| Berean Study Bible | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 1Now Moses’ father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard about all that God had done for Moses and His people Israel, and how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt. | 1Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people, how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt. |
| 2After Moses had sent back his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro had received her, | 2Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took Moses' wife Zipporah, after he had sent her away, |
| 3along with her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses had said, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land.” | 3and her two sons, of whom one was named Gershom, for Moses said, "I have been a sojourner in a foreign land." |
| 4The other son was named Eliezer, for Moses had said, “The God of my father was my helper and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.” | 4The other was named Eliezer, for he said, "The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh." |
| 5Moses’ father-in-law Jethro, along with Moses’ wife and sons, came to him in the desert, where he was encamped at the mountain of God. | 5Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was camped, at the mount of God. |
| 6He sent word to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.” | 6He sent word to Moses, "I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her." |
| 7So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and went into the tent. | 7Then Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and he bowed down and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare and went into the tent. |
| 8Then Moses recounted to his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardships they had encountered along the way, and how the LORD had delivered them. | 8Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, all the hardship that had befallen them on the journey, and how the LORD had delivered them. |
| 9And Jethro rejoiced over all the good things the LORD had done for Israel, whom He had rescued from the hand of the Egyptians. | 9Jethro rejoiced over all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, in delivering them from the hand of the Egyptians. |
| 10Jethro declared, “Blessed be the LORD, who has delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who has delivered the people from the hand of the Egyptians. | 10So Jethro said, "Blessed be the LORD who delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh, and who delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. |
| 11Now I know that the LORD is greater than all other gods, for He did this when they treated Israel with arrogance.” | 11"Now I know that the LORD is greater than all the gods; indeed, it was proven when they dealt proudly against the people." |
| 12Then Moses’ father-in-law Jethro brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of God. | 12Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses' father-in-law before God. |
| 13The next day Moses took his seat to judge the people, and they stood around him from morning until evening. | 13It came about the next day that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood about Moses from the morning until the evening. |
| 14When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he asked, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone as judge, with all the people standing around you from morning till evening?” | 14Now when Moses' father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, "What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge and all the people stand about you from morning until evening?" |
| 15“Because the people come to me to inquire of God,” Moses replied. | 15Moses said to his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to inquire of God. |
| 16“Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me to judge between one man and another, and I make known to them the statutes and laws of God.” | 16"When they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor and make known the statutes of God and His laws." |
| 17But Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. | 17Moses' father-in-law said to him, "The thing that you are doing is not good. |
| 18Surely you and these people with you will wear yourselves out, because the task is too heavy for you. You cannot handle it alone. | 18"You will surely wear out, both yourself and these people who are with you, for the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone. |
| 19Now listen to me; I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their causes to Him. | 19"Now listen to me: I will give you counsel, and God be with you. You be the people's representative before God, and you bring the disputes to God, |
| 20Teach them the statutes and laws, and show them the way to live and the work they must do. | 20then teach them the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they are to walk and the work they are to do. |
| 21Furthermore, select capable men from among the people—God-fearing, trustworthy men who are averse to dishonest gain. Appoint them over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. | 21"Furthermore, you shall select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens. |
| 22Have these men judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you any major issue, but all minor cases they can judge on their own, so that your load may be lightened as they share it with you. | 22"Let them judge the people at all times; and let it be that every major dispute they will bring to you, but every minor dispute they themselves will judge. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. |
| 23If you follow this advice and God so directs you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people can go home in peace.” | 23"If you do this thing and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people also will go to their place in peace." |
| 24Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. | 24So Moses listened to his father-in-law and did all that he had said. |
| 25So Moses chose capable men from all Israel and made them heads over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. | 25Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens. |
| 26And they judged the people at all times; they would bring the difficult cases to Moses, but any minor issue they would judge themselves. | 26They judged the people at all times; the difficult dispute they would bring to Moses, but every minor dispute they themselves would judge. |
| 27Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro returned to his own land. | 27Then Moses bade his father-in-law farewell, and he went his way into his own land. |
| The Berean Bible (Berean Study Bible (BSB) © 2016, 2018 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. | New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org |
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