Jethro,יִתְרוֹthe priestכֹהֵןof Midian,מִדְיָןMoses’מֹשֶׁהfather-in-law,חֹתֵןheardוַיִּשְׁמַעof allאֵת כָּלthatאֲשֶׁרElohimאֱלֹהִיםhad doneעָשָׂהfor Mosesלְמֹשֶׁהand for Israelוּלְיִשְׂרָאֵלhis people,עַמּוֹhowכִּיYHWHיְהוָהhad broughtהוֹצִיאIsraelאֶת יִשְׂרָאֵלout of Egypt.מִמִּצְרָיִם
Jethro,יִתְרוֹMoses’מֹשֶׁהfather-in-law,חֹתֵןhad takenוַיִּקַּחZipporah,אֶת צִפֹּרָהMoses’מֹשֶׁהwife,אֵשֶׁתafterאַחַרhe had sent her back,שִׁלּוּחֶיהָ
andוְאֵתher twoשְׁנֵיsons,בָנֶיהָof whomאֲשֶׁרthe nameשֵׁםof the oneהָאֶחָדwas Gershom,גֵּרְשֹׁםforכִּיhe said,אָמַר“I have beenהָיִיתִיa resident alienגֵּרin a foreignנָכְרִיָּהland”;בְּאֶרֶץ
and the nameוְשֵׁםof the otherהָאֶחָדwas Eliezer,אֱלִיעֶזֶרforכִּיhe said, “The Elohimאֱלֹהֵיof my fatherאָבִיwas my helpבְּעֶזְרִיand delivered meוַיַּצִּלֵנִיfrom the swordמֵחֶרֶבof Pharaoh.”פַּרְעֹה
Jethro,יִתְרוֹMoses’מֹשֶׁהfather-in-law,חֹתֵןcameוַיָּבֹאwith his sonsוּבָנָיוand his wifeוְאִשְׁתּוֹto Mosesאֶל מֹשֶׁהinאֶלthe wildernessהַמִּדְבָּרwhereאֲשֶׁר שָׁםheהוּאwas camped,חֹנֶהat the mountainהַרof Elohim.הָאֱלֹהִים
He saidוַיֹּאמֶרto Moses,אֶל מֹשֶׁה“I,אֲנִיyour father-in-lawחֹתֶנְךָJethro,יִתְרוֹam comingבָּאto you,אֵלֶיךָwith your wifeוְאִשְׁתְּךָand her twoוּשְׁנֵיsonsבָנֶיהָwith her.”עִמָּהּ
Mosesמֹשֶׁהwent outוַיֵּצֵאto meetלִקְרַאתhis father-in-law,חֹתְנוֹbowed down,וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּand kissedוַיִּשַּׁקhim;לוֹthey askedוַיִּשְׁאֲלוּeach otherאִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּabout their welfare,לְשָׁלוֹםand they wentוַיָּבֹאוּinto the tent.הָאֹהֱלָה
Mosesמֹשֶׁהtoldוַיְסַפֵּרhis father-in-lawלְחֹתְנוֹallאֵת כָּלthatאֲשֶׁרYHWHיְהוָהhad doneעָשָׂהto Pharaohלְפַרְעֹהand to the Egyptiansוּלְמִצְרַיִםfor the sakeעַל אוֹדֹתof Israel,יִשְׂרָאֵלallאֵת כָּלthe hardshipהַתְּלָאָהthatאֲשֶׁרhad come upon themמְצָאָתַםon the way,בַּדֶּרֶךְand how YHWHוַ יְהוָהhad delivered them.יַּצִּלֵם
Jethroיִתְרוֹrejoicedוַיִּחַדְּoverעַלallכָּלthe goodהַטּוֹבָהthatאֲשֶׁרYHWHיְהוָהhad doneעָשָׂהfor Israel,לְיִשְׂרָאֵלin thatאֲשֶׁרhe had delivered themהִצִּילוֹfrom the handמִיַּדof the Egyptians.מִצְרָיִם
Jethroיִתְרוֹsaid,וַיֹּאמֶר“Blessed beבָּרוּךְYHWH,יְהוָהwhoאֲשֶׁרdeliveredהִצִּילyouאֶתְכֶםfrom the handמִיַּדof the Egyptiansמִצְרַיִםand from the handוּמִיַּדof Pharaoh,פַּרְעֹהwhoאֲשֶׁרdeliveredהִצִּילthe peopleאֶת הָעָםfrom underמִתַּחַתthe handיַדof the Egyptians.מִצְרָיִם
NowעַתָּהI knowיָדַעְתִּיthatכִּיYHWHיְהוָהis greaterגָדוֹלthan allמִכָּלthe gods,הָאֱלֹהִיםforכִּיhe proved it in the matterבַדָּבָרin whichאֲשֶׁרthey acted arrogantlyזָדוּagainst them.”עֲלֵיהֶם
Jethro,יִתְרוֹMoses’מֹשֶׁהfather-in-law,חֹתֵןbroughtוַיִּקַּחa burnt offeringעֹלָהand sacrificesוּזְבָחִיםfor Elohim;לֵאלֹהִיםand Aaronאַהֲרֹןcame,וַיָּבֹאwith allוְכֹלthe eldersזִקְנֵיof Israel,יִשְׂרָאֵלto eatלֶאֱכָלbreadלֶחֶםwithעִםMoses’מֹשֶׁהfather-in-lawחֹתֵןbeforeלִפְנֵיElohim.הָאֱלֹהִים
The next dayוַיְהִי מִמָּחֳרָתMosesמֹשֶׁהsatוַיֵּשֶׁבto judgeלִשְׁפֹּטthe people,אֶת הָעָםand the peopleוַ הָעָםstoodיַּעֲמֹדaroundעַלMosesמֹשֶׁהfromמִןmorningהַבֹּקֶרuntilעַדevening.הָעָרֶב
When Moses’וַ מֹשֶׁהfather-in-lawחֹתֵןsawיַּרְאallאֵת כָּלthatאֲשֶׁרheהוּאwas doingעֹשֶׂהfor the people,לָעָםhe said,וַיֹּאמֶר“Whatמָהis this thingהַדָּבָר הַזֶּהthatאֲשֶׁרyouאַתָּהare doingעֹשֶׂהfor the people?לָעָםWhyמַדּוּעַdo youאַתָּהsitיוֹשֵׁבalone,לְבַדֶּךָwhile allוְכָלthe peopleהָעָםstandנִצָּבaround youעָלֶיךָfromמִןmorningבֹּקֶרuntilעַדevening?”עָרֶב
Mosesמֹשֶׁהsaidוַיֹּאמֶרto his father-in-law,לְחֹתְנוֹ“Becauseכִּיthe peopleהָעָםcomeיָבֹאto meאֵלַיto inquire ofלִדְרֹשׁElohim.אֱלֹהִים
Whenכִּיthey haveיִהְיֶה לָהֶםa matter,דָּבָרit comesבָּאto me,אֵלַיand I judgeוְשָׁפַטְתִּיbetweenבֵּיןa manאִישׁandוּבֵיןhis neighbor,רֵעֵהוּand I make knownוְהוֹדַעְתִּיthe statutesאֶת חֻקֵּיof Elohimהָאֱלֹהִיםand his instructions.”וְאֶת תּוֹרֹתָיו
Moses’מֹשֶׁהfather-in-lawחֹתֵןsaidוַיֹּאמֶרto him,אֵלָיו“The thingהַדָּבָרthatאֲשֶׁרyouאַתָּהare doingעֹשֶׂהis notלֹאgood.טוֹב
You will surelyנָבֹלwear yourself out,תִּבֹּלbothגַּםyouאַתָּהandגַּםthisהַזֶּהpeopleהָעָםthatאֲשֶׁרis with you;עִמָּךְforכִּיthe taskהַדָּבָרis too heavyכָבֵדfor you;מִמְּךָyou cannotלֹא תוּכַלdo itעֲשֹׂהוּalone.לְבַדֶּךָ
Nowעַתָּהlistenשְׁמַעto my voice;בְּקֹלִיI will advise you,אִיעָצְךָand mayוִיהִיElohimאֱלֹהִיםbe with you!עִמָּךְYouאַתָּהbe the representativeהֱיֵהfor the peopleלָעָםbeforeמוּלElohim,הָאֱלֹהִיםand youוְ אַתָּהbringהֵבֵאתָthe casesאֶת הַדְּבָרִיםtoאֶלElohim.הָאֱלֹהִים
Teachוְהִזְהַרְתָּהthemאֶתְהֶםthe statutesאֶת הַחֻקִּיםand the instructions,וְאֶת הַתּוֹרֹתand make knownוְהוֹדַעְתָּto themלָהֶםthe wayאֶת הַדֶּרֶךְin whichבָהּthey must walk,יֵלְכוּand the workוְאֶת הַמַּעֲשֶׂהthatאֲשֶׁרthey must do.יַעֲשׂוּן
And you shall look for,וְאַתָּה תֶחֱזֶהfrom allמִכָּלthe people,הָעָםcapableחַיִלmen,אַנְשֵׁיwho fearיִרְאֵיElohim,אֱלֹהִיםmenאַנְשֵׁיof truth,אֱמֶתwho hateשֹׂנְאֵיunjust gain;בָצַעand place themוְשַׂמְתָּover themעֲלֵהֶםas chiefsשָׂרֵיof thousands,אֲלָפִיםchiefsשָׂרֵיof hundreds,מֵאוֹתchiefsשָׂרֵיof fifties,חֲמִשִּׁיםand chiefsוְשָׂרֵיof tens.עֲשָׂרֹת
Let them judgeוְשָׁפְטוּthe peopleאֶת הָעָםat allבְּכָלtimes;עֵתandוְהָיָהeveryכָּלgreatהַגָּדֹלmatterהַדָּבָרthey shall bringיָבִיאוּto you,אֵלֶיךָbut everyוְכָלsmallהַקָּטֹןmatterהַדָּבָרtheyהֵםshall judge themselves;יִשְׁפְּטוּso make it lighterוְהָקֵלfor yourself,מֵעָלֶיךָand they will bear the loadוְנָשְׂאוּwith you.אִתָּךְ
Ifאִםyou doתַּעֲשֶׂהthis thingאֶת הַדָּבָר הַזֶּהand Elohimוְ אֱלֹהִיםso commands you,צִוְּךָyou will be ableוְיָכָלְתָּto endure,עֲמֹדand alsoוְגַםallכָּלthisהַזֶּהpeopleהָעָםwill goיָבֹאto their placeעַל מְקֹמוֹin peace.”בְשָׁלוֹם
Mosesמֹשֶׁהlistenedוַיִּשְׁמַעto the voiceלְקוֹלof his father-in-lawחֹתְנוֹand didוַיַּעַשׂallכֹּלthatאֲשֶׁרhe had said.אָמָר
Mosesמֹשֶׁהchoseוַיִּבְחַרcapableחַיִלmenאַנְשֵׁיfrom allמִכָּלIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלand madeוַיִּתֵּןthemאֹתָםheadsרָאשִׁיםoverעַלthe people,הָעָםchiefsשָׂרֵיof thousands,אֲלָפִיםchiefsשָׂרֵיof hundreds,מֵאוֹתchiefsשָׂרֵיof fifties,חֲמִשִּׁיםand chiefsוְשָׂרֵיof tens.עֲשָׂרֹת
They judgedוְשָׁפְטוּthe peopleאֶת הָעָםat allבְּכָלtimes;עֵתthe difficultהַקָּשֶׁהmatterאֶת הַדָּבָרthey would bringיְבִיאוּןto Moses,אֶל מֹשֶׁהbut everyוְכָלsmallהַקָּטֹןmatterהַדָּבָרtheyהֵםwould judge themselves.יִשְׁפּוּטוּ
Then Mosesוַ מֹשֶׁהletיְשַׁלַּחhis father-in-lawאֶת חֹתְנוֹgo,יְשַׁלַּחand he wentוַיֵּלֶךְhis wayלוֹto his own land.אֶל אַרְצוֹ