Jethro’s Advice

Jethro, priest of Midian and Moses’s father-in-law, hears about everything God has done for Israel. He comes to the wilderness, to the mountain of God, with Zipporah and her two sons, Gershom and Eliezer. Moses goes out to meet him, bows down, and kisses him. Jethro exclaims: “Blessed be the LORD, who has delivered you!” He acknowledges that the LORD is greater than all gods and offers a burnt offering. The next day, he sees Moses judging the people from morning till evening: “What you are doing is not good. You will surely wear yourself out.” He advises Moses to choose capable men who fear God, are trustworthy, and hate dishonest gain, and to appoint them as leaders over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. They will judge the minor cases; Moses will keep the important matters. Moses listens to his father-in-law and does everything he said.