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 that Jehovah had brought Israel out of Egypt . 2And Jethro , Moses ’ father-in-law , took Zipporah , Moses ’ wife, after he had sent her away , 3and her two sons ; of whom the name of the one was Gershom ; for he said, I have been a sojourner in a foreign land: 4and the name of the other was Eliezer; for he said , The God of my father was my help , and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh . 5And Jethro , Moses ’ father-in-law , came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness where he was encamped , at the mount of God: 6and he said unto Moses , I , thy father-in-law Jethro , am come unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her . 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. 8And Moses told his father-in-law all that Jehovah had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel ’s sake , all the travail that had come upon them by the way , and how Jehovah delivered them . 9And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which Jehovah had done to Israel , in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians . 10And Jethro said, Blessed be Jehovah , 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 . 11Now I know that Jehovah is greater than all gods; yea , in the thing wherein they dealt proudly against them . 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.
The Importance of Delegation
13And it came to pass on the morrow , that Moses sat to judge the people : and the people stood about Moses from the morning unto the evening . 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 about thee from morning unto even ? 15And Moses said unto his father-in-law , Because the people come unto me to inquire of God: 16when they have a matter , they come unto me ; and I judge between a man and his neighbor , and I make them know the statutes of God, and his laws . 17And Moses ’ father-in-law said unto him , The thing that thou doest is not good . 18Thou wilt surely wear away , both thou , and this people that is with thee : for the thing is too heavy for thee ; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone . 19Hearken now unto my voice , I will give thee counsel , and God be with thee : be thou for the people to God-ward , and bring thou the causes unto God: 20and thou shalt teach them the statutes and the laws , and shalt show them the way wherein they must walk , and the work that they must do . 21Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men , such as fear God, men of truth, hating unjust gain ; and place such over them , to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds , rulers of fifties , and rulers of tens : 22and let them judge the people at all seasons : and it shall be , that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge themselves : so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee. 23If thou shalt do this thing , and God command thee so , then thou shalt be able to endure , and all this people also shall go to their place in peace . 24So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law , and did all that he had said . 25And 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 . 26And they judged the people at all seasons : the hard causes they brought unto Moses , but every small matter they judged themselves . 27And Moses let his father-in-law depart ; and he went his way into his own land.