| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1Jethro, 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. | 1Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard about all that God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt. |
| 2Now Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, had taken Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her home, | 2Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took Moses' wife Zipporah after he had sent her back, |
| 3along with her two sons. The name of the one was Gershom (for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land”), | 3and her two sons, one of whom was named Gershom (for Moses had said, "I have been a foreigner in a foreign land"), |
| 4and the name of the other, Eliezer (for he said, “The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh”). | 4and the other Eliezer (for Moses had said, "The God of my father has been my help and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh"). |
| 5Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was encamped at the mountain of God. | 5Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, together with Moses' sons and his wife, came to Moses in the desert where he was camping by the mountain of God. |
| 6And when he sent word to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her,” | 6He said to Moses, "I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you, along with your wife and her two sons with her." |
| 7Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. And they asked each other of their welfare and went into the tent. | 7Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him; they each asked about the other's welfare, and then they went into the tent. |
| 8Then Moses 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 come upon them in 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 Egypt for Israel's sake, and all the hardship that had come on them along the way, and how the LORD had delivered them. |
| 9And Jethro rejoiced for all the good that the LORD had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians. | 9Jethro rejoiced because of all the good that the LORD had done for Israel, whom he had delivered from the hand of Egypt. |
| 10Jethro said, “Blessed be the LORD, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh and has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. | 10Jethro said, "Blessed be the LORD who has delivered you from the hand of Egypt, and from the hand of Pharaoh, who has delivered the people from the Egyptians' control! |
| 11Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods, because in this affair they dealt arrogantly with the people.” | 11Now I know that the LORD is greater than all the gods, for in the thing in which they dealt proudly against them he has destroyed them." |
| 12And Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, 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 before God. | 12Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices for God, and Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat food with the father-in-law of Moses before God. |
| 13The next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning till evening. | 13On the next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning until evening. |
| 14When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning till evening?” | 14When Moses' father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, "What is this that you are doing for the people? Why are you sitting by yourself, and all the people stand around you from morning until evening?" |
| 15And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God; | 15Moses said to his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to inquire of God. |
| 16when they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between one person and another, and I make them know the statutes of God and his laws.” | 16When they have a dispute, it comes to me and I decide between a man and his neighbor, and I make known the decrees of God and his laws." |
| 17Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. | 17Moses' father-in-law said to him, "What you are doing is not good! |
| 18You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone. | 18You will surely wear out, both you and these people who are with you, for this is too heavy a burden for you; you are not able to do it by yourself. |
| 19Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall represent the people before God and bring their cases to God, | 19Now listen to me, I will give you advice, and may God be with you: You be a representative for the people to God, and you bring their disputes to God; |
| 20and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do. | 20warn them of the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do. |
| 21Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. | 21But you choose from the people capable men, God-fearing, men of truth, those who hate bribes, and put them over the people as rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. |
| 22And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. | 22They will judge the people under normal circumstances, and every difficult case they will bring to you, but every small case they themselves will judge, so that you may make it easier for yourself, and they will bear the burden with you. |
| 23If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace.” | 23If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people will be able to go home satisfied." |
| 24So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said. | 24Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he had said. |
| 25Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. | 25Moses chose capable men from all Israel, and he 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 times. Any hard case they brought to Moses, but any small matter they decided themselves. | 26They judged the people under normal circumstances; the difficult cases they would bring to Moses, but every small case they would judge themselves. |
| 27Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went away to his own country. | 27Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and so Jethro went to his own land. |
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