1
And it came to pass in the third montha from the time that Israel had gone forth out of the land of Egypt, came they into the wilderness of the Mount of Ha’Elohimb.
2
And it came to pass that in that month, Jethro the Reuela, the High Priest of El Elyonb, Moses' father-in-law, having heard of all that Ha’Elohimc had done for Moses and for Israel, His people, and that YHVH had brought Israel out of Egypt,
3
Then Jethro, the father of Zipporah, who he did give unto Moses for a wife after he had sent her back to gather Moses from that wella, came and visited with his daughter and her two sons.
4
¶ And so it was that Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped at the Mount of Ha’Elohim;
5
And Jethro sent a messenger unto Moses, saying: I, thy father-in-law, am come unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.
6
And Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and did bow unto him, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare, and they came into the tent.
7
And Moses told his father-in-law all that YHVH had donea unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for the sake of Israel, and all the travail that had come upon them by the way, and how YHVH delivered them.
8
And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which YHVH had done to Israel, whom He had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.
9
And Jethro said: Blessed be YHVH, 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.
10
Now I know that YHVH is greater than all the elohima; for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly He was above them.
11
And Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for El Elyon; and Aaron came, and all the men of the Elders of Israel, to eat bread with the father-in-law of Moses before Ha’Elohim.
12
¶ 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.
13
And when the father-in-law of Moses saw all that he did for the people, he said: What is this thing that thou doest to the people?
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Why doth thou sittest thou thyself alone and all the people stand by thee from morning unto evening?
15
And Moses said unto his father-in-law: Because the people come unto me to inquire of our Elohim;
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When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judgea between one and another, and I do make them know the laws and statutesb of Ha’Elohimc.
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And the father-in-law of Moses said unto him: The thing that thou doest is not good;
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Thou 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.
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Hearken now unto my voice; I will give thee counsel, and El Elyon shall be with thee, and Ha'Elohim shall be with thee.
20
You stand before Ha’Elohim for the people, that thou mayest bring their causes unto Ha’Elohim;
21
And thou shalt teach them decrees and lawsa, and shalt show them the way wherein they must walk and the work that they must do:
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Moreover, thou shalt provide out of all the people able men and women such as reverent men and women of truth, hating dishonest gain;
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Place such over the people to be rulers of thousands and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties and rulers of tens and let them judge the people at all seasons;
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Do this 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.
25
And if thou shalt do this thing, and Elohim command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure; and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.
26
¶ And it came to pass that Moses did hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said.
27
And Moses and Zipporah chose able men and women from out of all of Israel and made them heads over the people, even as rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:
28
And they judged the people at all seasons; the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.
29
And it came to pass that Moses let his father-in-law depart; and he went his way into his own land.