Exodus 18 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible

World English Bible

Exodus 18 (WEBP)

[1] Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, how Yahweh had brought Israel out of Egypt.
[2] Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, received Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her away,
[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 Moses’ 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 Yahweh 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 Yahweh delivered them.
[9] Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which Yahweh had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.
[10] Jethro said, “Blessed be Yahweh, 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 Yahweh is greater than all gods because of the way that they treated people arrogantly.”
[12] Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God. Aaron came with all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.
[13] On the next day, 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 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 commands you so, then you will be able to endure, and all 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 cases 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.

Exodus 18:3 “Gershom” sounds like the Hebrew for “an alien there”.
Exodus 18:4 Eliezer means “God is my helper”.

Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.

King James w/Strong’s #s

Exodus 18 (KJVS)

[1] When Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father in law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, and that the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt;
[2] then Jethro, Moses’ father in law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her back,
[3] and her two sons; of which the name of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been an alien in a strange land:
[4] and the name of the other was Eliezer; for the God of my father, said he, was mine help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh:
[5] and Jethro, Moses’ father in law, came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped at the mount of God:
[6] and he said unto Moses, I thy father in law Jethro am come unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.
[7] And Moses went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent.
[8] And Moses told his father in law all that the Lord had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, and all the travail that had come upon them by the way, and how the Lord delivered them.
[9] And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the Lord had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.
[10] And Jethro said, Blessed be the Lord, who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.
[11] Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them.
[12] And Jethro, Moses’ father in law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses’ father in law before God.
[13] And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening.
[14] And when Moses’ father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even?
[15] And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God:
[16] when they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.
[17] And Moses’ father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good.
[18] Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.
[19] Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God:
[20] and thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.
[21] Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:
[22] and let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.
[23] If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.
[24] So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said.
[25] And 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] And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.
[27] And Moses let his father in law depart; and he went his way into his own land.

Exodus 18:3 That is, A stranger there
Exodus 18:4 That is, my God is an help
Exodus 18:7 Heb. peace
Exodus 18:8 Heb. found them
Exodus 18:16 Heb. a man and his fellow
Exodus 18:18 Heb. Fading thou wilt fade

Scripture quotations from The Authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible, using the standardized text of 1769. It is in the public domain.

Greek Bible (LXX/BYZ)

Exodus 18 (BYZ)

[1] Ἤκουσεν () δὲ () Ιοθορ ὁ () ἱερεὺς () Μαδιαμ () ὁ () γαμβρὸς Μωυσῆ () πάντα, () ὅσα () ἐποίησεν () κύριος () Ισραηλ () τῷ () ἑαυτοῦ () λαῷ· () ἐξήγαγεν () γὰρ () κύριος () τὸν () Ισραηλ () ἐξ () Αἰγύπτου. ()
[2] Ἔλαβεν () δὲ () Ιοθορ ὁ () γαμβρὸς Μωυσῆ () Σεπφωραν τὴν () γυναῖκα () Μωυσῆ () μετὰ () τὴν () ἄφεσιν () αὐτῆς ()
[3] καὶ () τοὺς () δύο () υἱοὺς () αὐτοῦ· () ὄνομα () τῷ () ἑνὶ () αὐτῶν () Γηρσαμ λέγων () Πάροικος () ἤμην () ἐν () γῇ () ἀλλοτρίᾳ· ()
[4] καὶ () τὸ () ὄνομα () τοῦ () δευτέρου () Ελιεζερ () λέγων () Ὁ () γὰρ () θεὸς () τοῦ () πατρός () μου () βοηθός () μου () καὶ () ἐξείλατό () με () ἐκ () χειρὸς () Φαραω. ()
[5] Καὶ () ἐξῆλθεν () Ιοθορ ὁ () γαμβρὸς Μωυσῆ () καὶ () οἱ () υἱοὶ () καὶ () ἡ () γυνὴ () πρὸς () Μωυσῆν () εἰς () τὴν () ἔρημον, () οὗ () παρενέβαλεν ἐπ’ () ὄρους () τοῦ () θεοῦ. ()
[6] Ἀνηγγέλη () δὲ () Μωυσεῖ () λέγοντες () Ἰδοὺ () ὁ () γαμβρός σου () Ιοθορ παραγίνεται () πρὸς () σέ, () καὶ () ἡ () γυνὴ () καὶ () οἱ () δύο () υἱοί () σου () μετ’ () αὐτοῦ. ()
[7] Ἐξῆλθεν () δὲ () Μωϋσῆς () εἰς () συνάντησιν () τῷ () γαμβρῷ αὐτοῦ () καὶ () προσεκύνησεν () αὐτῷ () καὶ () ἐφίλησεν () αὐτόν, () καὶ () ἠσπάσαντο () ἀλλήλους· () καὶ () εἰσήγαγεν () αὐτὸν () εἰς () τὴν () σκηνήν. ()
[8] Καὶ () διηγήσατο () Μωϋσῆς () τῷ () γαμβρῷ πάντα, () ὅσα () ἐποίησεν () κύριος () τῷ () Φαραω () καὶ () τοῖς () Αἰγυπτίοις () ἕνεκεν () τοῦ () Ισραηλ, () καὶ () πάντα () τὸν () μόχθον () τὸν () γενόμενον () αὐτοῖς () ἐν () τῇ () ὁδῷ () καὶ () ὅτι () ἐξείλατο () αὐτοὺς () κύριος () ἐκ () χειρὸς () Φαραω () καὶ () ἐκ () χειρὸς () τῶν () Αἰγυπτίων. ()
[9] Ἐξέστη () δὲ () Ιοθορ ἐπὶ () πᾶσι () τοῖς () ἀγαθοῖς, () οἷς () ἐποίησεν () αὐτοῖς () κύριος, () ὅτι () ἐξείλατο () αὐτοὺς () ἐκ () χειρὸς () Αἰγυπτίων () καὶ () ἐκ () χειρὸς () Φαραω. ()
[10] Καὶ () εἶπεν () Ιοθορ Εὐλογητὸς () κύριος, () ὅτι () ἐξείλατο () τὸν () λαὸν () αὐτοῦ () ἐκ () χειρὸς () Αἰγυπτίων () καὶ () ἐκ () χειρὸς () Φαραω· ()
[11] νῦν () ἔγνων () ὅτι () μέγας () κύριος () παρὰ () πάντας () τοὺς () θεούς, () ἕνεκεν () τούτου () ὅτι () ἐπέθεντο () αὐτοῖς. ()
[12] Καὶ () ἔλαβεν () Ιοθορ ὁ () γαμβρὸς Μωυσῆ () ὁλοκαυτώματα () καὶ () θυσίας () τῷ () θεῷ· () παρεγένετο () δὲ () Ααρων () καὶ () πάντες () οἱ () πρεσβύτεροι () Ισραηλ () συμφαγεῖν () ἄρτον () μετὰ () τοῦ () γαμβροῦ Μωυσῆ () ἐναντίον () τοῦ () θεοῦ. ()
[13] Καὶ () ἐγένετο () μετὰ () τὴν () ἐπαύριον () συνεκάθισεν () Μωϋσῆς () κρίνειν () τὸν () λαόν· () παρειστήκει () δὲ () πᾶς () ὁ () λαὸς () Μωυσεῖ () ἀπὸ () πρωίθεν ἕως () ἑσπέρας. ()
[14] Καὶ () ἰδὼν () Ιοθορ πάντα, () ὅσα () ἐποίει () τῷ () λαῷ, () λέγει () Τί () τοῦτο, () ὃ () σὺ () ποιεῖς () τῷ () λαῷ; () Διὰ () τί () σὺ () κάθησαι () μόνος, () πᾶς () δὲ () ὁ () λαὸς () παρέστηκέν () σοι () ἀπὸ () πρωίθεν ἕως () δείλης;
[15] Καὶ () λέγει () Μωϋσῆς () τῷ () γαμβρῷ ὅτι () Παραγίνεται () πρός () με () ὁ () λαὸς () ἐκζητῆσαι () κρίσιν () παρὰ () τοῦ () θεοῦ· ()
[16] ὅταν () γὰρ () γένηται () αὐτοῖς () ἀντιλογία () καὶ () ἔλθωσι () πρός () με, () διακρίνω () ἕκαστον () καὶ () συμβιβάζω () αὐτοὺς () τὰ () προστάγματα τοῦ () θεοῦ () καὶ () τὸν () νόμον () αὐτοῦ. ()
[17] Εἶπεν () δὲ () ὁ () γαμβρὸς Μωυσῆ () πρὸς () αὐτόν () Οὐκ () ὀρθῶς () σὺ () ποιεῖς () τὸ () ῥῆμα () τοῦτο· ()
[18] φθορᾷ () καταφθαρήσῃ () ἀνυπομονήτῳ καὶ () σὺ () καὶ () πᾶς () ὁ () λαὸς () οὗτος, () ὅς () ἐστιν () μετὰ () σοῦ· () βαρύ () σοι () τὸ () ῥῆμα () τοῦτο, () οὐ () δυνήσῃ () ποιεῖν () μόνος. ()
[19] Νῦν () οὖν () ἄκουσόν () μου, () καὶ () συμβουλεύσω () σοι, () καὶ () ἔσται () ὁ () θεὸς () μετὰ () σοῦ. () Γίνου () σὺ () τῷ () λαῷ () τὰ () πρὸς () τὸν () θεὸν () καὶ () ἀνοίσεις () τοὺς () λόγους () αὐτῶν () πρὸς () τὸν () θεὸν ()
[20] καὶ () διαμαρτυρῇ () αὐτοῖς () τὰ () προστάγματα τοῦ () θεοῦ () καὶ () τὸν () νόμον () αὐτοῦ () καὶ () σημανεῖς () αὐτοῖς () τὰς () ὁδούς, () ἐν () αἷς () πορεύσονται () ἐν () αὐταῖς, () καὶ () τὰ () ἔργα, () ἃ () ποιήσουσιν. ()
[21] Καὶ () σὺ () σεαυτῷ () σκέψαι ἀπὸ () παντὸς () τοῦ () λαοῦ () ἄνδρας () δυνατοὺς () θεοσεβεῖς, () ἄνδρας () δικαίους () μισοῦντας () ὑπερηφανίαν, () καὶ () καταστήσεις () αὐτοὺς () ἐπ’ () αὐτῶν () χιλιάρχους () καὶ () ἑκατοντάρχους () καὶ () πεντηκοντάρχους καὶ () δεκαδάρχους,
[22] καὶ () κρινοῦσιν () τὸν () λαὸν () πᾶσαν () ὥραν· () τὸ () δὲ () ῥῆμα () τὸ () ὑπέρογκον () ἀνοίσουσιν () ἐπὶ () σέ, () τὰ () δὲ () βραχέα () τῶν () κριμάτων () κρινοῦσιν () αὐτοὶ () καὶ () κουφιοῦσιν () ἀπὸ () σοῦ () καὶ () συναντιλήμψονταί () σοι. ()
[23] Ἐὰν () τὸ () ῥῆμα () τοῦτο () ποιήσῃς, () κατισχύσει () σε () ὁ () θεός, () καὶ () δυνήσῃ () παραστῆναι, () καὶ () πᾶς () ὁ () λαὸς () οὗτος () εἰς () τὸν () ἑαυτοῦ () τόπον () μετ’ () εἰρήνης () ἥξει. ()
[24] Ἤκουσεν () δὲ () Μωϋσῆς () τῆς () φωνῆς () τοῦ () γαμβροῦ καὶ () ἐποίησεν () ὅσα () αὐτῷ () εἶπεν. ()
[25] Καὶ () ἐπέλεξεν () Μωϋσῆς () ἄνδρας () δυνατοὺς () ἀπὸ () παντὸς () Ισραηλ () καὶ () ἐποίησεν () αὐτοὺς () ἐπ’ () αὐτῶν () χιλιάρχους () καὶ () ἑκατοντάρχους () καὶ () πεντηκοντάρχους καὶ () δεκαδάρχους,
[26] καὶ () ἐκρίνοσαν () τὸν () λαὸν () πᾶσαν () ὥραν· () πᾶν () δὲ () ῥῆμα () ὑπέρογκον () ἀνεφέροσαν () ἐπὶ () Μωυσῆν, () πᾶν () δὲ () ῥῆμα () ἐλαφρὸν () ἐκρίνοσαν () αὐτοί. ()
[27] Ἐξαπέστειλεν () δὲ () Μωϋσῆς () τὸν () ἑαυτοῦ () γαμβρόν, καὶ () ἀπῆλθεν () εἰς () τὴν () γῆν () αὐτοῦ. ()

Old Testament scripture quotations and versification from Septuaginta, edited by Alfred Rahlfs (Stuttgart: Württembergische Bibelanstalt, 1935). New Testament quotations are from the Byzantine Text (Guardian Press, LLC, Robinson-Pierpont Byzantine Textform, 2026). Both are in the public domain.