Exo 18:1-20:23 | NASB2020 | STEP | Now Jethro , the priest of Midian , Moses’ father-in-law , heard about everything that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people , how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt .

Exodus 18

Jethro, Moses’ Father-in-law

1 Now ^aJethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard about everything that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people, how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. 2 And Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took in Moses’ wife ^bZipporah, after he had sent her away, 3 and her ^ctwo sons, ^{▼▼Lit the name of the one was}one of whom was named Gershom, for Moses said, “I have been ^ea stranger in a foreign land.” 4 And ^{▼▼Lit The name of the other was}the other was named ^{▼▼Heb El-ezer; i.e., my God is help
,} ^hEliezer, for he said, “ ⁱThe God of my father was my help, and saved me from the sword of Pharaoh.”

5 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses ^{▼▼Lit unto}in the wilderness where he was camped, at ^kthe mountain of God. 6 And he ^{▼▼Lit said}sent word to Moses: “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her.” 7 Then Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and ^mhe bowed down and ⁿkissed him; and they ^oasked each other about their welfare, and went into the tent. 8 Moses told his father-in-law everything that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians ^pfor Israel’s sake, all the ^qhardship that had confronted them on the journey, and how ^rthe Lord had rescued them. 9 And Jethro rejoiced over all ^sthe goodness which the Lord had done for Israel, ^{▼▼Lit in that He had delivered}in rescuing ^{▼▼Lit him}them from the hand of the Egyptians. 10 So Jethro said, “ ^vBlessed be the Lord who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that ^wthe Lord is greater than all the gods; indeed, ^{▼▼Lit in the thing in which they acted
,} ^yit was proven when they acted insolently against ^{▼▼Lit them}the people.” 12 ^aaThen Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat ^{▼▼Lit bread}a meal with Moses’ father-in-law before God.

Jethro Counsels Moses

13 And it came about the next day, that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood before Moses from the morning until the evening. 14 Now when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge and all the people stand before you from morning until evening?” 15 Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me ^acto inquire of God. 16 When they have a ^{▼▼Lit matter
,} ^aedispute, it comes to me, and I judge between someone and his neighbor and make known the statutes of God and His laws.” 17 Moses’ father-in-law then said to him, “The thing that you are doing is not good. 18 ^afYou will surely wear out, both yourself and ^{▼▼Lit this}these people who are with you, because the ^{▼▼Lit matter}task is too heavy for you; ^aiyou cannot do it alone. 19 Now listen to ^{▼▼Lit my voice}me: I will give you counsel, and God be with you. ^{▼▼Lit You be for the people in front of God}You be the people’s representative before God, and you ^albring the ^{▼▼Lit matters}disputes to God, 20 ^anthen admonish them about the statutes and the laws, and make known to them ^aothe way in which they are to walk and the work they are to do. 21 Furthermore, you shall ^{▼▼Lit see}select out of all the people ^aqable men ^arwho fear God, men of truth, those who ^ashate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them as leaders of thousands, ^{▼▼Lit leaders of}of hundreds, ^{▼▼Lit leaders of}of fifties, and ^{▼▼Lit leaders of}of tens. 22 Let them judge the people at all times; and let it be ^awthat they will bring to you every major matter, but they will judge every minor matter themselves. So it will be easier for you, and ^axthey will carry the burden with you. 23 If you do this thing and God so commands you, then you will be able to ^{▼▼Lit stand}endure, and all ^{▼▼Lit this}these people also will go to ^{▼▼Lit his}their places in peace.”

24 So Moses listened ^{▼▼Lit to the voice of}to his father-in-law and did everything that he had said. 25 Moses chose ^bcable men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, leaders of thousands, ^{▼▼Lit leaders of}of hundreds, ^{▼▼Lit leaders of}of fifties, and ^{▼▼Lit leaders of}of tens. 26 Then they judged the people at all times; ^bgthey would bring the difficult matter to Moses, but they would judge every minor matter themselves. 27 Then Moses ^{▼▼Lit sent off his father-in-law
,} ^bisaid goodbye to his father-in-law, and ^{▼▼Lit he}Jethro went his way to his own land.

Exodus 19

Moses on Sinai

1 ^bkIn the third month after the sons of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, ^{▼▼Lit on this day}on that very day they came into the wilderness of ^bmSinai. 2 When they set out from ^bnRephidim, they came to the wilderness of Sinai and camped in the wilderness; and there Israel camped in front of ^bothe mountain. 3 And Moses went up to God, and ^bpthe Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “This is what you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel: 4 ‘ ^bqYou yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on ^breagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself. 5 Now then, ^bsif you will indeed obey My voice and ^btkeep My covenant, then you shall be ^buMy ^{▼▼Or special treasure}own possession among all the peoples, for ^bwall the earth is Mine; 6 and you shall be to Me ^bxa kingdom of priests and ^bya holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.”

7 ^bzSo Moses came and called the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which the Lord had commanded him. 8 Then ^caall the people answered together and said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do!” And Moses brought back the words of the people to the Lord. 9 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will come to you in ^cba thick cloud, so that the ^ccpeople may hear when I speak with you and may also trust in you forever.” Then Moses told the words of the people to the Lord.

10 The Lord also said to Moses, “Go to the people and ^cdconsecrate them today and tomorrow, and have them ^cewash their garments; 11 and have them ready for the third day, for on ^cfthe third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. 12 But you shall set boundaries for the people all around, saying, ‘ ^{▼▼Lit Take heed to yourselves}Beware that you do not go up on the mountain or touch the border of it; ^chwhoever touches the mountain shall certainly be put to death. 13 No hand shall touch him, but ^cihe shall certainly be stoned or ^{▼▼I.e., with arrows}shot through; whether animal or person, the violator shall not live.’ When the ram’s horn sounds a long blast, they shall come up to ^ckthe mountain.” 14 So Moses went down from the mountain to the people and consecrated the people, and they washed their garments. 15 He also said to the people, “Be ready for the third day; do not go near a woman.”

16 ^clSo it came about on the third day, when it was morning, that there were ^{▼▼Lit sounds}thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud over the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. 17 And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the ^{▼▼Lit lower part}foot of the mountain.

The Lord Visits Sinai

18 ^coNow Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the Lord descended upon it ^cpin fire; and its smoke ascended like ^cqthe smoke of a furnace, and ^crthe entire mountain ^{▼▼Or trembled}quaked violently. 19 When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and ^ctGod answered him with ^{▼▼Or a voice; lit a sound}thunder. 20 Then ^cvthe Lord came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain; and the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. 21 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: “Go down, ^{▼▼Lit testify to}warn the people, so that ^cxthey do not break through to the Lord to stare, and many of them ^{▼▼Lit fall}perish. 22 Also have the ^czpriests who approach the Lord consecrate themselves, or else the Lord will break out against them.” 23 And Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for You ^{▼▼Lit testified to}warned us, saying, ‘ ^dbSet boundaries around the mountain and consecrate it.’” 24 Then the Lord said to him, “ ^{▼▼Lit Go, descend}Go down and come up again, ^ddyou and Aaron with you; but do not let the ^depriests and the people break through to come up to the Lord, or He will break out against them.” 25 So Moses went down to the people and told them.

Exodus 20:1-23

The Ten Commandments

1 Then God spoke all these words, saying,

2 “ ^dfI am the Lord your God, ^dgwho brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of ^{▼▼Lit slaves}slavery.

3 “ ^diYou shall have no other ^djgods ^{▼▼Or besides Me}before Me.

4 “ ^dlYou shall not make for yourself ^{▼▼Or a carved image}an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth. 5 ^dnYou shall not worship them nor serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a ^dojealous God, ^dpinflicting the ^{▼▼I.e., punishment for the wrongdoing}punishment of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing ^{▼▼Or faithfulness}favor to ^dsthousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

7 “ ^dtYou shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not ^{▼▼Or hold him guiltless}leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.

8 “Remember ^dvthe Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 ^dwFor six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the Lord your God; on it ^dxyou shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male slave or your female slave, or your cattle, or your ^{▼▼Lit stranger}resident who ^{▼▼Lit is in your gates}stays with you. 11 ^eaFor in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and everything that is in them, and He rested on the seventh day; for that reason the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

12 “ ^ebHonor your father and your mother, so that your ^ecdays may be prolonged on the land which the Lord your God gives you.

13 “ ^edYou shall not murder.

14 “ ^eeYou shall not commit adultery.

15 “ ^efYou shall not steal.

16 “ ^egYou shall not ^{▼▼Lit answer as a false witness against}give false testimony against your ^eineighbor.

17 “ ^ejYou shall not covet your neighbor’s house; ^ekyou shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male slave, or his female slave, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

18 And ^elall the people were watching and hearing the ^{▼▼Lit sounds}thunder and the lightning flashes, and the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it all, they trembled and stood at a distance. 19 ^enThen they said to Moses, “Speak ^{▼▼Lit with}to us yourself and we will listen; but do not have God speak ^{▼▼Lit with}to us, or we will die!” 20 However, Moses said to the people, “ ^eqDo not be afraid; for God has come in order ^erto test you, and in order that ^esthe fear of Him may ^{▼▼Lit be before}remain with you, so that you will not sin.” 21 So the people stood at a distance, while Moses approached ^euthe thick darkness where God was.

22 Then the Lord said to Moses, “This is what you shall say to the sons of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen that ^evI have spoken ^{▼▼Lit with}to you from heaven. 23 ^exYou shall not make other gods besides Me; ^eygods of silver or gods of gold, you shall not make for yourselves.