Exodus:18

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* And Jithro , the priest of Midian , Moses ’ father –in –law , heard all that God had done for Moses , and for Israel his people , that the Lord had brought forth Israel out of Egypt . * Then took Jithro , the father –in –law of Moses , Zipporah , the wife of Moses , after he had sent her back , * And her two sons ; of whom the name of the one was Gershom ; for he said , I have been a stranger in a foreign land : * And the name of the other was Eliezer ; for the God of my father was my help , and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh . * And Jithro , the father –in –law of Moses , came with his sons and his wife unto Moses , unto the wilderness , where he was encamped at the mount of God . * And he sent word unto Moses , I thy father –in –law Jithro am coming unto thee , with thy wife , and her two sons with her . * And Moses went out to meet his father –in –law , and bowed himself , and kissed him ; and they asked each other after their welfare ; and they went into the tent . * And Moses told his father –in –law all which the Lord had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians on account of Israel , all the hardship which had come upon them by the way , and how the Lord had delivered them . * And Jithro rejoiced over all the goodness which the Lord had done to Israel , that he had delivered it out of the hand of the Egyptians . * And Jithro said , Blessed be the Lord , who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians , and out of the hand of Pharaoh , who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians . * Now I know that the Eternal is great above all gods ; for by the very thing wherein they sinned presumptuously was punishment brought upon them . * And Jithro , the father –in –law of Moses , offered a burnt –offering and sacrifices unto God ; and Aaron came , with all the elders of Israel , to eat bread with the father –in –law of Moses , before God . * And it came to pass on the morrow , that Moses sat to judge the people ; and the people stood around Moses from the morning unto the evening . * And the father –in –law of Moses saw all that he did to the people ; and he said , What is this thing that thou doest to the people ? why sittest thou thyself alone , and all the people standeth around thee from morning until evening ? * And Moses said unto his father –in –law , Because the people cometh unto me to inquire of God . * When they have a matter of dispute , they come unto me ; and I judge between one and the other , and I make them know the statutes of God , and his laws . * And the father –in –law of Moses said unto him , The thing that thou doest is not good . * Thou wilt surely wear away , both thou , and this people that is with thee ; for the thing is too heavy for thee ; thou wilt not be able to perform it by thyself alone . * Now hearken unto my voice , I will give thee counsel , and may God be with thee , Be thou for the people a mediator with God , that thou mayest bring the causes unto God . * And thou shalt explain to them the statutes and the laws ; and thou shalt make them know the way wherein they must walk , and the work that they must do . * Moreover , thou shalt select out of all the people able men , such as fear God , men of truth , hating gain ; and place these over them , as rulers of thousands , rulers of hundreds , rulers of fifties , and rulers of tens . * And let them judge the people at all times ; and it shall be , that every great matter they shall bring unto thee , but every small matter they shall judge themselves : so shall it be easier for thee , when they shall bear with thee . * If thou wilt do this thing , and God commandeth it thee , then wilt thou be able to endure ; and also the whole of this people will come to its place in peace . * And Moses hearkened to the voice of his father –in –law , and did all that he had said . * And Moses chose able men out of all Israel , and placed them as heads over the people , rulers of thousands , rulers of hundreds , rulers of fifties , and rulers of tens . * And they judged the people at all times ; any difficult cause they brought unto Moses , but every small cause they judged themselves . * And Moses dismissed his father –in –law ; and he went his way unto his own land .

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