Exodus · Majority Standard Bible
Exodus 18 Majority Standard Bible
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 Now Moses’ father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard about all that God had done for Moses and His people Israel, and how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.
1 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 Yahweh had brought Israel out of Egypt.
2 After Moses had sent back his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro had received her,
2 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, received Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her away,
3 along with her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses had said, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land.”
3 and her two sons. The name of one son was Gershom, for Moses said, “I have lived as a foreigner in a foreign land”.
4 The other son was named Eliezer, for Moses had said, “The God of my father was my helper and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.”
4 The name of the other was Eliezer, for he said, “My father’s God was my help and delivered me from Pharaoh’s sword.”
5 Moses’ father-in-law Jethro, along with Moses’ wife and sons, came to him in the desert, where he was encamped at the mountain of God.
5 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.
6 He sent word to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.”
6 He said to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, have come to you with your wife, and her two sons with her.”
7 So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and went into the tent.
7 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.
8 Then Moses recounted to his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardships they had encountered along the way, and how the LORD had delivered them.
8 Moses told his father-in-law all that Yahweh 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 Yahweh delivered them.
9 And Jethro rejoiced over all the good things the LORD had done for Israel, whom He had rescued from the hand of the Egyptians.
9 Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which Yahweh had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.
10 Jethro declared, “Blessed be the LORD, who has delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who has delivered the people from the hand of the Egyptians.
10 Jethro said, “Blessed be Yahweh, 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.
11 Now I know that the LORD is greater than all other gods, for He did this when they treated Israel with arrogance.”
11 Now I know that Yahweh is greater than all gods because of the way that they treated people arrogantly.”
12 Then Moses’ father-in-law Jethro 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.
12 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.
13 The next day Moses took his seat to judge the people, and they stood around him from morning until evening.
13 On the next day, Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from the morning to the evening.
14 When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he asked, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone as judge, with all the people standing around you from morning till evening?”
14 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?”
15 “Because the people come to me to inquire of God,” Moses replied.
15 Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God.
16 “Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me to judge between one man and another, and I make known to them the statutes and laws of God.”
16 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.”
17 But Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good.
17 Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you do is not good.
18 Surely you and these people with you will wear yourselves out, because the task is too heavy for you. You cannot handle it alone.
18 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.
19 Now listen to me; I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their causes to Him.
19 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.
20 Teach them the statutes and laws, and show them the way to live and the work they must do.
20 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.
21 Furthermore, select capable men from among the people—God-fearing, trustworthy men who are averse to dishonest gain. Appoint them over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
21 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.
22 Have these men judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you any major issue, but all minor cases they can judge on their own, so that your load may be lightened as they share it with you.
22 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.
23 If you follow this advice and God so directs you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people can go home in peace.”
23 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.”
24 Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said.
24 So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said.
25 So Moses chose capable men from all Israel and made them heads over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
25 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.
26 And they judged the people at all times; they would bring the difficult cases to Moses, but any minor issue they would judge themselves.
26 They judged the people at all times. They brought the hard cases to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.
27 Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro returned to his own land.
27 Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way into his own land.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Aaron
Moses' brother and spokesman, Israel's first high priest.
Cited in the guide: Exodus 4–40; Leviticus 8–10
Eliezer
Moses' second son, named 'God is my help' in thanks for deliverance from Pharaoh.
Cited in the guide: Exodus 18:4; 1 Chronicles 23:15
Gershom
Moses' firstborn son, born during his years of exile in the land of Midian.
Cited in the guide: Exodus 2:22; Exodus 18:3
Moses
Drawn from the Nile, he led Israel out of Egypt and received God's Law.
Cited in the guide: Exodus 2–Deuteronomy 34
Jethro
The priest of Midian, also called Reuel, who gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses, brought her and her two sons to Moses at the mountain of God, and advised him to appoint capable…
Cited in the guide: Exodus 2:18; Exodus 3:1; Exodus 18:1
Zipporah
The Midianite daughter of Jethro who became Moses' wife in the wilderness.
Cited in the guide: Exodus 2:16-22; Exodus 4:24-26; Exodus 18
Cross references (24)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Psalm 77:14–15; Exodus 2:16; Exodus 3:1; Psalm 106:8–11; Psalm 78:50–53
- 2 Exodus 2:21; Exodus 4:25–26
- 3 Exodus 2:22; Acts 7:29; Exodus 4:20; Psalm 39:12; Hebrews 11:13
- 4 Acts 12:11; Hebrews 13:6; 2 Corinthians 1:8–10; 2 Timothy 4:17; Isaiah 50:7–9
- 5 Exodus 3:1; Exodus 3:12; Exodus 24:16–17; 1 Kings 19:8; Exodus 19:11
- 7 Genesis 29:13; 2 Samuel 11:7; Genesis 19:1; Genesis 14:17; 1 Kings 2:19
- 8 Psalm 107:2; Psalm 78:42–43; Nehemiah 9:9–15; Psalm 81:7; Numbers 20:14
- 9 Romans 12:15; 1 Corinthians 12:26; Romans 12:10; Isaiah 66:10; Isaiah 44:23
- 10 2 Samuel 18:28; Genesis 14:20; Luke 1:68; Revelation 19:1–6; Ephesians 1:3
- 11 Psalm 95:3; Exodus 15:11; 2 Chronicles 2:5; Psalm 135:5; Luke 1:51
- 12 Deuteronomy 12:7; Genesis 31:54; Exodus 24:11; Exodus 24:5; Job 1:5
- 13 Romans 12:8; Joel 3:12; Job 29:7; Isaiah 16:5; Romans 13:6
- 15 Numbers 15:34; Numbers 27:5; Leviticus 24:12–14; Numbers 9:6; Exodus 18:19–20
- 16 Exodus 24:14; Deuteronomy 5:1; Deuteronomy 4:5; 2 Samuel 15:3; 1 Corinthians 6:1
- 18 Numbers 11:14–17; Acts 6:1–4; 2 Corinthians 12:15; Philippians 2:30; 1 Thessalonians 2:8–9
- 19 Numbers 27:5; Exodus 3:12; Exodus 20:19; Genesis 39:2; Deuteronomy 5:5
- 20 Deuteronomy 5:1; Psalm 143:8; Deuteronomy 1:18; Deuteronomy 4:1; Deuteronomy 4:5
- 21 Acts 6:3; 2 Chronicles 19:5–10; Deuteronomy 1:13–17; Deuteronomy 16:18–19; 2 Samuel 23:3
- 22 Numbers 11:17; Leviticus 24:11; Numbers 27:2; Exodus 18:26; Deuteronomy 1:17–18
- 23 Exodus 18:18; 1 Samuel 8:6–7; 1 Samuel 8:22; Genesis 21:10–12; 2 Samuel 18:3
- 24 1 Corinthians 12:21; Proverbs 1:5; Ezra 10:2; Exodus 18:19; Exodus 18:2–5
- 25 Deuteronomy 1:15; Exodus 18:21; Acts 6:5
- 26 Exodus 18:22; Job 29:16; 1 Kings 3:16–28; Deuteronomy 17:8; Exodus 18:14–15
- 27 Numbers 10:29–30; Judges 19:9; Genesis 31:55; Genesis 24:59
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences