Глава 18

1–27. The meeting of Moses with Jethro and the organization of the court. Ex.18:1. And Jethro the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, when the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, Exodus 18:2. and Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, who had previously been returned, Exodus 18:3. and her two sons, of whom one was named Gersham, because Moses said, “I am a stranger in a strange land.” Exodus 18:4. and the other's name was Eliezer, because [he said] the God of my father was my helper and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh. Exodus 18:5. And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, with his sons and his wife came to Moses in the wilderness, where he encamped at the mountain of God, Exodus 18:6. And he let Moses know, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you, and your wife and her two sons with her.” Exodus 18:7. Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and bowed to [him], and kissed him, and after mutual greetings they entered the tent. Exodus 18:8. And Moses told his father-in-law about everything that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to [all] the Egyptians for Israel, and about all the difficulties that they encountered on the way, and how the Lord delivered them [from the hand of Pharaoh and from the hand of the Egyptians]. Exodus 18:9. Jethro rejoiced over all the good deeds that the Lord showed Israel when he delivered them from the hand of the Egyptians [and from the hand of Pharaoh], Exodus 18:10. and Jethro said, Blessed be the Lord, who delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who delivered this people out of the power of the Egyptians; Exodus 18:11. Now I have learned that the Lord is greater than all the gods, in the same way that they exalted themselves over the Israelites. Ex.18:12. And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, offered burnt offerings and sacrifices to God; and Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before God. Ex.18:13. The next day Moses sat down to judge the people, and the people stood before Moses from morning until evening. Exodus 18:14. And [Jethro] saw Moses' father-in-law, everything that he was doing to the people, and said: What is this that you are doing to the people? Why do you sit alone, while all the people stand before you from morning to evening? Ex.18:15. And Moses said to his father-in-law: The people come to me to ask God for judgment; Ex.18:16. when something happens to them, they come to me, and I judge between one and the other and declare [to them] the statutes of God and His laws. Ex.18:17. But Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “You are not doing this well.” Ex.18:18. You will torment both yourself and this people who are with you, for this matter is too difficult for you: you alone cannot correct it; Ex.18:19. listen therefore to my words; I will give you advice, and God will be with you: be a mediator for the people before God and present [their] affairs to God; Ex.18:20. teach them [God’s] statutes and [His] laws, show them [His] way which they should walk and the works they should do; Exodus 18:21. Look for [yourself] among all the people capable people, fearing God, truthful people, hating self-interest, and appoint [them] over it as commanders of thousands, commanders of hundreds, commanders of fifties and commanders of tens [and clerks]; Exodus 18:22. let them judge the people at all times and report to you about every important matter, and judge all small matters themselves: and it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you; Ex.18:23. if you do this, and God commands you, then you can stand, and all this people will go to their place in peace. Ex.18:24. And Moses listened to the words of his father-in-law and did everything that he told [him]; Ex.18:25. And Moses chose able men from all Israel and made them rulers of the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens [and scribes], Ex.18:26. and they judged the people at all times; They reported [all] important matters to Moses, but they judged all small matters themselves. Ex.18:27. And Moses released his father-in-law, and he went to his own land. The event described in this chapter refers to a time later than the stay of the Jews in Rephidim, and the story about it should be placed, according to the exegetes, in Chapter X. book Number between 10 and 11 st. (Num. 10:10–11). The validity of this assumption is confirmed by the following. According to Exodus 18:5, the event took place at the mountain of God, i.e. Horeb (Ex. 3:1), but not in Rephidim, where the Jews are currently located. More precisely, according to the instructions of Deut. 1:6–19, Moses’ election of assistants in the person of the captains of thousands and captains of hundreds took place after the legislation of Sinai, before the removal of the Jews from Horeb, at which time the return of Jethro from the Jewish camp to his land also falls (Ex. 18:27, Num. 10:29). And since the story about the journey of the Jews from Sinai begins with Numbers 10:11, then a description of the event of Chapter 18 should be placed before them. book Exodus. You might be interested in: