1 Nå hadde Jetro, presten i Midian og Moses' svigerfar, hørt om alt det Gud hadde gjort for Moses og for Israel, hans folk, hvordan Herren hadde ført Israel ut av Egypt.

Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, how that Yahweh had brought Israel out of Egypt.

2 Jetro, Moses' svigerfar, mottok Sippora, Moses' kone, etter at han hadde sendt henne bort,

Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, received Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her away,

3 sammen med hennes to sønner. Den ene sønnen het Gershom, for Moses sa: "Jeg har bodd som en fremmed i et fremmed land".

and her two sons. The name of one son was Gershom,{"Gershom" sounds like the Hebrew for "an alien there."} for Moses said, "I have lived as a foreigner in a foreign land".

4 Den andre het Elieser, for han sa: "Min fars Gud var min hjelper og reddet meg fra faraos sverd".

The name of the other was Eliezer,{Eliezer means "God is my helper."} for he said, "My father's God was my help and delivered me from Pharaoh's sword."

5 Jetro, Moses' svigerfar, kom med hans sønner og hans kone til Moses i ørkenen der han hadde slått leir ved Guds fjell.

Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses into the wilderness where he was encamped, at the Mountain of God.

6 Han sa til Moses: "Jeg, din svigerfar Jetro, har kommet til deg med din kone og hennes to sønner med henne".

He said to Moses, I, your father-in-law Jethro, have come to you with your wife, and her two sons with her.

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

Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and bowed and kissed him. They asked each other of their welfare, and they came into the tent.

8 Moses fortalte sin svigerfar om alt det Herren hadde gjort mot farao og egypterne for Israels skyld, alle vanskelighetene de hadde møtt på veien, og hvordan Herren hadde frelst dem.

Moses told his father-in-law all that Yahweh had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, all the hardships that had come on them on the way, and how Yahweh delivered them.

9 Jetro gledet seg over all den godhet som Herren hadde vist mot Israel, at han hadde reddet dem fra egypterne.

Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which Yahweh had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.

10 Jetro sa: «Velsignet være Herren, som har frelst dere fra egypterne og fra farao; han som har reddet folket fra under egypternes hånd.

Jethro said, "Blessed be Yahweh, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh; who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.

11 Nå vet jeg at Herren er større enn alle guder fordi de handlet hovmodig mot dem".

Now I know that Yahweh is greater than all gods because of the thing in which they dealt arrogantly against them."

12 Jetro, Moses' svigerfar, tok et brennoffer og ofringer for Gud. Aron kom med alle Israels eldste for å spise brød med Moses' svigerfar foran Gud.

Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God. Aaron came with all of the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before God.

13 Neste dag skjedde det at Moses satte seg for å dømme folket, og folket stod omkring Moses fra morgen til kveld.

It happened on the next day, that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from the morning to the evening.

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

When Moses' father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said, "What is this thing that you do for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning to evening?"

15 Moses sa til sin svigerfar: "Fordi folket kommer til meg for å søke Gud.

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

16 Når de har en sak, kommer de til meg, og jeg dømmer mellom en mann og hans nabo, og jeg gjør dem kjent med Guds lover og hans regler."

When they have a matter, they come to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor, and I make them know the statutes of God, and his laws."

17 Moses' svigerfar sa til ham: "Det du gjør er ikke bra.

Moses' father-in-law said to him, "The thing that you do is not good.

18 Du vil helt sikkert slite ut både deg selv og dette folket som er med deg; for oppgaven er for tung for deg. Du kan ikke gjøre det alene.

You will surely wear away, both you, and this people that is with you; for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to perform it yourself alone.

19 Nå hør på meg, jeg vil gi deg råd, og Gud være med deg. Du skal representere folket for Gud og legge sakene frem for Gud.

Listen now to my voice. I will give you counsel, and God be with you. You represent the people before God, and bring the causes to God.

20 Du skal lære dem lovene og reglene og vise dem veien de skal vandre og arbeidet de skal gjøre.

You shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and shall show them the way in which they must walk, and the work that they must do.

21 Dessuten skal du i hele folket utvelge dyktige menn, slike som frykter Gud, menn som elsker sannhet og hater urettferdig vinning; og sette dem til å være ledere over tusen, hundre, femti og ti.

Moreover you shall provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God: men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

22 La dem dømme folket til alle tider. Alle store saker skal de bringe til deg, men alle små saker skal de dømme selv. Slik vil det bli lettere for deg, og de skal bære byrden sammen med deg.

Let them judge the people at all times. It shall be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall judge themselves. So shall it be easier for you, and they shall share the load with you.

23 Dersom du gjør dette, og Gud befaler deg det, så vil du være i stand til å holde ut, og også hele dette folket vil vende tilbake til sitt sted i fred."

If you will do this thing, and God commands you so, then you will be able to endure, and all of these people also will go to their place in peace."

24 Moses hørte på sin svigerfar og gjorde alt han hadde sagt.

So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said.

25 Moses valgte dyktige menn ut av hele Israel og satte dem til ledere over folket, som herskere over tusen, hundre, femti og ti.

Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

26 De dømte folket til alle tider. De vanskelige sakene brakte de til Moses, men alle små saker dømte de selv.

They judged the people at all times. They brought the hard causes to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

27 Moses lot sin svigerfar dra, og han dro til sitt eget land.

Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way into his own land.