| New King James Version | International Standard Version |
| 1And Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people—that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt. | 1Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard all that God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, and how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt. |
| 2Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her back, | 2Now Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, had taken back Moses' wife Zipporah after she had been sent away, |
| 3with her two sons, of whom the name of one was Gershom (for he said, “I have been a stranger in a foreign land”) | 3along with her two sons. The name of the one was Gershom, because he used to say, "I was an alien in a foreign land," |
| 4and the name of the other was Eliezer (for he said, “The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh”); | 4while the name of the other was Eliezer, because he used to say, "My father's God helped me and delivered me from Pharaoh's sword." |
| 5and Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness, where he was encamped at the mountain of God. | 5Moses' father-in-law Jethro, together with Moses' two sons and his wife, came to Moses in the desert where he was camped at the mountain of God. |
| 6Now he had said to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her.” | 6He told Moses, "I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you along with your wife and her two sons." |
| 7So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down, and kissed him. And they asked each other about their well-being, and they went into the tent. | 7When Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, he bowed low and kissed him, and they greeted one another. Then they went into the tent. |
| 8And Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had come upon them on the way, and how the LORD had delivered them. | 8Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians on Israel's behalf, all the hardships that they had encountered along the way, and how the LORD had delivered them. |
| 9Then Jethro rejoiced for all the good which the LORD had done for Israel, whom He had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. | 9Jethro rejoiced over all the good that the LORD had done for Israel in delivering them from the hand of the Egyptians. |
| 10And Jethro said, “Blessed be the LORD, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh, and who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. | 10Jethro said, "Blessed be the LORD, who delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh, and who delivered the people from the oppression of the Egyptians. |
| 11Now I know that the LORD is greater than all the gods; for in the very thing in which they behaved proudly, He was above them.” | 11Now I know that the LORD is greater than all other gods, because of what happened to the Egyptians when they acted arrogantly against Israel." |
| 12Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and other sacrifices to offer to God. And Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God. | 12Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices for God, and Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to dine with Moses' father-in-law in the presence of God. |
| 13And so it was, on the next day, that Moses sat to judge the people; and the people stood before Moses from morning until evening. | 13The next day Moses sat down to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning until evening. |
| 14So when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did for the people, he said, “What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit, and all the people stand before you from morning until evening?” | 14When Moses' father-in-law saw all that 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, with all the people standing around you from morning until evening?" |
| 15And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God. | 15Moses told his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to seek God's will. |
| 16When they have a difficulty, they come to me, and I judge between one and another; and I make known the statutes of God and His laws.” | 16When they have a dispute, it comes to me and I decide between a person and his neighbor, and make known the statutes of God and his instructions." |
| 17So Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you do is not good. | 17Moses' father-in-law told him, "What you are doing is not good. |
| 18Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you; you are not able to perform it by yourself. | 18You will certainly wear yourself out, both you and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you. You cannot do it by yourself. |
| 19Listen now to my voice; I will give you counsel, and God will be with you: Stand before God for the people, so that you may bring the difficulties to God. | 19Now listen to me. I'll advise you, and may God be with you. You are to represent the people before God and bring the disputes to God. |
| 20And you shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and show them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do. | 20You are to teach them the statutes and instructions and make known to them the way they're to go and the things they're to do. |
| 21Moreover you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. | 21You are to look for capable men among the people, men who fear God, men of integrity who hate dishonest gain. You are to set these men over them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. |
| 22And let them judge the people at all times. Then it will be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they themselves shall judge. So it will be easier for you, for they will bear the burden with you. | 22They are to judge the people at all times. Let them bring every major matter to you, but let them judge every minor matter. It will lighten your burden, and they'll bear it with you. |
| 23If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all this people will also go to their place in peace.” | 23If you do this, and God so commands you, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will also go to their homes in peace." |
| 24So Moses heeded the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said. | 24Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. |
| 25And 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. | 25Moses chose capable men from all Israel and appointed them as heads over the people, as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. |
| 26So they judged the people at all times; the hard cases they brought to Moses, but they judged every small case themselves. | 26They judged the people at all times; the difficult matters they brought to Moses, but every minor matter they judged. |
| 27Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way to his own land. | 27Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and he went to his own land. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
|
