Study Desk

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

Moses said to Aaron, "Take a jar and put in it an omer full of manna, and place it before the Lord to be kept for generations to come."

Just as the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before the Testimony for safekeeping.

The whole community of the Israelites traveled on their journey from the Desert of Sin according to the Lord 's instruction, and they pitched camp in Rephidim. Now there was no water for the people to drink.

But the people were very thirsty there for water, and they murmured against Moses and said, "Why in the world did you bring us up out of Egypt—to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?"

The Lord said to Moses, "Write this as a memorial in the book, and rehearse it in Joshua's hearing; for I will surely wipe out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.

for he said, "For a hand was lifted up to the throne of the Lord —that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation."

Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard about all that God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, that the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt.

and her two sons, one of whom was named Gershom (for Moses had said, "I have been a foreigner in a foreign land"),

and the other Eliezer (for Moses had said, "The God of my father has been my help and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh").

Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to Egypt for Israel's sake, and all the hardship that had come on them along the way, and how the Lord had delivered them.

Jethro rejoiced because of all the good that the Lord had done for Israel, whom he had delivered from the hand of Egypt.

Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods, for in the thing in which they dealt proudly against them he has destroyed them."

Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices for God, and Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat food with the father-in-law of Moses before God.

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

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

Now listen to me, I will give you advice, and may God be with you: You be a representative for the people to God, and you bring their disputes to God;

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

And now, if you will diligently listen to me and keep my covenant, then you will be my special possession out of all the nations, for all the earth is mine,

and be ready for the third day, for on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.