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.
Yethro Amtembelea Mose
118:1 Kut 12:16-18; 6:6Basi Yethro, kuhani wa Midiani, baba mkwe wa Mose, akawa amesikia kila kitu Mungu alichomfanyia Mose na watu wake wa Israeli, pia jinsi Bwana alivyowatoa Israeli Misri.
218:2 Kut 2:21Baada ya Mose kumrudisha mkewe Sipora, Yethro baba mkwe wake alimpokea 318:3 Kut 4:20; Mdo 7:29; Kut 2:22pamoja na wanawe wawili. Jina la mmoja aliitwa Gershomu, kwa kuwa Mose alisema, “Nimekuwa mgeni katika nchi ya kigeni.” 418:4 1Nya 23:15; Mwa 49:25; Kum 33:29Mwingine aliitwa Eliezeri, kwa kuwa alisema, “Mungu wa baba yangu alikuwa msaada wangu, akaniokoa kutoka upanga wa Farao.”
518:5 Kut 3:1Yethro, baba mkwe wa Mose, pamoja na wana wawili wa Mose na mkewe, wakamjia Mose huko jangwani, mahali alipokuwa amepiga kambi karibu na mlima wa Mungu. 6Yethro alikuwa ametuma ujumbe kwake Mose, kusema, “Mimi Yethro baba mkwe wako ninakuja kwako pamoja na mke wako na wanao wawili.”
718:7 Mwa 17:3; 43:8; 29:13Kwa hiyo Mose akatoka kumlaki baba mkwe wake, akainama na kumbusu. Wakasalimiana, kisha wakaingia hemani. 818:8 Hes 20:14; Neh 9:32; Kut 15:5, 16; Za 81:7Mose akamwambia baba mkwe wake kuhusu kila kitu Bwana alichomfanyia Farao na Wamisri kwa ajili ya Israeli, na pia kuhusu shida zote walizokutana nazo njiani na jinsi Bwana alivyowaokoa.
918:9 Yos 21:45; 1Fal 8:66; Neh 9:25; Isa 63:7Yethro akafurahishwa sana kusikia juu ya mambo yote mazuri Bwana aliyowatendea Waisraeli kuwaokoa kutoka mkono wa Wamisri. 1018:10 Mwa 9:26; 24:27Yethro akasema, “Sifa na ziwe kwa Bwana, aliyekuokoa wewe kutoka mikononi mwa Wamisri na Farao, na aliyewaokoa watu kutoka mikononi mwa Wamisri. 1118:11 Kut 12:12; 1Nya 16:25; Kut 1:10; Lk 1:51Sasa najua ya kuwa Bwana ni mkuu kuliko miungu mingine yote, kwa kuwa amewatendea hivi wale waliowatenda Israeli kwa ujeuri.” 1218:12 Kut 3:1; 10:25; 20:24; Law 1:2-9; Mwa 31:54; Kut 24:5; Mwa 26:30; Kum 12:7Kisha Yethro, baba mkwe wa Mose, akaleta sadaka ya kuteketezwa na dhabihu nyingine kwa Mungu, naye Aroni pamoja na wazee wote wa Israeli wakaja kula chakula pamoja na baba mkwe wa Mose mbele za Mungu.
Ushauri Wa Yethro
(Kumbukumbu 1:9-18)
13Siku iliyofuata, Mose akachukua nafasi yake kama hakimu wa watu, nao wakasimama kumzunguka kuanzia asubuhi hadi jioni. 14Baba mkwe wake alipoona yote Mose anayowafanyia watu, akasema, “Ni nini hiki unachowafanyia watu? Kwa nini wewe unakuwa mwamuzi wa watu hawa peke yako, wakati watu hawa wamesimama wakikuzunguka tangu asubuhi mpaka jioni?”
1518:15 Mwa 25:22; Hes 9:6-8Mose akamjibu, “Kwa sababu watu wananijia kutaka mapenzi ya Mungu. 1618:16 Kut 24:14; Law 24:12; Hes 15:34; Kum 1:17; 2Nya 19:7; Mit 24:23; Mt 2:9Kila wakiwa na shauri huletwa kwangu, nami huamua kati ya mtu na mwenzake na kuwajulisha juu ya amri na sheria za Mungu.”
17Baba mkwe wa Mose akamjibu, “Unachofanya sio kizuri. 1818:18 Hes 11:11, 14, 17; Kum 1:9-12Wewe pamoja na watu hawa wanaokujia mtajichosha bure. Kazi ni nzito sana kwako, huwezi kuibeba mwenyewe. 1918:19 Kut 3:12; Hes 27:5Sasa nisikilize mimi, nitakupa shauri, naye Mungu na awe pamoja nawe. Yapasa wewe uwe mwakilishi wa watu mbele za Mungu na ulete mashauri yao kwake. 2018:20 Kum 4:1-4; 5:1; Za 119:12, 26, 68; 143:8; Mwa 39:11Uwafundishe amri na sheria, tena uwaonyeshe namna ya kuishi na kazi zinazowapasa wao kufanya. 2118:21 Mwa 47:6; Mdo 6:3; Mwa 22:12; Kut 23:8; Kum 16:19; 1Sam 12:3; Za 15:5; Mit 17:23; 28:8; Mhu 7:7; Eze 18:8; 22:12; Hes 1:16; 7:2; 10:4; Kum 16:18; Ezr 7:25Lakini uchague watu wenye uwezo miongoni mwa watu wote, watu wanaomwogopa Mungu, watu waaminifu wanaochukia mali ya dhuluma, uwateuwe wawe maafisa juu ya maelfu, mamia, hamsini na makumi. 2218:22 Law 24:11; Kum 17:18; Hes 11:17; Kum 1:9Waweke wawe waamuzi wa watu kwa wakati wote, lakini waambie wakuletee kila shauri lililo gumu; yale yaliyo rahisi wayaamue wao wenyewe. Hii itafanya mzigo wako kuwa mwepesi, kwa sababu watashirikiana nawe. 23Kama ukifanya hivi, na ikiwa Mungu ameagiza hivyo, utaweza kushinda uchovu, nao watu hawa wote watarudi nyumbani wameridhika.”
Kuchaguliwa Kwa Waamuzi
24Mose akamsikiliza baba mkwe wake na kufanya kila kitu alichosema. 2518:25 Hes 1:16; 7:2; 11:16; Kum 16:18; 1:13-15Mose akawachagua watu wenye uwezo kutoka Israeli yote, akawafanya kuwa viongozi wa watu, maafisa juu ya maelfu, mamia, hamsini na makumi. 2618:26 Kum 16:18; 2Nya 19:5; Ezr 7:25; Kum 1:17Wakatumika kama waamuzi wa watu kwa wakati wote. Mashauri magumu wakayaleta kwa Mose, lakini yale yaliyo rahisi wakayaamua wenyewe.
2718:27 Hes 10:29-30Kisha Mose akaagana na Yethro baba mkwe wake, naye akarudi kwa nchi yake.
