1. ANᴅ when Iethro the priest of Madian, the allied of Moyses, had heard al
the thinges, that God had done to Moyses, and to Israel his people, and that our Lord had
brought forth Israel out of Ægypt:
2. he tooke Sephora the wife of Moyses whom he had sent backe:
3. and her two sonnes, of which one was called Gersam, his father saying: I haue bene
a stranger in a forren countrie.
4. And the other Eliezer: for the God of my father, quoth he, is my helper, and hath
deliuered me from Pharaoes sword.
5. Iethro therfore the allied of Moyses came and his sonnes, and his wife to Moyses
into the desert, where he was camped beside the mountayne of God.
6. And he sent word to Moyses, saying: I Iethro thy allied come to thee, and thy wife,
and thy two children with her.
7. Who going forth to mete his allied, adored, and kissed him: and they saluted on
an other with wordes of peace. And when he was entred into the tent,
8. Moyses told his allied al thinges that our Lord had done to Pharao, and the Ægyptians
for Israel: and the whole trauaile which had chanced to them in the iourney, and that our Lord
had deliuered them.
9. And Iethro reioyced for al the good thinges, that our Lord had done to Israel, because
he had deliuered them out of the handes of the Ægyptians,
10. and he said: Blessed is the Lord, that hath deliuered you out of the hand of the
Ægyptians, and out of the hand of Pharao, that hath deliuered his people out of the hand of
Ægypt.
11. Now doe I know, that the Lord is great aboue al goddes: for because they dealt
proudely against them.
12. Iethro therfore the allied of Moyses offered holocaustes and hostes to God: and
Aaron and al the ancientes of Israel came, to eate bread with him before God.
13. And the next day Moyses sate to iudge the people, who stoode by Moyses from morning
vntil night.
14. Which thing when his allied had seene, to witte, al thinges that he did in the
people, he said: What is this that thou doest in the people? Why sittest thou alone, and al the
people attendeth from morning vntil night?
15. To whom Moyses answered: The people cometh to me seeking the sentence of God.
16. And when anie controuersie chanceth among them, they come vnto me to iudge betwene
them, and to shew the preceptes of God, and his lawes.
17. But he said: Thou doest not wel:
18. thou art tyred with foolish labour, both thou, and this people that is with thee,
the busines is aboue thy strength, thou alone canst not susteyne it.
19. But heare my wordes and counseils, and God shal be with thee. Be thou to the
people in those thinges that pertaine to God, to report their wordes vnto him:
20. and to shew to the people the ceremonies and rite of worshipping, and the way wherin
they ought to walke, and the worke that they ought to doe.
21. And prouide out of al the people men that are wise, and doe feare God, in whom there
is truth, and that doe hate auarice, and appointe of them tribunes, and centurions, and
quinquagenarians, and deanes,
22. which may iudge the people at al tymes: and what great matter soeuer shal fal out,
let them referre it to thee and let them iudge the lesse matters only: and so it may be lighter
for thee, the burden being imparted vnto others.
23. If thou doest this, thou shalt fulfil the commandment of God, and shalt be able to
beare his preceptes: and al this people shal returne to their places with peace.
24. Which thinges when Moyses heard he did al thinges that he had suggested vnto
him.
25. And choosing substantial men out of al Israel, he appointed them princes of the
people, tribunes, and centurions, and quinquagenarians, and deanes.
26. Who iudged the people at al time: and whatsoeuer was of greater difficultie they
referred to him, themselues iudging the easier cases only.
27. And he dismissed his allied: who returning went into his countrie.