3. And her two sons. The name of one son was Gershom , for Moses 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 , 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. 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 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 told his father-in-law all that יהוה 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 יהוה delivered them.
9. Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which יהוה had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.
10. Jethro said, “Blessed be יהוה, 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. Now I know that יהוה is greater than all gods because of the thing in which they dealt arrogantly against them.”
12. 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. 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. 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 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 laws.”
17. Moses ’ 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 commands you so, then you will be able to endure, and all of these people also will go to their place in peace.”
24. So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said.
25. 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. They judged the people at all times. They brought the hard causes to Moses , but every small matter they judged themselves.
27. Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way into his own land.
Chapter 19
1. In the third month after the children of Israel had gone forth out of the land of Egypt, on that same day they came into the wilderness of Sinai.
2. When they had departed from Rephidim, and had come to the wilderness of Sinai, they encamped in the wilderness; and there Israel encamped before the mountain.
3. Moses went up to God, and יהוה called to him out of the mountain, saying, “This is what you shall tell the house of Jacob , and tell the children of Israel:
4. ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to myself.
5. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice, and keep my covenant, then you shall be my own possession from among all peoples; for all the earth is mine;
6. And you shall be to me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”
7. Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which יהוה commanded him.
8. All the people answered together, and said, “All that יהוה has spoken we will do.” Moses reported the words of the people to יהוה.
9. יהוה said to Moses , “Behold, I come to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you forever.” Moses told the words of the people to יהוה.
10. יהוה said to Moses , “Go to the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments,
11. And be ready against the third day; for on the third day יהוה will come down in the sight of all the people on Mount Sinai.
12. You shall set bounds to the people round about, saying, ‘Be careful that you don’t go up onto the mountain, or touch its border. Whoever touches the mountain shall be surely put to death.
13. No hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot through; whether it is animal or man, he shall not live.’ When the trumpet sounds long, they shall come up to the mountain.”
14. Moses went down from the mountain to the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.
15. He said to the people, “Be ready by the third day. Don’t have sexual relations with a woman.”
16. It happened on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain, and the sound of an exceedingly loud trumpet; and all the people who were in the camp trembled.
17. Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God; and they stood at the lower part of the mountain.
18. Mount Sinai, the whole of it, smoked, because יהוה descended on it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly.
19. When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice.
20. יהוה came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. יהוה called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.
21. יהוה said to Moses , “Go down, charge the people, lest they break through to יהוה to gaze, and many of them perish.
22. Let the priests also, who come near to יהוה, sanctify themselves, lest יהוה break forth on them.”
23. Moses said to יהוה, “The people can’t come up to Mount Sinai, for you charged us, saying, ‘Set bounds around the mountain, and sanctify it.’”
24. יהוה said to him, “Go down and you shall bring Aaron up with you, but don’t let the priests and the people break through to come up to יהוה, lest he break forth on them.”
25. So Moses went down to the people, and told them.
Chapter 20
1. God spoke all these words, saying,
2. “I am יהוה your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3. You shall have no other gods before me.
4. “You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
5. You shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, יהוה your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me,
6. And showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
7. “You shall not take the name of יהוה your God in vain, for יהוה will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.
8. “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9. You shall labor six days, and do all your work,
10. But the seventh day is a Sabbath to יהוה your God. You shall not do any work in it, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your livestock, nor your stranger who is within your gates;
11. For in six days יהוה made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore יהוה blessed the Sabbath day, and made it holy.
12. “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which יהוה your God gives you.
13. “You shall not murder.
14. “You shall not commit adultery.
15. “You shall not steal.
16. “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
17. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”
18. All the people perceived the thunderings, the lightnings, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking. When the people saw it, they trembled, and stayed at a distance.
19. They said to Moses , “Speak with us yourself, and we will listen; but don’t let God speak with us, lest we die.”
20. Moses said to the people, “Don’t be afraid, for God has come to test you, and that his fear may be before you, that you won’t sin.”
21. The people stayed at a distance, and Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.
22. יהוה said to Moses , “This is what you shall tell the children of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.
23. You shall most certainly not make alongside of me gods of silver, or gods of gold for yourselves.
24. You shall make an altar of earth for me, and shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen. In every place where I record my name I will come to you and I will bless you.
25. If you make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stones; for if you lift up your tool on it, you have polluted it.
26. Neither shall you go up by steps to my altar, that your nakedness may not be exposed to it.’
