Exodus 18 Parallel Bible Translations

Exodus 18 ▼
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1 And Jethro, priest of Midian, the father-in-law of Moses, will hear all which God did to Moses and to Israel his people, for Jehovah brought forth Israel out of Egypt: Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt. Now Jethro, the priest of Midian and father-in-law of Moses, heard of everything God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, and how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.
2 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, will take Zipporah, Moses' wife, after her sending forth, Now Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, had taken Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her home, After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro received her
3 And her two sons, which the name of the one Gershom, for he said I was a stranger in a strange land; along with her two sons. The name of the one was Gershom (for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land”), and her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses said, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land|;
4 And the name of the one Eliezer; for the God of my father for my help, and he will take me away from the sword of Pharaoh. and the name of the other, Eliezer (for he said, “The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh”). and the other was named Eliezer, for he said, “My father’s God was my helper; he saved me from the sword of Pharaoh.”
5 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, will come, and and his sons and his wife, to Moses to the desert, where he encamped there in the mountain of God. 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. Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, together with Moses’ sons and wife, came to him in the wilderness, where he was camped near the mountain of God.
6 And he will say to Moses, I thy father-in-law, Jethro, came to thee, and thy wife and her two sons with her. And when he sent word to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her,” Jethro had sent word to him, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.”
7 And Moses will go forth to the meeting of his father-in-law, and will worship him and kiss him: and they will ask each his friend of peace; and they will come into the tent. Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. And they asked each other of their welfare and went into the tent. So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and then went into the tent.
8 And Moses will recount to his father-in-law all which Jehovah did to Pharaoh, and to Egypt on account of Israel, all the distress which found them in the way; and Jehovah will deliver them. Then 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 in the way, and how the LORD had delivered them. Moses told his father-in-law about everything the LORD had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake and about all the hardships they had met along the way and how the LORD had saved them.
9 And Jethro will rejoice for all the good which Jehovah did to Israel, whom he took away out of the hand of Egypt. And Jethro rejoiced for all the good that the LORD had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians. Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things the LORD had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians.
10 And Jethro will say, Praised be Jehovah who took you away out of the hand of Egypt, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who took away the people from under the hand of Egypt. 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 has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. He said, “Praise be to the LORD, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians.
11 Now I knew that Jehovah is great above all gods; for in the word they acted proudly over them. Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods, because in this affair they dealt arrogantly with the people.” Now I know that the LORD is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly.”
12 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, will take a burnt-offering and sacrifices to God: and Aaron will come, and all the old men of Israel, to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before God. And 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 before God. Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of God.
13 And it will be on the morrow, and Moses will sit to judge the people: and they will stand by Moses from the morning to the evening. The next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning till evening. The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening.
14 And Moses' father-in-law will see all which he did for the people, and he will say, What this thou doest to the people? Wherefore wilt thou sit alone by thyself, and all the people stand by thee from morning to evening? When 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 sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning till evening?” When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, “What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?”
15 And Moses will say to his father-in-law, Because the people will come to me to seek God. And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God; Moses answered him, “Because the people come to me to seek God’s will.
16 For when the word will be to them, they came to me, and I judged between a man and between his friend, and I made known the laws of God and his precepts. when they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between one person and another, and I make them know the statutes of God and his laws.” Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God’s decrees and instructions.”
17 And Moses' father-in-law will say to him, The word is not good which thou doest. Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good.
18 Fading, thou wilt fade away, also thou, also this people that is with thee: for this word is heavy for thee; thou wilt not be able to do it thyself alone. You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.
19 Now hear to my voice, I will advise thee, and God will be with thee: be thou for the people towards God, and bring thou their words to God; Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall represent the people before God and bring their cases to God, Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes to him.
20 And teach them the laws and the precepts and make known to them the way they shall go in it, and the work which they shall do. and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do. Teach them his decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave.
21 And thou shalt look out from all the people men of ability, fearing God, men of truth, men hating gain; and set thou over them chiefs of thousands, chiefs of hundreds, chiefs of fifties, and chiefs of ten. Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.
22 And they judged the people in all time: and it will be every great word they will bring to thee, and every small word they shall judge: and it will be light for thee, and they shall lift up with thee. And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you.
23 If thou shalt do this word, and God commanded thee, and thou shalt be able to stand, and all this people shall go to their place in peace. If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace.” If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.”
24 And Moses will hear to the voice of Jethro, and will do all that he said. So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said. Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said.
25 And Moses will choose men of ability from all Israel, and he will give them heads over the people, chiefs of thousands, chiefs of hundreds, chiefs of fifties, chiefs of ten. Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.
26 And they judged the people in all time; and the hard word they brought to Moses, and every small word they will judge themselves. And they judged the people at all times. Any hard case they brought to Moses, but any small matter they decided themselves. They served as judges for the people at all times. The difficult cases they brought to Moses, but the simple ones they decided themselves.
27 And Moses will, send away his father-in-law, and he will go for himself to his land. Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went away to his own country. Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro returned to his own country.
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