1 Jethro was the priest of Midian and the father-in-law of Moses. He heard what Jehovah God had done for Moses and his people, after rescuing them from Egypt.

2 Moses sent his wife Zipporah and her two sons to stay with Jethro. Jethro welcomed them.

3 Moses was still a foreigner in Midian when his first son was born. Moses said: »I will name him Gershom.«

4 When his second son was born, Moses said: »I will name him Eliezer, because the God my father worshiped has saved me from the king of Egypt.«

5 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law brought Moses’ sons and wife to Moses in the desert. He was camped near the mountain of God.

6 Jethro sent word to Moses: »I am coming to visit you. I am bringing your wife and her two sons.«

7 Moses went out to meet his father-in-law. Moses bowed with his face touching the ground and kissed Jethro. They asked each other how they were. Then they entered the tent.

8 Moses told his father-in-law everything Jehovah had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel. He talked about all the hardships they had on the way, and how Jehovah saved them.

9 Jethro rejoiced over all the goodness Jehovah had done to Israel, in delivering them from the hand of the Egyptians.

10 Jethro said: »Blessed be Jehovah who delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh. He delivered the people from under the domination of the Egyptians.

11 »Now I know that Jehovah is greater than all the other gods. It was proven when they treated the people with contempt.«

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

13 The next day Moses settled disputes among the people. He was busy from morning till night.

14 Jethro saw everything that Moses had to do. He asked: »What is all this that you are doing for the people? Why are you doing this all alone? There are people standing here from morning till night to consult you?«

15 Moses answered: »They come here to find out what God wants them to do.

16 »They bring their complaints to me. I make decisions on the basis of God’s laws.«

17 Jethro replied: »That is not a good way to do it.

18 »You and your people will wear yourselves out. This is too much work for you. You cannot do it alone!

19 »Listen to the advice I give you. May God be with you! You must be the people’s representative to God and bring their disagreements to him.

20 »You must instruct them in the laws and the teachings. Show them how to live and tell them what to do.

21 »You should choose capable men from all the people. Find men who respect God. These must be men you can trust who hate corruption. Put them in charge of groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.

22 »They must be the ones who usually settle disagreements among the people. They should bring all-important cases to you. But they should settle all minor cases themselves. Make it easier for yourself by letting them help you.

23 »If you do this, as God commands, you will not wear yourself out. All these people can go home with their disputes settled.«

24 Moses took Jethro’s advice

25 and chose capable men from among all the Israelites. He appointed them as leaders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.

26 They judged the people on a permanent basis. The difficult cases were taken to Moses but they decided the smaller disputes themselves.

27 Moses said good-bye to Jethro, and Jethro went back home.