Jetro, presten av Midian og Moses' svigerfar, hørte om alt Gud hadde gjort for Moses og sitt folk Israel, at Herren hadde ført Israel ut fra Egypt.

Jethro, the priest of Midian and Moses’ father-in-law, heard about everything that God had done for Moses and for His people Israel, and how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.

Da tok Jetro, Moses' svigerfar, Sippora, Moses' kone, etter at hun var blitt sendt bort,

Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after she had been sent away,

og hennes to sønner, den ene het Gersom, for han sa: 'Jeg har vært en innvandrer i et fremmed land,'

along with her two sons. One was named Gershom, meaning, 'I have been a foreigner in a foreign land,' because Moses had said, 'I was a sojourner in a strange land.'

og den andre het Elieser, for han sa: 'Min fars Gud var min hjelp og reddet meg fra faraos sverd.'

The name of the other son was Eliezer, meaning, 'My God is my help,' for Moses had said, 'The God of my father was my help and delivered me from Pharaoh’s sword.'

Så kom Jetro, Moses' svigerfar, med sønnene og kona hans til Moses i ørkenen hvor han slo leir ved Guds berg.

Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came to Moses in the wilderness where he was camped at the mountain of God, bringing Moses’ wife and his two sons with him.

Og han sa til Moses: 'Jeg, din svigerfar Jetro, har kommet til deg med din kone og hennes to sønner.'

Jethro sent word to Moses, saying, 'I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you, along with your wife and her two sons.'

Moses gikk ut for å møte sin svigerfar, bøyde seg ned og kysset ham. De spurte hverandre om fred og gikk inn i teltet.

So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down, and kissed him. They greeted each other and went into the tent.

Moses fortalte sin svigerfar om alt Herren hadde gjort med farao og egypterne for Israels skyld, om all den motgang de hadde møtt på veien, og hvordan Herren hadde reddet dem.

Moses told his father-in-law about everything the LORD had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for the sake of Israel, all the hardships they had faced along the way, and how the LORD had delivered them.

Jetro gledet seg over alt det gode Herren hadde gjort for Israel da han reddet dem fra egypterne.

Jethro rejoiced over all the good things the LORD had done for Israel, delivering them from the hand of the Egyptians.

Jetro sa: 'Velsignet være Herren som har reddet dere fra egypterne og faraos hånd, og som har reddet folket fra egypternes makt.

Jethro said, 'Blessed be the LORD, who delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from under the hand of Egypt.'

Nå vet jeg at Herren er større enn alle guder, for han har reddet folket fra overgrepene som egypterne hadde på dem.'

Now I know that the LORD is greater than all other gods, for He acted against those who treated Israel arrogantly.

Jetro, Moses' svigerfar, tok brennoffer og ofre for Gud, og Aron og alle Israels eldste kom for å spise brød med Moses' svigerfar i Guds nærhet.

Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God. Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of God.

Neste dag satte Moses seg ned for å dømme folket, og de sto foran Moses fra morgen til kveld.

The next day, Moses sat to judge the people, and they stood around him from morning until evening.

Da Moses' svigerfar så alt han gjorde for folket, sa han: 'Hva er dette du gjør for folket? Hvorfor sitter du alene mens alt folket står foran deg fra morgen til kveld?'

When Moses’ father-in-law saw everything he was doing for the people, he said, 'What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone as judge, while all the people stand around you from morning till evening?'

Moses svarte sin svigerfar: 'Folket kommer til meg for å spørre Gud.

Moses answered his father-in-law, 'Because the people come to me to inquire of God.'

Når de har en sak, kommer de til meg, og jeg dømmer mellom en mann og hans neste, og forteller dem Guds forskrifter og lover.'

Whenever they have a dispute, they come to me to seek judgment. I decide between one person and another and make known the statutes of God and His laws.

Moses' svigerfar sa til ham: 'Det du gjør er ikke godt.

Moses' father-in-law said to him, 'What you are doing is not good.'

Du vil helt sikkert bli sliten, både du og dette folket som er med deg, for oppgaven er for stor for deg. Du kan ikke gjøre det alene.

You and these people who come to you will surely wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.

Lytt nå til meg, jeg skal gi deg et råd, og Gud skal være med deg: Du skal være mellommannen for folket hos Gud, og du skal bringe sakene til Gud.

Now listen to me; I will give you advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people's representative before God and bring their disputes to Him.

Lær dem Hans forskrifter og lover, og vis dem veien de skal vandre og gjerningene de skal gjøre.

Teach them the statutes and the laws, and show them the way they must walk and the work they must do.

Og du skal se ut blant hele folket menn som frykter Gud, troverdige og som hater urettferdig vinning, og sette dem som ledere over tusen, over hundre, over femti og over ti.

But select capable men from among all the people—men who fear God, are trustworthy, and hate dishonest gain. Appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.

La dem dømme folket til enhver tid. Hver stor sak skal de bringe til deg, men hver liten sak skal de selv dømme. Slik vil de lette byrden for deg, og de skal bære den sammen med deg.

Let them judge the people at all times. Have them bring every difficult case to you, but have them decide simple cases themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you.

Om du gjør dette, og Gud påbyr deg det, vil du kunne holde ut, og alle dette folket vil komme til sitt sted i fred.

If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to endure, and all these people will go home satisfied and at peace.

Moses fulgte sin svigerfars råd og gjorde alt han sa.

Moses listened to his father-in-law’s advice and did everything he said.

Moses valgte ut i Israel dyktige menn og satte dem som ledere over folket, ledere over tusen, hundre, femti og ti.

He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.

De dømte folket til enhver tid. De vanskelige sakene brakte de til Moses, men hver liten sak dømte de selv.

They judged the people at all times. They brought the difficult cases to Moses, but they decided the simple ones themselves.

Så lot Moses sin svigerfar reise, og han dro til sitt eget land.

Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro returned to his own land.