Exodus 18 – Studienbibel

1 When Jethro3503, the priest3548 of Midian4080, Moses'4872 father in law2859, heard8085 of all that God430 had done6213 for Moses4872, and for Israel3478 his people5971, and that the LORD3068 had brought3318 Israel3478 out of Egypt4714; 2 Then Jethro3503, Moses'4872 father in law2859, took3947 Zipporah6855, Moses'4872 wife802, after310 he had sent her back7964, 3 And her two8147 sons1121; of which the name8034 of the one259 was Gershom1647; for he said559, I have been an alien1616 in a strange5237 land776:¹ 4 And the name8034 of the other259 was Eliezer461; for the God430 of my father1, said he, was mine help5828, and delivered5337 me from the sword2719 of Pharaoh6547:² 5 And Jethro3503, Moses'4872 father in law2859, came935 with his sons1121 and his wife802 unto Moses4872 into the wilderness4057, where he encamped2583 at the mount2022 of God430: 6 And he said559 unto Moses4872, I thy father in law2859 Jethro3503 am come935 unto thee, and thy wife802, and her two8147 sons1121 with her.

7 And Moses4872 went out3318 to meet7125 his father in law2859, and did obeisance7812, and kissed5401 him; and they asked7592 each376 other7453 of their welfare7965; and they came935 into the tent168.³ 8 And Moses4872 told5608 his father in law2859 all that the LORD3068 had done6213 unto Pharaoh6547 and to the Egyptians4714 for Israel's3478 sake182, and all the travail8513 that had come4672 upon them by the way1870, and how the LORD3068 delivered5337 them.⁴ 9 And Jethro3503 rejoiced2302 for all the goodness2896 which the LORD3068 had done6213 to Israel3478, whom he had delivered5337 out of the hand3027 of the Egyptians4714. 10 And Jethro3503 said559, Blessed1288 be the LORD3068, who hath delivered5337 you out of the hand3027 of the Egyptians4714, and out of the hand3027 of Pharaoh6547, who hath delivered5337 the people5971 from under the hand3027 of the Egyptians4714. 11 Now I know3045 that the LORD3068 is greater1419 than all gods430: for in the thing1697 wherein they dealt proudly2102 he was above them. 12 And Jethro3503, Moses'4872 father in law2859, took3947 a burnt offering5930 and sacrifices2077 for God430: and Aaron175 came935, and all the elders2205 of Israel3478, to eat398 bread3899 with Moses'4872 father in law2859 before6440 God430.

13 And it came to pass on the morrow4283, that Moses4872 sat3427 to judge8199 the people5971: and the people5971 stood5975 by Moses4872 from the morning1242 unto the evening6153. 14 And when Moses'4872 father in law2859 saw7200 all that he did6213 to the people5971, he said559, What is this thing1697 that thou doest6213 to the people5971? why sittest3427 thou thyself alone, and all the people5971 stand5324 by thee from morning1242 unto even6153? 15 And Moses4872 said559 unto his father in law2859, Because the people5971 come935 unto me to enquire1875 of God430: 16 When they have a matter1697, they come935 unto me; and I judge8199 between one376 and another7453, and I do make them know3045 the statutes2706 of God430, and his laws8451.⁵ 17 And Moses'4872 father in law2859 said559 unto him, The thing1697 that thou doest6213 is not good2896. 18 Thou wilt surely5034 wear away5034, both thou, and this people5971 that is with thee: for this thing1697 is too heavy3515 for thee; thou art not able3201 to perform6213 it thyself alone.⁶ 19 Hearken8085 now unto my voice6963, I will give thee counsel3289, and God430 shall be1961 with thee: Be thou for the people5971 to God-ward4136 430, that thou mayest bring935 the causes1697 unto God430: 20 And thou shalt teach2094 853 them ordinances2706 and laws8451, and shalt shew3045 them the way1870 wherein they must walk3212, and the work4639 that they must do6213. 21 Moreover thou shalt provide2372 out of all the people5971 able2428 men582, such as fear3373 God430, men582 of truth571, hating8130 covetousness1215; and place7760 such over them, to be rulers8269 of thousands505, and rulers8269 of hundreds3967, rulers8269 of fifties2572, and rulers8269 of tens6235: 22 And let them judge8199 the people5971 at all seasons6256: and it shall be, that every great1419 matter1697 they shall bring935 unto thee, but every small6996 matter1697 they shall judge8199: so shall it be easier7043 for thyself, and they shall bear5375 the burden with thee. 23 If thou shalt do6213 this thing1697, and God430 command6680 thee so, then thou shalt be able3201 to endure5975, and all this people5971 shall also go935 to their place4725 in peace7965. 24 So Moses4872 hearkened8085 to the voice6963 of his father in law2859, and did6213 all that he had said559. 25 And Moses4872 chose977 able2428 men582 out of all Israel3478, and made5414 them heads7218 over the people5971, rulers8269 of thousands505, rulers8269 of hundreds3967, rulers8269 of fifties2572, and rulers8269 of tens6235. 26 And they judged8199 the people5971 at all seasons6256: the hard7186 causes1697 they brought935 unto Moses4872, but every small6996 matter1697 1992 they judged8199 themselves. 27 And Moses4872 let his father in law2859 depart7971; and he went3212 his way into his own land776.