Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brings Moses' wife and sons to him. He sees Moses overloaded with disputes and advises him to appoint capable men as judges over groups of people.
1 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 ;
2 Then Jethro , Moses ' father in law , took Zipporah , Moses ' wife , after he had sent her back ,
3 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 :
4 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 :
5 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 :
6 And he said unto Moses , I thy father in law Jethro am come unto thee, and thy wife , and her two sons with her.
7 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 .
8 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.
9 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 .
10 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 .
11 Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods : for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them.
12 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 .
13 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 .
14 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 ?
15 And Moses said unto his father in law , Because the people come unto me to enquire of God :
16 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 .
17 And Moses ' father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good .
18 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.
19 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 :
20 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 .
21 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 :
22 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.
23 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 .
24 So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law , and did all that he had said .
25 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 .
26 And they judged the people at all seasons : the hard causes they brought unto Moses , but every small matter they judged themselves.
27 And Moses let his father in law depart ; and he went his way into his own land .