Jethro Visits Moses

18 Now Jethro,j the priest of Midiank and father-in-law of Moses, heard of everything God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, and how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt.l

2 After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah,m his father-in-law Jethro received her 3 and her two sons.n One son was named Gershom,a for Moses said, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land”;o 4 and the other was named Eliezer,b p for he said, “My father’s God was my helper;q he saved me from the sword of Pharaoh.”

5 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, together with Moses’ sons and wife, came to him in the wilderness, where he was camped near the mountainr of God. 6 Jethro had sent word to him, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.”

7 So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed downs and kissedt him. They greeted each other and then went into the tent. 8 Moses told his father-in-law about everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake and about all the hardshipsu they had met along the way and how the Lord had savedv them.

9 Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good thingsw the Lord had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians. 10 He said, “Praise be to the Lord,x who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods,y for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly.”z 12 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law,a brought a burnt offeringb and other sacrificesc to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meald with Moses’ father-in-law in the presencee of God.

13 The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. 14 When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, “What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?”

15 Moses answered him, “Because the people come to me to seek God’s will.f 16 Whenever they have a dispute,g it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God’s decrees and instructions.”h

17 Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good. 18 You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.i 19 Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you.j You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputesk to him. 20 Teach them his decrees and instructions,l and show them the way they are to livem and how they are to behave.n 21 But select capable meno from all the people—men who fearp God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gainq—and appoint them as officialsr over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 22 Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult cases to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will sharet it with you. 23 If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.”

24 Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. 25 He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leadersu of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.v 26 They served as judgesw for the people at all times. The difficult casesx they brought to Moses, but the simple ones they decided themselves.y

27 Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro returned to his own country.z

At Mount Sinai

19 On the first day of the third month after the Israelites left Egypta—on that very day—they came to the Desert of Sinai.b 2 After they set out from Rephidim,c they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.d

3 Then Moses went up to God,e and the Lord calledf to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: 4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt,g and how I carried you on eagles’ wingsh and brought you to myself.i 5 Now if you obey me fullyj and keep my covenant,k then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession.l Although the whole earthm is mine, 6 youa will be for me a kingdom of priestsn and a holy nation.’o These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

7 So Moses went back and summoned the eldersp of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak.q 8 The people all responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has said.”r So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord.

9 The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud,s so that the people will hear me speakingt with you and will always put their trustu in you.” Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said.

10 And the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecratev them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothesw 11 and be ready by the third day,x because on that day the Lord will come downy on Mount Sinaiz in the sight of all the people. 12 Put limitsa for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not approach the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain is to be put to death. 13 They are to be stonedb or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on them. No person or animal shall be permitted to live.’ Only when the ram’s hornc sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain.”d

14 After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes.e 15 Then he said to the people, “Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstainf from sexual relations.”

16 On the morning of the third day there was thunderg and lightning, with a thick cloudh over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast.i Everyone in the camp trembled.j 17 Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.k 18 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke,l because the Lord descended on it in fire.m The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace,n and the whole mountainb trembledo violently. 19 As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voicep of God answeredq him.c

20 The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinair and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up 21 and the Lord said to him, “Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to sees the Lord and many of them perish.t 22 Even the priests, who approachu the Lord, must consecratev themselves, or the Lord will break out against them.”w

23 Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai,x because you yourself warned us, ‘Put limitsy around the mountain and set it apart as holy.’ ”

24 The Lord replied, “Go down and bring Aaronz up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to the Lord, or he will break out against them.”a

25 So Moses went down to the people and told them.

The Ten Commandments

20:1–17pp—Dt 5:6–21

20 And God spokeb all these words:c

2 “I am the Lord your God,d who brought you oute of Egypt,f out of the land of slavery.g

3 “You shall have no other gods beforea me.h

4 “You shall not make for yourself an imagei in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worshipj them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God,k punishing the children for the sin of the parentsl to the third and fourth generationm of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousandn generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

7 “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.o

8 “Remember the Sabbathp day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work,q 10 but the seventh day is a sabbathr to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth,s the sea, and all that is in them, but he restedt on the seventh day.u Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

12 “Honor your father and your mother,v so that you may live longw in the landx the Lord your God is giving you.

13 “You shall not murder.y

14 “You shall not commit adultery.z

15 “You shall not steal.a

16 “You shall not give false testimonyb against your neighbor.c

17 “You shall not covetd your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

18 When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpete and saw the mountain in smoke,f they trembled with fear.g They stayed at a distance 19 and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speakh to us or we will die.”i

20 Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid.j God has come to testk you, so that the fearl of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”m

21 The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darknessn where God was.

Idols and Altars

22 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites this: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven:o 23 Do not make any gods to be alongside me;p do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold.q

24 “ ‘Make an altarr of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offeringss and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my namet to be honored, I will come to you and blessu you. 25 If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a toolv on it. 26 And do not go up to my altar on steps, or your private partsw may be exposed.’

21 “These are the lawsx you are to set before them:

Hebrew Servants

21:2–6pp—Dt 15:12–18
21:2–11Ref—Lev 25:39–55

2 “If you buy a Hebrew servant,y he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free,z without paying anything. 3 If he comes alone, he is to go free alone; but if he has a wife when he comes, she is to go with him. 4 If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall go free.

5 “But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’a 6 then his master must take him before the judges.a b He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and piercec his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life.d

7 “If a man sells his daughter as a servant, she is not to go free as male servants do. 8 If she does not please the master who has selected her for himself,b he must let her be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners, because he has broken faith with her. 9 If he selects her for his son, he must grant her the rights of a daughter. 10 If he marries another woman, he must not deprive the first one of her food, clothing and marital rights.e 11 If he does not provide her with these three things, she is to go free, without any payment of money.

Personal Injuries

12 “Anyone who strikes a person with a fatal blow is to be put to death.f 13 However, if it is not done intentionally, but God lets it happen, they are to flee to a placeg I will designate. 14 But if anyone schemes and kills someone deliberately,h that person is to be taken from my altar and put to death.i

15 “Anyone who attacksc their father or mother is to be put to death.

16 “Anyone who kidnaps someone is to be put to death,j whether the victim has been soldk or is still in the kidnapper’s possession.

17 “Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.l

18 “If people quarrel and one person hits another with a stone or with their fistd and the victim does not die but is confined to bed, 19 the one who struck the blow will not be held liable if the other can get up and walk around outside with a staff; however, the guilty party must pay the injured person for any loss of time and see that the victim is completely healed.

20 “Anyone who beats their male or female slave with a rod must be punished if the slave dies as a direct result, 21 but they are not to be punished if the slave recovers after a day or two, since the slave is their property.m

22 “If people are fighting and hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurelye but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s husband demandsn and the court allows. 23 But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life,o 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth,p hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.

26 “An owner who hits a male or female slave in the eye and destroys it must let the slave go free to compensate for the eye. 27 And an owner who knocks out the tooth of a male or female slave must let the slave go free to compensate for the tooth.

28 “If a bull gores a man or woman to death, the bull is to be stoned to death,q and its meat must not be eaten. But the owner of the bull will not be held responsible. 29 If, however, the bull has had the habit of goring and the owner has been warned but has not kept it penned upr and it kills a man or woman, the bull is to be stoned and its owner also is to be put to death. 30 However, if payment is demanded, the owner may redeem his life by the payment of whatever is demanded.s 31 This law also applies if the bull gores a son or daughter. 32 If the bull gores a male or female slave, the owner must pay thirty shekelsf t of silver to the master of the slave, and the bull is to be stoned to death.

33 “If anyone uncovers a pitu or digs one and fails to cover it and an ox or a donkey falls into it, 34 the one who opened the pit must pay the owner for the loss and take the dead animal in exchange.

35 “If anyone’s bull injures someone else’s bull and it dies, the two parties are to sell the live one and divide both the money and the dead animal equally. 36 However, if it was known that the bull had the habit of goring, yet the owner did not keep it penned up,v the owner must pay, animal for animal, and take the dead animal in exchange.

Protection of Property

22 a “Whoever steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it must pay backw five head of cattle for the ox and four sheep for the sheep.

2 “If a thief is caught breaking inx at night and is struck a fatal blow, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed;y 3 but if it happens after sunrise, the defender is guilty of bloodshed.

“Anyone who steals must certainly make restitution,z but if they have nothing, they must be solda to pay for their theft. 4 If the stolen animal is found alive in their possessionb—whether ox or donkey or sheep—they must pay back double.c

5 “If anyone grazes their livestock in a field or vineyard and lets them stray and they graze in someone else’s field, the offender must make restitutiond from the best of their own field or vineyard.

6 “If a fire breaks out and spreads into thornbushes so that it burns shockse of grain or standing grain or the whole field, the one who started the fire must make restitution.f

7 “If anyone gives a neighbor silver or goods for safekeepingg and they are stolen from the neighbor’s house, the thief, if caught, must pay back double.h 8 But if the thief is not found, the owner of the house must appear before the judges,i and they mustb determine whether the owner of the house has laid hands on the other person’s property. 9 In all cases of illegal possession of an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or any other lost property about which somebody says, ‘This is mine,’ both parties are to bring their cases before the judges.c j The one whom the judges declared guilty must pay back double to the other.

10 “If anyone gives a donkey, an ox, a sheep or any other animal to their neighbor for safekeepingk and it dies or is injured or is taken away while no one is looking, 11 the issue between them will be settled by the taking of an oathl before the Lord that the neighbor did not lay hands on the other person’s property. The owner is to accept this, and no restitution is required. 12 But if the animal was stolen from the neighbor, restitutionm must be made to the owner. 13 If it was torn to pieces by a wild animal, the neighbor shall bring in the remains as evidence and shall not be required to pay for the torn animal.n

14 “If anyone borrows an animal from their neighbor and it is injured or dies while the owner is not present, they must make restitution.o 15 But if the owner is with the animal, the borrower will not have to pay. If the animal was hired, the money paid for the hire covers the loss.p

Social Responsibility

16 “If a man seduces a virginq who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price,r and she shall be his wife. 17 If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must still pay the bride-price for virgins.

18 “Do not allow a sorceresss to live.

19 “Anyone who has sexual relations with an animalt is to be put to death.

20 “Whoever sacrifices to any godu other than the Lord must be destroyed.e v

21 “Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner,w for you were foreignersx in Egypt.

22 “Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless.y 23 If you do and they cry outz to me, I will certainly hear their cry.a 24 My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless.b

25 “If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not treat it like a business deal; charge no interest.c 26 If you take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge,d return it by sunset, 27 because that cloak is the only covering your neighbor has. What else can they sleep in?e When they cry out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.f

28 “Do not blaspheme Godf g or curseh the ruler of your people.i

29 “Do not hold back offeringsj from your granaries or your vats.g

“You must give me the firstborn of your sons.k 30 Do the same with your cattle and your sheep.l Let them stay with their mothers for seven days, but give them to me on the eighth day.m

31 “You are to be my holy people.n So do not eat the meat of an animal torn by wild beasts;o throw it to the dogs.