Jethro’s Visit to Moses at the Mountain of God

18 And Jethro, the priest of Midian, the father-in-law of Moses, heard all that God had done for Moses and for Israel, his people, that Yahweh had brought Israel out from Egypt. 2 And Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, took Zipporah the wife of Moses after her sending away, 3 and her two sons—the one whose name was Gershom, for he had said, “I have been an alien in a foreign land,” 4 and the one whose name was Eliezer, for “the God of my father was my help, and he delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.” 5 And Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, came and his sons and his wife to Moses, to the desert where he was camping there at the mountain of God. 6 And he said to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you and your wife and her two sons with her.” 7 And Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and he bowed, and he kissed him, and ⌊they each asked about the other’s welfare⌋,a and they came into the tent.

8 And Moses told his father-in-law all that Yahweh had done to Pharaoh and to Egypt on account of Israel, all the hardship that had found them on the way, and how Yahweh delivered them. 9 And Jethro rejoiced over all the good that Yahweh had done for Israel when he delivered them from the hand of Egypt. 10 And Jethro said, “Blessed be Yahweh, who has delivered you from the hand of Egypt and from the hand of Pharaoh—who has delivered the people from under the hand of Egypt. 11 Now I know that Yahweh is greater than all the gods, ⌊even in the matter where they the Egyptians dealt arrogantly against the Israelites⌋.”b 12 And Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God, and Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat bread with the father-in-law of Moses before God.

13 ⌊And⌋c the next day, Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood before Moses from the morning until the evening. 14 And the father-in-law of Moses saw all that he was doing for the people, and he said, “What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why are you sitting alone and all the people are standing by you from morning until evening?” 15 And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to seek God. 16 When ⌊they have an issue⌋,d it comes to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor, and I make known God’s rule and his instructions.”

17 And the father-in-law of Moses said to him, “The thing that you are doing is not good. 18 Surely you will wear out, both you and this people who are with you, because the thing is too ⌊difficult⌋e for you. You are not able to do it alone. 19 Now listen to my voice; I will advise you, and may God be with you. You be for the people before God, and you bring the issues to God. 20 And you warn them of the rules and the instructions, and you make known to them the way in which they must walk and the work that they must do. 21 And you will select from all the people men of ability, fearers of God, trustworthy men, haters of dishonest gain,f and you will appoint such men over them as commanders of thousands, commanders of hundreds, commanders of fifties, and commanders of tens. 22 And let them judge the people all the time, ⌊and⌋g every major issue they will bring to you, and every minor issue they will judge themselves. And so lighten it for yourself, and they will bear it with you. 23 If you will do this thing and God will command you, then you will be able to endure, and also each of the people will go to his homeh in peace.”

24 And Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law, and he did all that he had said. 25 And Moses chose men of ability from all Israel, and he appointed them as heads over the people, as commanders of thousands, commanders of hundreds, commanders of fifties, and commanders of tens. 26 And they judged the people all the time; the difficult issuesi they would bring to Moses, and every minor issue they would judge themselves. 27 And Moses let his father-in-law go, and he went to his land.

Preparation for Receiving the Covenant at Mount Sinai

19 In the third month after the ⌊Israelites⌋a went out from the land of Egypt, on this day they came to the Sinai desert. 2 They set out from Rephidim, and they came to the desert of Sinai, and they camped in the desert, and Israel camped there in front of the mountain.

3 And Moses went up to God, and Yahweh called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you will say to the house of Jacob and you will tell the ⌊Israelites⌋,b 4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and I brought you to me. 5 And now if you will carefully listen to my voice and keep my covenant, you will be a treasured possession for me out of all the peoples, ⌊for all the earth is mine⌋,c 6 but you, you will belong to me as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you will speak to the ⌊Israelites⌋.”d

7 And Moses came and called the elders of the people, and he placed before them all these words that Yahweh had commanded him. 8 And all the people together answered and said, “All that Yahweh has spoken we will do.” And Moses brought back the words of the people to Yahweh. 9 And Yahweh said to Moses, “Look, I am going to come to you in ⌊a thick cloud⌋e in order that the people will hear when I speak with you and will also trust in you forever.” And Moses told the words of the people to Yahweh.

10 And Yahweh said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. They must wash their clothes, 11 and they must be prepared for the third day, because on the third day, Yahweh will go down on Mount Sinai before the eyes of all the people. 12 And you must set limits for the people all around, saying, ‘Guard yourselves ⌊against⌋f going up to the mountain and touching its edge. Anyone touching the mountain will certainly be put to death. 13 Not a hand will touch it, because he will certainly be stoned or certainly be shot; whether an animal or a man, he will not live.’ At the blowing of the ram’s horn they may go up to the mountain.”

14 And Moses went down from the mountain to the people, and he consecrated the people, and they washed their clothes. 15 And he said to the people, “Be ready ⌊for the third day⌋.g Do not go near to a woman.”

16 ⌊And⌋h on the third day, when it was morning, there was thunder and lightning, and a heavy cloud over the mountain and a very loud ram’s horn sound, and all the people who were in the camp trembled. 17 And Moses brought the people out from the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. 18 And Mount Sinai was all wrapped in smoke because Yahweh went down on it in the fire, and its smoke went up like the smoke of a smelting furnace, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. 19 And the sound of the ram’s horn became ⌊louder and louder⌋,i and Moses would speak, and God would answer him with a voice.

20 And Yahweh went down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain, and Yahweh called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. 21 And Yahweh said to Moses, “Go down, warn the people, lest they break through to Yahweh to see and many from them fall. 22 And even the priests who come near Yahweh must consecrate themselves, lest Yahweh break out against them.” 23 And Moses said to Yahweh, “The people are not able to go up to Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, saying, ‘Set limits around the mountain and consecrate it.’ ” 24 And Yahweh said to him, “Go, go down, and come up, you and Aaron with you and the priests, but the people must not break through to go up to Yahweh, lest he break out against them.” 25 And Moses went down to the people, and he told them.j

Ten Commandments

20 And God spoke all these words, saying, 2 “I am Yahweh, your God, who brought you out from the land of Egypt, from the house of slaves.

3 “There shall be for you no other gods before me.

4 “You shall not make for yourself a divine image with any form that is in the heavens above or that is in the earth below or that is in the water below the earth. 5 You will not bow down to them, and you will not serve them, because I am Yahweh your God, a jealous God, punishing the guilt of the parents on the children on the third and on the fourth generationsa of those hating me, 6 and showing loyal love to thousands of generationsb of those loving me and of those keeping my commandments.

7 “You shall not ⌊misuse the name of Yahweh your God⌋,c because Yahweh will not leave unpunished anyone who ⌊misuses his name⌋.d

8 “Remember the day of the Sabbath, to consecrate it. 9 Six days you will work, and you will do all your work. 10 But the seventh day is a Sabbath for Yahweh your God; you will not do any work—you or your son or your daughter, your male slave or your female slave, or your animal, or your alien who is in your gates—11 because in six days Yahweh made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and on the seventh day he rested. Therefore Yahweh blessed the seventh day and consecrated it.

12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that your days can be long on the land that Yahweh your God is giving you.

13 “You shall not murder.

14 “You shall not commit adultery.

15 “You shall not steal.

16 “You shall not testify against your neighbor with a false witness.

17 “You shall not covet the house of your neighbor; you will not covet the wife of your neighbor or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that is your neighbor’s.”

18 And all the people were seeing the thunder and the lightning and the sound of the ram’s horn and the mountain smoking, and the people saw, and they trembled, and they stood at a distance. 19 And they said to Moses, “You speak with us, and we will listen, but let not God speak with us, lest we die.” 20 And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you so that his fear will be before you so that you do not sin.” 21 And the people stood at a distance, and Moses approached the very thick cloud where God was.

Instructions for Building Altars

22 And Yahweh said to Moses, “Thus you will say to the ⌊Israelites⌋,e ‘You yourselves have seen that I have spoken to you from the heavens. 23 You will not make alongside me gods of silver, and gods of gold you will not make for yourselves. 24 An altar of earth you will make for me, and you will sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your fellowship offerings, your sheep and your cattle. In every place where I cause my name to be remembered,f I will come to you, and I will bless you. 25 And if you make an altar of stones for me, you will not build them as hewn stone, because if you use your chisel on it, you have defiled it. 26 You will not go up with steps onto my altar, that your nakedness not be exposed on it.’

Regulations Regarding Hebrew Slaves

21 “And these are the regulations that you will set before them.

2 ‘If you buy a Hebrew slave, he will serve six years, and in the seventh he will go out as free for nothing.a 3 If he comes in single, he will go out single. If he is the husband of a wife, his wife will go out with him. 4 If his master gives him a wife and she bears for him sons or daughters, the wife and her children will belong to her master, and the slave will go out single. 5 But if the slave explicitly says, “I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,” 6 his master will present him to Godb and bring him to the door or to the doorpost, and his master will pierce his ear with an awl, and he will serve him forever.

7 “ ‘And if a man sells his daughter as a slave woman, she will not go out as male slaves go out. 8 If ⌊she does not please her master⌋c who selected her, he will allow her to be redeemed; he has no authority to sell her to foreign people, since he has dealt treacherously with her. 9 And if he selects her for his son, he shall do for her according to the regulations for daughters. 10 If he takes for himself another, he will not reduce her food, her clothing, or her right of cohabitation. 11 And if he does not do for her these three, she shall go out for nothing; there will not be silverd paid for her.

Regulations Regarding Murder, Manslaughter, and Various Injuries

12 “ ‘⌊Whoever strikes someone⌋e and he dies will surely be put to death. 13 But if he did not lie in wait ⌊and it was an accident⌋,f I will appoint for you a place to which he may flee. 14 But if a man schemes against his neighbor to kill him by treachery,g you will take him from my altar to die. 15 And ⌊whoever strikes⌋h his father or his mother will surely be put to death.

16 “ ‘And ⌊whoever kidnaps someone⌋i and sells him, or he is found in his possession,j he will surely be put to death.

17 “ ‘And one who curses his father or his mother will surely be put to death.

18 “ ‘And if men quarrel and a man strikes his neighbor with a stone or with a fist and he does not die, but ⌊he is confined to bed⌋,k 19 if he stands and walks about in the outside on his staff, the striker will be unpunished; he will only pay for his inactivityl ⌊toward his full recovery⌋.”m 20 And if a man strikes his male slave or his female slave with the rod and he dies under his hand, he will surely be avenged. 21 Yet if he survives a day or two days, he will not be avenged, because he is his money.n

22 “ ‘And if men fight and they injure a pregnant woman, and her children go out and there is not serious injury, he will surely be fined as the woman’s husband demands concerning him ⌊and as the judges determine⌋.o 23 And if there is serious injury, you will give life in place of life, 24 eye in place of eye, tooth in place of tooth, hand in place of hand, foot in place of foot, 25 burn in place of burn, wound in place of wound, bruise in place of bruise.

26 “ ‘And if a man strikes the eye of his male slave or the eye of his female slave and destroys it, he shall release him as free in place of his eye. 27 And if he causes the tooth of his male slave or the tooth of his female slave to fall out, he will release him as free in place of his tooth.

28 “ ‘And if an ox gores a man or a woman and he dies, the ox will surely be stoned, and its meat will not be eaten, and the owner of the ox is innocent. 29 But if it was a goring ox ⌊before⌋p and its owner was warned and did not restrain it and it kills a man or a woman, the ox will be stoned, and the owner also will be put to death. 30 If a ransom is set on him, he will pay the redemption money for his life according to all that is set on him. 31 If it gores a son or it gores a daughter, according to this regulation it shall be done to him. 32 If the ox gores a male slave or a female slave, he will give thirty shekels of silver to his master, and the ox will be stoned.

33 “ ‘If a man opens a pit or if a man digs a pit and he does not cover it and an ox or a donkey falls into it, 34 the owner of the pit will pay restitution; he will pay silver to its owner, but the dead animal will be for him.q 35 And if a man’s ox injures the ox of his neighbor and it dies, they will sell the living ox and divide the ⌊money⌋,r and they will also divide the dead one. 36 Or if it was known that it was a goring ox ⌊before⌋s and its owner did not restrain it, he will surely make restitution, an ox in place of the ox, and the dead one will be for him.

Regulations Regarding Theft, Borrowing, and Accidental Damage or Loss

22 a “ ‘If a man steals an ox or small livestock and slaughters it or sells it, he will make restitution with five cattle in place of the ox and with four sheep or goats in place of the small livestock. 2 “ ‘If a thief is found in the act of breaking in and he is struck and he dies, there is not bloodguilt for him. 3 (If the sun has risen over him, there is bloodguilt for him. He will make full restitution. If ⌊he does not have enough⌋,b he will be sold for his theft. 4 If indeed the stolen item is found ⌊in his possession⌋c alive, from ox to donkey to small livestock, he will make double restitution.

5 “ ‘If a man grazes his livestock in a field or a vineyard and he releases his livestock and it grazes in the field of another, he will make restitution from the best of his field and the best of his vineyard.

6 “ ‘If a fire is started and finds thorn bushes and a stack of sheaves or the standing grain or the field is consumed, the one who started the fire will surely make restitution.

7 “ ‘If a man gives to his neighbor money or objects to watch over and it is stolen from the house of the man, if the thief is found, he will make double restitution. 8 If the thief is not found, the owner of the house will be brought ⌊to the sanctuary⌋d to learn whether or not he reached out his hand to his neighbor’s possession. 9 Concerning every account of transgression—concerning an ox, concerning a donkey, concerning small livestock, concerning clothing, concerning all lost property—where someone says, “This belongs to me,” the matter of the two of them will come to God;e whomever God declares guilty will make double restitution to his neighbor.

10 “ ‘If a man gives to his neighbor a donkey or an ox or small livestock or any beast to watch over and it dies or is injured or is captured when there is no one who sees, 11 the oath of Yahweh will be between the two of them concerning whether or not he has reached out his hand to his neighbor’s possession, and its owner will accept this, and he will not make restitution. 12 But if indeed it was stolen from him, he will make restitution to its owner. 13 If indeed it was torn to pieces, he will bring it as evidence—the mangled carcass; he will not make restitution.

14 “ ‘If a man borrows from his neighbor and it is injured or dies while its owner is not with it, he will make restitution. 15 If its owner was with it, he will not make restitution; if it was hired, it came with its hiring fee.

Regulations Regarding Various Offences

16 “ ‘If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged and he lies with her, he surely will give her bride price ⌊to have her as his wife⌋.f 17 If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he will weigh out money according to the bride price for the virgin.

18 “ ‘You will not let a witch live.

19 “ ‘Anyone lying with an animal will surely be put to death.

20 “ ‘Whoever sacrifices to the gods—not to Yahweh, to him alone—will be destroyed.

Regulations Regarding Foreigners and the Poor

21 “ ‘You will not mistreat an alien, and you will not oppress him, because you were aliens in the land of Egypt.

22 “ ‘You will not afflict any widow or orphan. 23 If you indeed afflict him, yes, if he cries out at all to me, I will certainly hear his cry of distress. 24 And ⌊I will become angry⌋,g and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives will be widows and your children orphans.

25 “ ‘If you lend money to my people, to the needy with you, you will not be to him as a creditor; you will not ⌊charge him interest⌋.h 26 If indeed you require the cloak of your neighbor as a pledge, you will return it to him at sundown, 27 because it is his only garment; it is his cloak for his skin. In what will he sleep? ⌊And⌋i when he cries out to me, I will hear, because I am gracious.

Regulations Regarding Tribute and Holiness

28 “ ‘You will not curse God,j and you will not curse a leader among your people.

29 “ ‘You will not delay the fullness of your harvest and the juice from your press; you will give me the firstborn of your sons. 30 You will do likewise for your ox and for your sheep and goats; seven days it will be with its mother; on the eighth, you will give it to me. 31 And you will be men of holiness for me; and you will not eat meat from a carcass mangled in the field; you will throw it to the dog.