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 ; 2Then Jethro , Moses’ father in law , took Zipporah , Moses’ wife , after he had sent her back , 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 : 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 : 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 : 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 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. 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 . 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 . 11Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods : for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above 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 by 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 by thee from morning unto even ? 15And Moses said unto his father in law , Because the people come unto me to enquire of God : 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 . 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 this 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 shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward , that thou mayest bring the causes unto God : 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 . 21Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men , such as fear God , men of truth , hating covetousness ; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands , and 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 : 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 shall also 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 .