1When 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; 2Then Jethro, Moses’ father in law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her back, 3And her two sons; of which the name of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been an alien in a strange land:18.3 Gershom: that is A stranger there 4And 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:18.4 Eliezer: that is, My God is an help 5And 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: 6And 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.18.7 welfare: Heb. peace 8And 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.18.8 come…: Heb. found them 9And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. 10And 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. 11Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them. 12And 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. 14And 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? 15And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God: 16When 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.18.16 one…: Heb. a man and his fellow 17And Moses’ father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good. 18Thou 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.18.18 Thou wilt…: Heb. Fading thou wilt fade 19Hearken 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: 20And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do. 21Moreover 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: 22And 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. 23If 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. 24So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said. 25And 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. 26And 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.
叶忒罗看望摩西
1摩西的岳父——米甸的祭司叶忒罗，听说上帝为摩西和祂的子民以色列人所做的一切事——如何带领他们离开埃及， 2就带着女儿西坡拉和两个外孙去见摩西。西坡拉是摩西的妻子，摩西曾让她回娘家暂时居住。 3摩西的两个儿子一个叫革舜，因为摩西说：“我成了在异乡寄居的人”； 4一个叫以利以谢，因为摩西说：“我父亲的上帝帮助我，从法老的刀下拯救了我。” 5摩西的岳父叶忒罗带着摩西的妻子和两个儿子来到上帝的山，就是摩西在旷野安营的地方。 6叶忒罗事先差人把他带着摩西的妻子和两个儿子要来的消息通知摩西。 7摩西出去迎接岳父，向他下拜，与他亲吻，彼此问安，然后大家都进了帐篷。 8摩西把耶和华为拯救以色列人而向法老和埃及人所行的事，以及怎样救百姓脱离路上遇见的种种困难，都告诉了叶忒罗。 9叶忒罗为耶和华恩待以色列人、把他们救出埃及而高兴， 10便说：“耶和华当受称颂，因为祂从埃及人和法老手中拯救了你们，把这百姓从埃及人手中拯救了出来。 11我现在知道，耶和华比一切神明都伟大，因为祂惩治了虐待这些百姓的狂妄之徒。”
12摩西的岳父叶忒罗说完，便向上帝献燔祭及其他祭物。亚伦和以色列的长老都来与他一起在上帝面前吃饭。
13第二天，摩西坐着审理百姓的纠纷，百姓从早到晚都站在摩西周围。 14摩西的岳父叶忒罗看见摩西对百姓所行的一切，就对摩西说：“你为什么这样处理百姓的事？为什么你独自坐着，众百姓从早到晚都站在你周围？” 15摩西对岳父说：“他们是来求问上帝的， 16我亲自审理他们中间的是非，教他们认识上帝的律例和法度。” 17摩西的岳父叶忒罗劝摩西说：“这不是好方法， 18你和这些百姓都会疲惫不堪，你一个人无法担当如此繁重的工作。 19你要听我的劝告，愿上帝与你同在。你要做百姓的代表，把案件奏明上帝， 20又要教导他们律例和法度，指示他们当行的道、当做的事。 21此外，要在百姓当中挑选一些敬畏上帝、有才干、诚实、正直、憎恶不义之财的人，派他们做千夫长、百夫长、五十夫长和十夫长，管理百姓。 22让他们随时为百姓判案，处理小纠纷，遇到大事才由你审理。有他们分担你的责任，你会更轻省。 23如果你这样做，并且上帝也这样吩咐你，你就能承受得住，百姓也可以平安地回家。”
24于是，摩西接纳了岳父的建议，依言而行， 25从百姓中挑选有才干的人，委派他们做千夫长、百夫长、五十夫长和十夫长管理百姓。 26他们负责随时审理百姓的事，遇到难断的案件就呈到摩西那里，自己则审理普通的事。 27之后，摩西送岳父上路，他就返回了家乡。
