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the priest of Midian and father-in-law of Moses, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for His people Israel, and how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt.
2 After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro received her back, 3 along with her two sons. The name of one was Gershom, for Moses said, “I have become a stranger in a foreign land;” 4 and the name of the other was Eliezer, for he said, “The God of my father was my helper, and He delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.”
5 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, together with Moses’ sons and wife, came to him in the wilderness, where he was camped at the mountain of God. 6 Jethro had sent word to him, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.”
7 So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down, and then kissed him. They asked each other of their welfare, and then went into the tent. 8 Moses recounted to his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had confronted them on the way, and how the Lord had delivered them.
9 Jethro rejoiced over all the good things the Lord had done for Israel when He had rescued them from the power of the Egyptians. 10 He said, “Blessed be the Lord, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh, and who delivered the people from the hand of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods, for He did this at the time that the Egyptians dealt arrogantly with Israel.” 12 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of God.
13 The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around Moses from morning until evening. 14 When Moses’ father-in-law saw everything he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all the people stand around you from morning until evening?”
15 Moses answered him, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God. 16 Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between one man and the other and inform them of God’s statutes and laws.”
17 Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good, 18 You and the people who come to you will surely wear yourselves out, for the task is too heavy for you; you can’t handle it alone. 19 Listen to me and I will give you some advice, and God be with you. You should be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes to Him. 20 Instruct them about the statutes and laws, and teach them the way to live and the duties they are to perform. 21 But you should select capable men from among all the people, men who fear God and who are trustworthy and hate dishonest gain; and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. 22 They should serve as judges for the people at all times. Then they can bring to you every important case, but every minor case they can judge themselves. In this way it will be easier for you because they will share the burden with you. 23 If you do this, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people will go home satisfied.”
24 Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. 25 Moses chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. 26 They served as judges for the people at all times. The difficult cases they brought to Moses, but any minor cases they decided themselves.
27 Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and he returned to his own land.