Bible Verses About Journey of Israel Through The Desert

Thus Y'hoshua defeated 'Amalek, putting their people to the sword.

Now Yitro the priest of Midyan, Moshe's father-in-law, heard about all that God had done for Moshe and for Isra'el his people, how ADONAI had brought Isra'el out of Egypt.

After Moshe had sent away his wife Tzipporah and her two sons, Yitro Moshe's father-in-law had taken them back.

The name of the one son was Gershom [a foreigner there], for Moshe had said, "I have been a foreigner in a foreign land."

The name of the other was Eli'ezer [my God helps], "because the God of my father helped me by rescuing me from Pharaoh's sword."

Yitro Moshe's father-in-law brought Moshe's sons and wife to him in the desert where he was encamped, at the mountain of God.

He sent word to Moshe, "I, your father-in-law Yitro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons."

When Moshe's father-in-law saw all that he was doing to the people, he said, "What is this that you are doing to the people? Why do you sit there alone, with all the people standing around you from morning till evening?"

Moshe answered his father-in-law, "It's because the people come to me seeking God's guidance.

Whenever they have a dispute, it comes to me; I judge between one person and another, and I explain to them God's laws and teachings."

Moshe's father-in-law said to him, "What you are doing isn't good.

You will certainly wear yourself out - and not only yourself, but these people here with you as well. It's too much for you - you can't do it alone, by yourself.

So listen now to what I have to say. I will give you some advice, and God will be with you. You should represent the people before God, and you should bring their cases to God.

You should also teach them the laws and the teachings, and show them how to live their lives and what work they should do.

But you should choose from among all the people competent men who are God-fearing, honest and incorruptible to be their leaders, in charge of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.

Normally, they will settle the people's disputes. They should bring you the difficult cases; but ordinary matters they should decide themselves. In this way, they will make it easier for you and share the load with you.

If you do this - and God is directing you to do it - you will be able to endure; and all these people too will arrive at their destination peacefully."

Moshe paid attention to his father-in-law's counsel and did everything he said.

Moshe chose competent men from all Isra'el and made them heads over the people, in charge of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.

As a general rule, they settled the people's disputes - the difficult cases they brought to Moshe, but every simple matter they decided themselves.

Then God said all these words: t

"I am ADONAI your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the abode of slavery. c

"You are to have no other gods before me.

You are not to make for yourselves a carved image or any kind of representation of anything in heaven above, on the earth beneath or in the water below the shoreline.

You are not to bow down to them or serve them; for I, ADONAI your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sins of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,