The Second Book of Moses: Exodus

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- Kapitel 18 -

Jethro, who was the priest for the people of Midian, and who was also Moses’ father-in-law, heard about all that God had done for the Israelite people. He heard about how Yahweh had brought them out of Egypt.

Moses had sent his wife Zipporah and his two sons back home when he was returning to Egypt. But now Jethro came to him,

bringing Zipporah and her sons. One son was named Gershom, which sounds like the Hebrew word that means “foreigner” because Moses had said, “I have been a foreigner living in another land.”

Her other son was named Eliezer, which sounds like the Hebrew word that means “God helps me” because Moses had said, “God, whom my father worshiped, has helped me and saved me from being killed by the king of Egypt.”

While Moses was camped with the Israelite people in the wilderness near Sinai, God’s holy mountain, Jethro came to him, bringing along Moses’ wife and two sons.

Jethro had sent a message to Moses, “I, your father-in-law, Jethro, am coming to see you. I am bringing your wife and her two sons!”

So Moses went out of the campsite to meet his father-in-law. He bowed before him and kissed him on the cheek. They both asked each other, “Have you been well?” Then they went into Moses’ tent.

Moses told Jethro everything that Yahweh had done to the king and all the other people in Egypt in order to help the Israelite people. He also told him about the troubles they had experienced on the way, and about how Yahweh had helped them.

Jethro was happy when he heard all that Yahweh had done for the Israelite people.

He said, “Praise Yahweh, who has rescued you from the power of the Egyptian army, and out of the power of the king of the Egyptians (who is called Pharaoh), and has set the Israelites free from the control of the Egyptian people!

Now I know that Yahweh is greater than all other gods because he rescued you from the power of the proud Egyptians when they were causing you to suffer.”

Then Jethro brought an animal to sacrifice by burning it on the altar as an offering, and he also offered other sacrifices to God. Aaron and the Israelite elders went with them to eat a meal with Jethro to honor God.

Jethro Advises Moses

(Deuteronomy 1:9–18)

The next day, Moses sat down at the place where he settled disputes among the people. The people were bringing their disputes to Moses from the morning until the evening.

When Jethro saw everything that Moses was doing for the people, he said, “Why are you doing all this for the people? Why are you doing this by yourself, and why are all the people standing around you from the morning until the evening, asking you to make decisions for them?”

Moses replied, “I am doing this because the people keep coming to me to find out what God desires.

When they have a dispute about something, they come to me, and they ask me to decide which of them is right. I also tell them all of God’s laws and instructions.”

Jethro said to him, “What you are doing is not good for you or for the people.

You and these people will wear yourselves out! This work is too much for you. You are not able to do it by yourself.

Now listen to what I will tell you to do. If you do what I suggest, God will help you. You should continue to speak to God and tell him about the people’s disputes.

You should also teach them what God has commanded and instructed you. You should also explain to them how they should conduct their lives and the things that they should do.

In addition, you should choose some other men to help you. Choose men who have respect for God and who will not accept bribes. Appoint some of them to make decisions for groups of ten people, some for groups of fifty people, some for groups of a hundred people, and some for groups of a thousand people.

Allow them to serve to settle disputes for the people. The difficult matters they can bring to you, but the matters that are not difficult, they can decide themselves. That will make the work easier for you as they help you do that work.

If you do that, and if God agrees, you will be able to endure the stress, and all the people will be able to go home peacefully with their disputes settled quickly.”

Moses listened to his father-in-law and did all that Jethro told him.

Then Moses chose capable men from among the Israelite people and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

Moses chose them to decide about the people’s disputes. They brought the difficult cases to Moses, but they decided the matters that were not difficult by themselves.

Then Moses said goodbye to his father-in-law, and Jethro returned home.

Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.

Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, received Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her away,

and her two sons. The name of one son was Gershom,(a) for Moses said, “I have lived as a foreigner in a foreign land”.

The name of the other was Eliezer,(b) for he said, “My father’s God was my help and delivered me from Pharaoh’s sword.”

Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with Moses’ sons and his wife to Moses into the wilderness where he was encamped, at the Mountain of God.

He said to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, have come to you with your wife, and her two sons with her.”

Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and bowed and kissed him. They asked each other of their welfare, and they came into the tent.

Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardships that had come on them on the way, and how the LORD delivered them.

Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.

Jethro said, “Blessed be the LORD, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh; who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.

Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods because of the way that they treated people arrogantly.”

Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God. Aaron came with all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.

Jethro Advises Moses

(Deuteronomy 1:9–18)

On the next day, Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from the morning to the evening.

When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said, “What is this thing that you do for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning to evening?”

Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God.

When they have a matter, they come to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor, and I make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.”

Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you do is not good.

You will surely wear away, both you, and this people that is with you; for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to perform it yourself alone.

Listen now to my voice. I will give you counsel, and God be with you. You represent the people before God, and bring the causes to God.

You shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and shall show them the way in which they must walk, and the work that they must do.

Moreover you shall provide out of all the people able men which 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.

Let them judge the people at all times. It shall be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall judge themselves. So shall it be easier for you, and they shall share the load with you.

If you will do this thing, and God commands you so, then you will be able to endure, and all these people also will go to their place in peace.”

So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said.

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.

They judged the people at all times. They brought the hard cases to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way into his own land.

Fußnoten

(a)18:3 “Gershom” sounds like the Hebrew for “an alien there”.

(b)18:4 Eliezer means “God is my helper”.