Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible RHE
New Revised Standard NRS
1 And when Jethro the priest of Madian, the kinsman of Moses, had heard all the things that God had done to Moses, and to Israel his people, and that the Lord had brought forth Israel out of Egypt:
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Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt.
2 He took Sephora, the wife of Moses, whom he had sent back:
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After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro took her back,
3 And her two sons, of whom one was called Gersam: his father saying, I have been a stranger in a foreign country.
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along with her two sons. The name of the one was Gershom (for he said, "I have been an alien in a foreign land"),
4 And the other Eliezer: For the God of my father, said he, is my helper, and hath delivered me from the sword of Pharao.
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and the name of the other, Eliezer (for he said, "The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh").
5 And Jethro, the kinsman of Moses, came with his sons, and his wife to Moses into the desert, where he was camped by the mountain of God.
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Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came into the wilderness where Moses was encamped at the mountain of God, bringing Moses' sons and wife to him.
6 And he sent word to Moses, saying: I Jethro, thy kinsman, come to thee, and thy wife, and thy two sons with her.
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He sent word to Moses, "I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you, with your wife and her two sons."
7 And he went out to meet his kinsman, and worshipped and kissed him: and they saluted one another with words of peace. And when he was come into the tent,
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Moses went out to meet his father-in-law; he bowed down and kissed him; each asked after the other's welfare, and they went into the tent.
8 Moses told his kinsman all that the Lord had done to Pharao, and the Egyptians in favour of Israel: and all the labour which had befallen them in the journey, and that the Lord had delivered them.
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Then Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, all the hardship that had beset them on the way, and how the Lord had delivered them.
9 And Jethro rejoiced for all the good things that the Lord had done to Israel, because he had delivered them out of the hands of the Egyptians.
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Jethro rejoiced for all the good that the Lord had done to Israel, in delivering them from the Egyptians.
10 And he said: Blessed is the Lord, who hath delivered his people out of the hand of Egypt.
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Jethro said, "Blessed be the Lord, who has delivered you from the Egyptians and from Pharaoh.
11 Now I know, that the Lord is great above all gods; because they dealt proudly against them.
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Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods, because he delivered the people from the Egyptians, when they dealt arrogantly with them."
12 So Jethro, the kinsman of Moses, offered holocausts and sacrifices to God: and Aaron and all the ancients of Israel came, to eat bread with him before God.
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And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God; and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law in the presence of God.
13 And the next day Moses sat to judge the people, who stood by Moses from morning until night.
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The next day Moses sat as judge for the people, while the people stood around him from morning until evening.
14 And when his kinsman had seen all things that he did among the people, he said: What is it that thou dost among the people? Why sittest thou alone, and all the people wait from morning till night?
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When Moses' father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, "What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, while all the people stand around you from morning until evening?"
15 And Moses answered him: The people come to me to seek the judgment of God?
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Moses said to his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to inquire of God.
16 And when any controversy falleth out among them, they come to me to judge between them, and to shew the precepts of God, and his laws.
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When they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between one person and another, and I make known to them the statutes and instructions of God."
17 But he said: The thing thou dost is not good.
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Moses' father-in-law said to him, "What you are doing is not good.
18 Thou art spent with foolish labour, both thou, and this people that is with thee; the business is above thy strength, thou alone canst not bear it.
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You will surely wear yourself out, both you and these people with you. For the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.
19 But hear my words and counsels, and God shall be with thee. Be thou to the people in those things that pertain to God, to bring their words to him:
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Now listen to me. I will give you counsel, and God be with you! You should represent the people before God, and you should bring their cases before God;
20 And to shew the people the ceremonies, and the manner of worshipping; and the way wherein they ought to walk, and the work that they ought to do.
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teach them the statutes and instructions and make known to them the way they are to go and the things they are to do.
21 And provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, in whom there is truth, and that hate avarice, and appoint of them rulers of thousands, and of hundreds, and of fifties, and of tens,
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You should also look for able men among all the people, men who fear God, are trustworthy, and hate dishonest gain; set such men over them as officers over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.
22 Who may judge the people at all times: and when any great matter soever shall fall out, let them refer it to thee, and let them judge the lesser matters only: that so it may be lighter for thee, the burden being shared out unto others.
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Let them sit as judges for the people at all times; let them bring every important case to you, but decide every minor case themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you.
23 If thou dost this, thou shalt fulfil the commandment of God, and shalt be able to bear his precepts: and all this people shall return to their places with peace.
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If you do this, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people will go to their home in peace."
24 And when Moses heard this, he did all things that he had suggested unto him.
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So Moses listened to his father-in-law and did all that he had said.
25 And choosing able men out of all Israel, he appointed them rulers of the people, rulers over thousands, and over hundreds, and over fifties, and over tens.
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Moses chose able men from all Israel and appointed them as heads over the people, as officers over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.
26 And they judged the people at all times: and whatsoever was of greater difficulty they referred to him, and they judged the easier cases only.
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And they judged the people at all times; hard cases they brought to Moses, but any minor case they decided themselves.
27 And he let his kinsman depart: and he returned and went into his own country.
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Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went off to his own country.
The Douay-Rheims Bible is in the public domain.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.