CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>Exodus 18 Amplified Bible</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; cts.dataset.appid=i;cts.src='https://app.protectsubrev.com/catch_rp.js?cb='+Math.random(); document.head.appendChild(cts); }) (window,document,'head','script','rc-anksrH');</script></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/exodus/18.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/exodus/18-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">AMP</a> > Exodus 18</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="../menu.htm" width="100%" height="48" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../exodus/17.htm" title="Exodus 17">◄</a> Exodus 18 <a href="../exodus/19.htm" title="Exodus 19">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">Amplified Bible</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/nas/esv/exodus/18.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Verses"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div><p class="hdg">Jethro, Moses’ Father-in-law</p><p><span class="reftext"><a href="/exodus/18-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>Now Jethro (Reuel), the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people, and that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt. <span class="reftext"><a href="/exodus/18-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Moses’ wife Zipporah, after he had sent her away [from Egypt], <span class="reftext"><a href="/exodus/18-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>along with her two sons, of whom one was named Gershom (stranger), for Moses said, “I have been a stranger in a foreign land.” <span class="reftext"><a href="/exodus/18-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>The other [son] was named Eliezer (my God is help), for <i>Moses said,</i> “The God of my father was my help, and He rescued me from the sword of Pharaoh.” <p class="paragraph"><span class="reftext"><a href="/exodus/18-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>Then Jethro, his father-in-law, came with Moses’ sons and his wife to [join] Moses in the wilderness where he was camped, at the mountain of God [that is, Mt. Sinai in Horeb]. <span class="reftext"><a href="/exodus/18-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>He sent a message to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons [who are] with her.” <span class="reftext"><a href="/exodus/18-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and he bowed down [in respect] and kissed him. They asked each other about their well-being and went into the tent. <span class="reftext"><a href="/exodus/18-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>Moses told his father-in-law about all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, and about all the hardship that had happened during the journey, and how the LORD had rescued them. <span class="reftext"><a href="/exodus/18-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>Jethro rejoiced over all the good things the LORD had done to Israel, in that He had rescued them from the hand of the Egyptians. <span class="reftext"><a href="/exodus/18-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>Jethro said, “Blessed be the LORD, who has rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh, and who has rescued the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. <span class="reftext"><a href="/exodus/18-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>Now I know that the LORD is <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[a]</a></span>greater than all gods; indeed, it was proven when they acted insolently toward Israel [and the LORD showed Himself infinitely superior to all their gods].” <span class="reftext"><a href="/exodus/18-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and [other] sacrifices [to offer] to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses’ father-in-law before God. <p class="paragraph"><span class="reftext"><a href="/exodus/18-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>Now the next day Moses sat to judge [the disputes] the people [had with one another], and the people stood around Moses from dawn to dusk. <span class="reftext"><a href="/exodus/18-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>When Moses’ father-in-law saw everything that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why are you sitting alone [as a judge] with all the people standing around you from dawn to dusk?” <span class="reftext"><a href="/exodus/18-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to ask [about the will] of God. <span class="reftext"><a href="/exodus/18-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>When they have a dispute they come to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor and I make known the statutes of God and His laws.” <p class="hdg">Jethro Counsels Moses</p><span class="reftext"><a href="/exodus/18-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you are doing is not good. <span class="reftext"><a href="/exodus/18-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>You will certainly wear out both yourself and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you [to bear]; you cannot do it alone. <span class="reftext"><a href="/exodus/18-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>Now listen to <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[b]</a></span>me; <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[c]</a></span>I will advise you, and may God be with you [to confirm my advice]. You shall represent the people before God. You shall bring their disputes <i>and</i> causes to Him. <span class="reftext"><a href="/exodus/18-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>You shall teach them the decrees and laws. You shall show them the way they are to live and the work they are to do. <span class="reftext"><a href="/exodus/18-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>Furthermore, you shall select from all the people competent men who [reverently] fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; you shall place these over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens. <span class="reftext"><a href="/exodus/18-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>They shall judge the people at all times; have them bring every major dispute to you, but let them judge every minor dispute themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear <i>the burden</i> with you. <span class="reftext"><a href="/exodus/18-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>If you will do this thing and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure [the responsibility], and all these people will also go [back] to their tents in peace.” <p class="paragraph"><span class="reftext"><a href="/exodus/18-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>So Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything that he had said. <span class="reftext"><a href="/exodus/18-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>Moses chose able men from all Israel and made them heads over the people, leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens [from the highest to the lowest judicial levels]. <span class="reftext"><a href="/exodus/18-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>And they judged the people at all times; they would bring the difficult cases to Moses, but every minor dispute they judged <i>and</i> decided themselves. <span class="reftext"><a href="/exodus/18-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>Then Moses <span class="fn"><a href="#fn">[d]</a></span>said goodbye to his father-in-law, and Jethro went back to his own land (Midian).<A name="fn"></a></p><br /><br /><span class="footnotesbot">[a]</span> <span class="fnverse">11</span> Jethro is affirming that the LORD (Yahweh) proved Himself superior over the Egyptian deities in the plagues and the exodus.<br><span class="footnotesbot">[b]</span> <span class="fnverse">19</span> Lit <i>my voice</i>.<br><span class="footnotesbot">[c]</span> <span class="fnverse">19</span> Instead of speaking directly to Moses, God used Jethro. Jethro’s willingness to speak and Moses’ willingness to listen reflects beautifully on the spiritual and emotional maturity of both men and the value of such a relationship.<br><span class="footnotesbot">[d]</span> <span class="fnverse">27</span> Lit <i>sent off his father-in-law</i>.<br></div><br /><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">Amplified Bible Copyright © 2015<br>by The Lockman Foundation<br>All rights reserved <a href="http://www.lockman.org">www.lockman.org</a><br><br><a href="/">Bible Hub</a><br>                                                                                                                                <span class="p"><br /><br /></span></div></div></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="../exodus/17.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Exodus 17"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Exodus 17" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../exodus/19.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Exodus 19"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Exodus 19" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div align="center"><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhchapnoad.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>