出18:1When Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father in law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, and that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt;

出18:2Then Jethro, Moses' father in law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her back,

出18:3And her two sons; of which the name of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been an alien in a strange land:

出18:4And the name of the other was Eliezer; for the God of my father, said he, was mine help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh:

出18:5And Jethro, Moses' father in law, came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped at the mount of God:

出18:6And he said unto Moses, I thy father in law Jethro am come unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.

出18:7And Moses went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent.

出18:8And Moses told his father in law all that the LORD had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, and all the travail that had come upon them by the way, and how the LORD delivered them.

出18:9And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.

出18:10And Jethro said, Blessed be the LORD, 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.

出18:11Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them.

出18:12And Jethro, Moses' father in law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses' father in law before God.

出18:13And 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.

出18:14And when Moses' father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even?

出18:15And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God:

出18:16When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.

出18:17And Moses' father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good.

出18:18Thou 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.

出18:19Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God:

出18:20And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.