Exodus 18

18 ¹Jethro, priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard all our Father did for Moses and Israel his people, bringing Israel out of Egypt. ²Now Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, had taken in Zipporah, Moses' wife, after Moses had sent her home, ³with her two sons—one named Gershom, for Moses said, "I was a foreigner in a foreign land," ⁴the other was named Eliezer, for he said, "the God of my father helped me, and rescued me from Pharaoh's sword." ^a a v4 Eliezer means "my God is my help" — the name Moses gave his son in thanks for the rescue from Pharaoh. ⁵Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with Moses' sons and wife to him at his wilderness camp, the mountain of our Father. ⁶He said to Moses, "I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming with your wife and her two sons."

⁷Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed, and kissed him. They greeted each other and asked after each other's welfare, then went into the tent. ⁸Moses told his father-in-law all our Father had done to Pharaoh and Egypt for Israel, every hardship they faced on the way, and how he rescued them. ⁹Jethro rejoiced over all the good our Father had done for Israel, rescuing them from Egypt's hand. ¹⁰Jethro said, Blessed is our Father, who rescued you from Egypt's hand and Pharaoh's hand, who rescued the people from under Egypt's hand. ¹¹Now I know our Father is greater than all gods, for he overcame them in what they were arrogant about. ¹²Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for our Father; Aaron and all Israel's elders came to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before our Father.

¹³The next day Moses sat to judge the people, who stood around him from morning to evening. ¹⁴When his father-in-law saw all he did for the people, he said, "What is this you're doing? Why sit alone, everyone standing around you from morning to evening?"

¹⁵Moses said to his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to seek our Father; ¹⁶when they dispute, they come to me; I judge between one and their neighbor, and explain our Father's statutes and laws." ¹⁷Moses' father-in-law said to him, "What you are doing is not good. ¹⁸You and these people will wear out—the task's too heavy for you; you can't do it alone. ¹⁹Now listen to me: I'll advise you—may our Father be with you. Represent the people before him and bring their cases to him. ²⁰Warn them of the statutes and laws, and show the way to walk and work to do. ²¹From all the people, select capable men who fear our Father, truthful and hating unjust gain; set them as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. ²²Let them judge the people at all times, bringing you every major matter but deciding every minor matter themselves—lightening your load as they carry it with you. ²³If you do this and our Father commands you, you'll endure, and all these people will go to their place in peace."

²⁴So Moses listened to his father-in-law and did all that he had said. ²⁵Moses chose able men from all Israel and made them heads over the people—leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. ²⁶They judged the people at all times, bringing hard cases to Moses but judging small matters themselves. ²⁷Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and he went back to his own land.