The Visit of Jethro

1And Jothor the priest of Madiam, the father-in-law of Moses, heard of all that the Lord did to his people Israel; for the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt. 2And Jothor the father-in-law of Moses, took Sepphora the wife of Moses after she had been sent away, 3and her two sons: the name of the one was Gersam, his father saying, I was a sojourner in a strange land; — 4and the name of the second Eliezer, saying, For the God of my father is my helper, and he has rescued me out of the hand of Pharao.

5And Jothor the father-in-law of Moses, and his sons and his wife, went forth to Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped on the mount of God. 6And it was told Moses, saying, Behold, thy father-in-law Jothor is coming to thee, and thy wife and two sons with him. 7And Moses went forth to meet his father-in-law, and did him reverence, and kissed him, and they embraced each other, and he brought them into the tent. 8And Moses related to his father-in-law all things that the Lord did to Pharao and all the Egyptians for Israel's sake, and all the labour that had befallen them in the way, and that the Lord had rescued them out of the hand of Pharao, and out of the hand of the Egyptians. 9And Jothor was amazed at all the good things which the Lord did to them, forasmuch as he rescued them out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharao. 10And Jothor said, Blessed be the Lord, because he has rescued them out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharao. 11Now know I that the Lord is great above all gods, because of this, wherein they attacked them. 12And Jothor the father-in-law of Moses took whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices for God, for Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat bread with the father-in-law of Moses before God.

Jethro Advises Moses

13And it came to pass after the morrow that Moses sat to judge the people, and all the people stood by Moses from morning till evening. 14And Jothor having seen all that Moses did to the people, says, What is this that thou doest to the people? wherefore sittest thou alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning till evening? 15And Moses says to his father-in-law, Because the people come to me to seek judgment from God. 16For whenever there is a dispute among them, and they come to me, I give judgment upon each, and I teach them the ordinances of God and his law.

17And the father-in-law of Moses said to him, Thou dost not this thing rightly, 18thou wilt wear away with intolerable weariness, both those and all this people which is with thee: this thing is hard, thou wilt not be able to endure it thyself alone. 19Now then hearken to me, and I will advise thee, and God shall be with thee: be thou to the people in the things pertaining to God, and thou shalt bring their matters to God. 20And thou shalt testify to them the ordinances of God and his law, and thou shalt shew to them the ways in which they shall walk, and the works which they shall do. 21And do thou look out for thyself out of all the people able men, fearing God, righteous men, hating pride, and thou shalt set over the people captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, and captains of fifties, and captains of tens. 22And they shall judge the people at all times, and the too burdensome matter they shall bring to thee, but they shall judge the smaller cases; so they shall relieve thee and help thee. 23If thou wilt do this thing, God shall strengthen thee, and thou shalt be able to attend, and all this people shall come with peace into their own place.

24And Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did whatsoever he said to him. 25And Moses chose out able men out of all Israel, and he made them captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, and captains of fifties and captains of tens over the people. 26And they judged the people at all times; and every too burdensome matter they brought to Moses, but every light matter they judged themselves. 27And Moses dismissed his father-in-law, and he returned to his own land.