Exodus 18
The Scriptures (ISR 1998)

1And Yithro, the priest of Miḏyan, Mosheh’s father-in-law, heard of all that Elohim had done for Mosheh and for Yisra’ĕl His people, that יהוה had brought Yisra’ĕl out of Mitsrayim.

2And Yithro, Mosheh’s father-in-law, took Tsipporah, the wife of Mosheh – after he had sent her back,

3and her two sons, of whom the name of one was Gĕreshom, for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land,”

4and the name of the other was Eli‛ezer, for he said, “The Elohim of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.”

5Yithro, Mosheh’s father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Mosheh in the wilderness, where he was encamped at the mountain of Elohim.

6And he had said to Mosheh, “I, your father-in-law Yithro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her.”

7And Mosheh went out to meet his father-in-law, and bowed down, and kissed him. And they asked each other about their welfare, and they went into the tent.

8And Mosheh told his father-in-law all that יהוה had done to Pharaoh and to the Mitsrites for Yisra’ĕl’s sake, all the hardship that had come upon them on the way, and how יהוה had delivered them.

9And Yithro rejoiced for all the good which יהוה had done for Yisra’ĕl, whom He had delivered out of the hand of the Mitsrites.

10And Yithro said, “Blessed be יהוה, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Mitsrites and out of the hand of Pharaoh, and who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Mitsrites.

11“Now I know that יהוה is greater than all the mighty ones, indeed in the matter in which they acted proudly, above them.”

12Then Yithro, the father-in-law of Mosheh, brought a burnt offering and other slaughterings unto Elohim. And Aharon came with all the elders of Yisra’ĕl to eat bread with the father-in-law of Mosheh before Elohim.

13And it came to be, on the next day, that Mosheh sat to rightly rule the people. And the people stood before Mosheh from morning until evening.

14And when the father-in-law of Mosheh saw all that he did for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit by yourself, and all the people stand before you from morning until evening?”

15And Mosheh said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to seek Elohim.

16“When they have a matter, they come to me, and I rightly rule between one and another, and make known the laws of Elohim and His Torot.”

17And the father-in-law of Mosheh said to him, “What you are doing is not good.

18“Both you and these people with you shall certainly wear yourselves out. For the matter is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it by yourself.

19“Now listen to my voice. Let me counsel you and Elohim be with you: Stand before Elohim for the people, and you shall bring the matters to Elohim.

20“And you shall enlighten them concerning the laws and the Torot, and show them the way in which they should walk and the work which they do.

21“But you yourself, seek out from all the people able men, who fear Elohim, men of truth, hating unfair gain. And place these over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

22“And they shall rightly rule the people at all times. And it shall be that they bring every great matter to you, but they themselves rightly rule every small matter. So, make it lighter for yourself, for they shall bear with you.

23“If you do this word, and Elohim shall command you, then you shall be able to stand and all this people also go to their place in peace.”

24And Mosheh listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he said.

25And Mosheh chose able men out of all Yisra’ĕl, and made them heads over the people: rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

26And they rightly ruled the people at all times – the hard matters they brought to Mosheh, but they rightly ruled every small matter themselves.

27And Mosheh sent off his father-in-law, and he went away to his own land.

Exodus 17
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