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Parashah 17: Yitro ·Jethro [Abundance]· 18:1-20:26
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1 Now Jethro [Abundance], the priest of Midian [Strife], Moses [Drawn out]’ father-in-law, sh'ma ·heard obeyed· of all that God had done for Moses [Drawn out], and for Israel [God prevails] his people, how that Adonai had brought Israel [God prevails] out of Egypt [Abode of slavery]. 2 Jethro [Abundance], Moses [Drawn out]’ father-in-law, received Zipporah, Moses [Drawn out]’ wife, after he had sent her away, 3 and her two sons. The name of one son was Gershom, for Moses [Drawn out] said, “I have lived as a foreigner in a foreign land”. 4 The name of the other was Eliezer, for he said, “My father’s God was my help and delivered me from Pharaoh’s sword.” 5 Jethro [Abundance], Moses [Drawn out]’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses [Drawn out] into the wilderness where he was encamped, at the Mountain of God. 6 He said to Moses [Drawn out], “I, your father-in-law Jethro [Abundance], have come to you with your wife, and her two sons with her.”
7 Moses [Drawn out] 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 [Drawn out] told his father-in-law all that Adonai had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians [people from Abode of slavery] for Israel [God prevails]’s sake, all the hardships that had come on them on the way, and how Adonai delivered them. 9 Jethro [Abundance] rejoiced for all the goodness which Adonai had done to Israel [God prevails], in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians [people from Abode of slavery]. 10 Jethro [Abundance] said, “Blessed be Adonai , who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians [people from Abode of slavery], and out of the hand of Pharaoh; who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians [people from Abode of slavery]. 11 Now I know that Adonai is greater than all deities because of the thing in which they dealt arrogantly against them.” 12 Jethro [Abundance], Moses [Drawn out]’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God. Aaron [Light-bringer] came with all the elders of Israel [God prevails], to eat bread with Moses [Drawn out]’ father-in-law before God.
(2) 13 On the next day, Moses [Drawn out] sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses [Drawn out] from the morning to the evening. 14 When Moses [Drawn out]’ 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 [Drawn out] said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God. 16 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 torot ·teachings·.” 17 Moses [Drawn out]’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you do is not good. 18 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 Sh'ma ·Hear obey· 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 You shall teach them the statutes and the torot ·teachings·, and shall show them the way in which they must walk, and the work that they must do. 21 Moreover you shall provide out of all the people able men which 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 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 If you will do this thing, and God enjoins you to do so, then you will be able to endure, and all these people also will go to their place in peace.”
(3) 24 So Moses [Drawn out] sh'ma ·heard obeyed· the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said. 25 Moses [Drawn out] chose able men out of all Israel [God prevails], and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 26 They judged the people at all times. They brought the hard causes to Moses [Drawn out], but every small matter they judged themselves. 27 Moses [Drawn out] let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way into his own land.

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© 2016 Thomas Robinson