They judged the people under normal circumstances; the difficult cases they would bring ¹  to Moses, but every small case they would judge themselves.

The Lord set ¹  an appointed time, saying, “Tomorrow the Lord will do this ²  in the land.”

You must observe this event as an ordinance for you and for your children forever.

Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What ¹  you are doing is not good!

When the people heard this troubling word ¹  they mourned; ²  no one put on his ornaments.

They will judge ¹  the people under normal circumstances, ²  and every difficult case ³  they will bring to you, but every small case ⁴  they themselves will judge, so that ⁵  you may make it easier for yourself, ⁶  and they will bear the burden ⁷  with you.

Then the king of Egypt summoned ¹  the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this and let the boys live?” ² 

And the Lord did this ¹  on the next day; ²  all ³  the livestock of the Egyptians ⁴  died, but of the Israelites’ livestock not one died.

“This is what ¹  the Lord has commanded: ²  ‘Each person is to gather ³  from it what he can eat, an omer ⁴  per person ⁵  according to the number ⁶  of your people; ⁷  each one will pick it up ⁸  for whoever lives ⁹  in his tent.’”

You will surely wear out, ¹  both you and these people who are with you, for this is too ²  heavy a burden ³  for you; you are not able to do it by yourself.

If you do this thing, and God so commands you, ¹  then you will be able ²  to endure, ³  and all these people ⁴  will be able to go ⁵  home ⁶  satisfied.” ⁷ 

¹ “Now this is what ²  you are to do for them to consecrate them so that they may minister as my priests. Take a young ³  bull and two rams without blemish; ⁴ 

The Lord said to Moses, “I will do this thing also that you have requested, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know ¹  you by name.”

¹ Moses spoke to the whole community of the Israelites, “This is the word that the Lord has commanded:

The man ¹  replied, “Who made you a ruler ²  and a judge over us? Are you planning ³  to kill me like you killed that ⁴  Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid, thinking, ⁵  “Surely what I did ⁶  has become known.”

When Pharaoh heard ¹  about this event, ²  he sought to kill Moses. So Moses fled ³  from Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian, ⁴  and he settled ⁵  by a certain well. ⁶ 

Isn’t this what we told you ¹  in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone so that we can serve the Egyptians, ²  because it is better for us to serve ³  the Egyptians than to die in the desert!’” ⁴ 

Moses said, “This is what ¹  the Lord has commanded: ‘Fill an omer with it to be kept ²  for generations to come, ³  so that they may see ⁴  the food I fed you in the desert when I brought you out from the land of Egypt.’”

When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this ¹  that you are doing for the people? ²  Why are you sitting by yourself, and all the people stand around you from morning until evening?”