Exodus 18:1-16 ▼

1 Moses' father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard about everything God had done for Moses and his people Israel and how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.

2 When Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro had taken her in,

3 along with her two sons. The one son was named Gershom [Foreigner], because Moses said, |I was a foreigner living in another country.|

4 The name of the other was Eliezer [My God Is a Helper], because he said, |My father's God was my helper. He saved me from Pharaoh's death sentence.|

5 Moses' father-in-law Jethro brought Moses' sons and wife to Moses in the desert where he was camped near the mountain of God.

6 Jethro had sent word to Moses, |I'm coming to [visit] you, [and I'm bringing] your wife and her two sons.|

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

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

9 Jethro was delighted [to hear] about all the good things the LORD had done for Israel in rescuing them from the Egyptians.

10 He said, |Thank the LORD! He rescued you from the Egyptians and their Pharaoh and rescued these people from the control of the Egyptians,

11 who treated Israel with contempt. Now I know that the LORD is greater than all other gods.|

12 Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God. Aaron and all the leaders of Israel came to eat the meal with Moses' father-in-law in God's presence.

13 The next day Moses was settling disagreements among the people. The people stood around Moses from morning until evening.

14 When Moses' father-in-law saw everything Moses was doing for the people, he asked, |Why are you doing this for the people? Why do you sit here alone, while all the people stand around you from morning until evening?|

15 Moses answered his father-in-law, |Because the people come to me to find out God's will.

16 Whenever they have a disagreement and bring it to me, I decide which person is right, and I tell them God's laws and instructions.|