(KJV) Exodus 18¹

⥃The Visit of Jethro

[1] When Jethro², the priest of Midian, Moses’ father in law, heard³ of all that God⁴ had done⁵ for Moses, and for Israel his people, [and] that the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt; [2] Then Jethro, Moses’ father in law, took Zipporah⁶, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her back, [3] And her two sons⁷; of which the name of the one [was] Gershom⁸; for he said, I have been an alien in a strange land: [4] And the name of the other [was] Eliezer⁹; for the God of my father, [said he], [was] mine help, and delivered¹⁰ me from the sword of Pharaoh: [5] And 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:¹¹ [6] And he said¹² unto Moses, I thy father in law Jethro am come unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.

[7] And Moses went¹³ out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance¹⁴, and kissed¹⁵ him; and they asked each other of [their] welfare¹⁶; and they came into the tent. [8] And Moses told¹⁷ his father in law all that the Lord had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, [and] all the¹⁸ travail that had come upon them¹⁹ by the way, and [how] the Lord²⁰ delivered them. [9] And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the Lord had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.²¹ [10] And 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.²² [11] Now I²³ know that the Lord²⁴ [is] greater than all gods: for in the thing²⁵ wherein they dealt proudly²⁶ [he was] above them. [12] And Jethro, Moses’ father in law, took²⁷ a burnt offering and sacrifices for God: and Aaron²⁸ came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread²⁹ with Moses’ father in law before God.

⥃Jethro Advises Moses ^{[ Deuteronomy 1:9–18 ]}

[13] 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.³⁰ [14] And 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? [15] And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire³¹ of God: [16] When they have a matter³², they come unto me; and I judge between one and another³³, and I do make³⁴ [them] know the statutes of God, and his laws. [17] And Moses’ father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest [is] not good³⁵. [18] Thou wilt surely wear away³⁶, both thou, and this people that [is] with thee: for this thing [is] too heavy for thee; thou art³⁷ not able to perform it thyself alone. [19] Hearken³⁸ now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall³⁹ be with thee: Be thou⁴⁰ for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring⁴¹ the causes unto God: [20] And thou shalt teach⁴² them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way⁴³ wherein they must walk, and the work⁴⁴ that they must do. [21] Moreover⁴⁵ thou shalt provide out of all the people able men⁴⁶, such as⁴⁷ fear God, men⁴⁸ of truth, hating⁴⁹ covetousness; and place [such] over them, [to be] rulers of thousands⁵⁰, [and] rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens: [22] And let them judge the people at all seasons⁵¹: and it shall be, [that] every great⁵² matter they shall⁵³ 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. [23] If thou shalt do this thing, and God⁵⁴ command thee [so], then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this⁵⁵ people shall also go to their place in peace. [24] So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said.⁵⁶ [25] And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.⁵⁷ [26] And they judged the people at all⁵⁸ seasons: the hard causes⁵⁹ they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

[27] [¶]And Moses let his father in law depart; and he went his way into his own land. ⁶⁰