

then admonish them about the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they are to walk and the work they are to do.

And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.

"Furthermore, you shall select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.

Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:

"Let them judge the people at all times; and let it be that they will bring to you every major matter, but they will judge every minor matter themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will carry the burden with you.

And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.

"If you do this thing and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people also will go to their places in peace."

If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.

So Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything that he had said.

So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said.

Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.

And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

Then they judged the people at all times; they would bring the difficult matter to Moses, but they would judge every minor matter themselves.

And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

Then Moses said goodbye to his father-in-law, and Jethro went his way to his own land.

And Moses let his father in law depart; and he went his way into his own land.