Jethro Visits Moses
1Moses’ father-in-law Jethro was the priest of Midian. He heard about everything God had done for Moses and for his people Israel. Jethro heard how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt.
2Moses had sent his wife Zipporah to his father-in-law. So Jethro welcomed her 3and her two sons. One son was named Gershom. That’s because Moses had said, “I’m an outsider in a strange land.” 4The other was named Eliezer. That’s because Moses had said, “My father’s God helped me. He saved me from Pharaoh’s sword.”
5Moses’ father-in-law Jethro came to Moses in the desert. Moses’ sons and wife came with Jethro. Moses was camped near the mountain of God. 6Jethro had sent a message to him. It said, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you. I’m bringing your wife and her two sons.”
7So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law. Moses bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other. Then they went into the tent. 8Moses told Jethro everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians. The Lord did all of this because of how much he loved Israel. Moses told Jethro about all their hard times along the way. He told him about how the Lord had saved them.
9Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things the Lord had done for Israel. He heard about how God had saved them from the power of the Egyptians. 10He said, “I praise the Lord. He saved you and your people from the power of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh. 11Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods. See what he did to those who looked down on Israel.” 12Then Moses’ father-in-law Jethro brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God. Aaron came with all the elders of Israel. They ate a meal with Moses’ father-in-law in the sight of God.
13The next day Moses took his seat to serve the people as their judge. They stood around him from morning until evening. 14His father-in-law saw everything Moses was doing for the people. So he said, “Aren’t you trying to do too much for the people? You are the only judge. And all these people are standing around you from morning until evening.”
15Moses answered, “The people come to me to find out what God wants them to do. 16Anytime they don’t agree with one another, they come to me. I decide between them. I tell them about God’s rules and instructions.”
17Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing isn’t good. 18You will just get worn out. And so will these people who come to you. There’s too much work for you. You can’t possibly handle it by yourself. 19Listen to me. I’ll give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must speak to God for the people. Take their problems to him. 20Teach them his rules and instructions. Show them how to live and what to do. 21But choose men of ability from all the people. They must have respect for God. You must be able to trust them. They must not try to get money by cheating others. Appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 22Let them serve the people as judges. But have them bring every hard case to you. They can decide the easy ones themselves. That will make your load lighter. They will share it with you. 23If this is what God wants and if you do it, then you will be able to carry the load. And all these people will go home satisfied.”
24Moses listened to his father-in-law. He did everything Jethro said. 25He chose men of ability from the whole community of Israel. He made them leaders of the people. They became officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 26They judged the people at all times. They brought the hard cases to Moses. But they decided the easy ones themselves.
27Moses sent his father-in-law on his way. So Jethro returned to his own country.
Yesero Akyalira Musa
118:1 Kuv 2:16; 3:1Yesero, kabona w’e Midiyaani, era kitaawe wa mukyala wa Musa, n’awulira byonna Katonda bye yakolera Musa n’abantu be, Abayisirayiri; era nga Mukama yaggya Isirayiri mu Misiri. 218:2 Kuv 2:21; 4:25Ye yalabiriranga Zipola, mukyala wa Musa; kubanga Musa yali amuzzizza ewaabwe ng’amumulekedde, 318:3 a Kuv 4:20; Bik 7:29 b Kuv 2:22ne batabani be babiri. Mutabani we omu yamutuuma Gerusomu, kubanga Musa yagamba nti, “Mbadde mugwira mu nsi etali yange;” 418:4 1By 23:15n’erinnya ly’omulala lyali Eryeza, kubanga yagamba nti, “Katonda wa kitange ye yali omubeezi wange, era n’amponya ekitala kya Falaawo.”
518:5 Kuv 3:1Yesero, mukoddomi wa Musa, n’ajja ne batabani ba Musa ne mukyala we eri Musa mu ddungu, we yali asiisidde okuliraana olusozi lwa Katonda. 6Yesero yali amutumidde nti, “Nze Yesero mukoddomi wo, nzija okukulabako. Ndi ne mukyala wo ne batabani be bombi.” 718:7 a Lub 43:28 b Lub 29:13Awo Musa n’afuluma n’agenda okwaniriza mukoddomi we; n’akutamako ng’amulamusa, n’amugwa mu kifuba. Ne balamusaganya, n’oluvannyuma ne bayingira mu weema. 818:8 Kuv 15:6, 16; Zab 81:7Musa n’anyumiza mukoddomi we ebyo byonna Mukama bye yakola Falaawo n’Abamisiri ng’abalanga Isirayiri; n’ebizibu ebyabatuukako mu lugendo lwabe, ne Mukama nga bwe yabibawonya.
9Yesero n’asanyuka nnyo okuwulira ebirungi ebyo byonna Mukama bye yakolera Isirayiri, ng’abanunula ku Bamisiri. 1018:10 Lub 14:20; Zab 68:19-20Yesero n’agamba nti, “Mukama atenderezebwe eyabanunula mu mikono gy’Abamisiri ne mu mukono gwa Falaawo, n’aggya abantu be mu mikono gy’Abamisiri. 1118:11 a Kuv 12:12; 15:11; 2By 2:5 b Luk 1:51Kaakano ntegedde nga Mukama mukulu wa kitiibwa okukira bakatonda bonna, kubanga yanunula abantu be mu mikono gyabo abaali babeeragirako.” 1218:12 Ma 12:7Awo Yesero, mukoddomi wa Musa, n’awaayo eri Katonda ekiweebwayo ekyokye ne ssaddaaka endala; Alooni n’abakulembeze ba Isirayiri bonna ne balya ne mukoddomi wa Musa emmere mu maaso ga Katonda.
Okulonda Abalamuzi
13Awo bwe bwakya enkya, Musa n’atuula ku ntebe ye okulamula abantu. Abantu ne bamwetooloola okuva enkya okutuusa akawungeezi. 14Mukoddomi we bwe yalaba Musa bye yali akolera abantu, n’amugamba nti, “Kiki kino ky’okola? Lwaki olamula bw’omu, abantu bano bonna ne bayimirira okukwetooloola okuva ku nkya okutuusa akawungeezi?” 1518:15 Kbl 9:6, 8; Ma 17:8-13Musa n’addamu mukoddomi we nti, “Kubanga abantu bajja gye ndi bategeere Katonda by’ayagala. 1618:16 Lv 24:12Buli lwe babeera n’obutakkiriziganya, bajja gye ndi, ne mbasalirawo, era ne mbategeeza amateeka ga Katonda n’ebiragiro bye.”
17Mukoddomi wa Musa n’amugamba nti, “Ky’okola si kirungi. 1818:18 Kbl 11:11, 14, 17Ggwe, n’abantu bano bonna abajja gy’oli, mujja kukoowa nnyo. Kubanga omulimu guno munene nnyo; tosobola kugukola bw’omu. 1918:19 a Kuv 3:12 b Kbl 27:5Nkusaba ompulirize nkusalire ku magezi, ne Katonda ng’ali naawe. Osaana obeere omubaka w’abantu ewa Katonda, era omutuusengako ensonga zaabwe. 2018:20 a Ma 5:1 b Zab 143:8 c Ma 1:18Bayigirize amateeka n’ebiragiro, era obalage nga bwe basaana okweyisanga, awamu n’emirimu gye basaanidde okukola. 2118:21 a Bik 6:3 b Ma 16:19; Zab 15:5; Ez 18:8 c Ma 1:13, 15; 2By 19:5-10Londayo abasajja abalina ebisaanyizo, ng’obaggya mu bantu bonna, abasajja abatya Katonda, ab’amazima era abatalya nguzi; obawe obukulembeze, ng’abamu bavunaanyizibwa abantu enkumi, n’abalala abantu ebikumi, n’abamu ebibiina eby’ataano n’abalala eby’ekkumi kkumi. 2218:22 a Ma 1:17-18 b Kbl 11:17Bawe obuyinza okulamulanga abantu ebbanga lyonna, naye ng’emisango emizibu bagikuleetera, emisango emyangu bo bagisalenga. Ekyo kinaawewulanga ku buzito bw’omugugu gwo, kubanga banaabanga bagukukwatirako. 23Singa okola bw’otyo, nga ne Katonda bw’akulagidde, ojja kusobola okugumira emirimu egyo, era n’abantu bano bonna balyoke baddeyo ewaabwe nga basanyuse.”
24Musa bw’atyo n’awuliriza amagezi gonna mukoddomi we ge yamuwa, n’akolera ku ebyo byonna bye yamubuulirira. 2518:25 Ma 1:13-15Musa n’alonda mu Isirayiri yonna abasajja abasobola, n’abafuula abakulembeze b’abantu; nga bavunaanyizibwa enkumi, n’abalala ebikumi, n’abamu amakumi ataano ataano, n’abalala kkumi kkumi. 2618:26 nny 22Ne balamula abantu ebbanga lyonna. Emisango emizibu nga bagireetera Musa, naye emyangu nga bagisala.
2718:27 Kbl 10:29-30Awo Musa n’asiibula mukoddomi we, mukoddomi we n’akwata ekkubo ne yeddirayo mu nsi y’ewaabwe.
