Shmot (Exodus) - Chapter 18

18:1 Now Yethro, the priest of Midian, Mosha's father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Mosha, and for Yisrael his people, how that Mar-Yah had brought Yisrael out of Egypt. 18:2 Yethro, Mosha's father-in-law, received Zipporah, Mosha's wife, after he had sent her away, 18:3 and her two sons. The name of one son was Gershom, for Mosha said, "I have lived as a foreigner in a foreign land". 18:4 The name of the other was Eliezer, for he said, "My father's God was my help and delivered me from Pharaoh's sword." 18:5 Yethro, Mosha's father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Mosha into the wilderness where he was encamped, at the Mountain of God. 18:6 He said to Mosha, "I, your father-in-law Yethro, have come to you with your wife, and her two sons with her."

18:7 Mosha went out to meet his father-in-law, and bowed and kissed him. They asked each other of their welfare, and they came into the tent. 18:8 Mosha told his father-in-law all that Mar-Yah had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Yisrael's sake, all the hardships that had come on them on the way, and how Mar-Yah delivered them. 18:9 Yethro rejoiced for all the goodness which Mar-Yah had done to Yisrael, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians. 18:10 Yethro said, "Blessed be Mar-Yah, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh; who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. 18:11 Now I know that Mar-Yah is greater than all deities because of the thing in which they dealt arrogantly against them." 18:12 Yethro, Mosha's father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God. Aaron came with all of the elders of Yisrael, to eat bread with Mosha's father-in-law before God.

18:13 It happened on the next day, that Mosha sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Mosha from the morning to the evening. 18:14 When Mosha's father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said, "What is this thing that you do for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning to evening?"

18:15 Mosha said to his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to inquire of God. 18:16 When they have a matter, they come to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbour, and I make them know the statutes of God, and his laws." 18:17 Mosha's father-in-law said to him, "The thing that you do is not good. 18:18 You will surely wear away, both you, and this people that is with you; for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to perform it yourself alone. 18:19 Listen now to my voice. I will give you counsel, and God be with you. You represent the people before God, and bring the causes to God. 18:20 You shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and shall show them the way in which they must walk, and the work that they must do. 18:21 Moreover you shall provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God: men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 18:22 Let them judge the people at all times. It shall be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall judge themselves. So shall it be easier for you, and they shall share the load with you. 18:23 If you will do this thing, and God commands you so, then you will be able to endure, and all of these people also will go to their place in peace."

18:24 So Mosha listened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said. 18:25 Mosha chose able men out of all Yisrael, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 18:26 They judged the people at all times. They brought the hard causes to Mosha, but every small matter they judged themselves. 18:27 Mosha let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way into his own land.