Exodus 18
Smith's Literal Translation Par ▾ 

The Visit of Jethro

1And 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: 2And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, will take Zipporah, Moses' wife, after her sending forth, 3And her two sons, which the name of the one Gershom, for he said I was a stranger in a strange land; 4And 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.

5And 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. 6And he will say to Moses, I thy father-in-law, Jethro, came to thee, and thy wife and her two sons with her. 7And 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. 8And 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. 9And Jethro will rejoice for all the good which Jehovah did to Israel, whom he took away out of the hand of Egypt. 10And 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. 11Now I knew that Jehovah is great above all gods; for in the word they acted proudly over them. 12And 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.

Jethro Advises Moses
(Deuteronomy 1:9–18)

13And 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. 14And 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? 15And Moses will say to his father-in-law, Because the people will come to me to seek God. 16For 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.

17And Moses' father-in-law will say to him, The word is not good which thou doest. 18Fading, 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. 19Now 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; 20And 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. 21And 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. 22And 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. 23If 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.

24And Moses will hear to the voice of Jethro, and will do all that he said. 25And 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. 26And they judged the people in all time; and the hard word they brought to Moses, and every small word they will judge themselves. 27And Moses will, send away his father-in-law, and he will go for himself to his land.


The Holy Bible Containing the Old and New Testaments; Translated Literally From The Original Tongues by Julia E. Smith

Section Headings Courtesy Berean Bible

Exodus 17
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