This is a short chapter and is pretty straightforward. Jethro has heard about Moses and all that the LORD has done to Egypt and for Israel. He comes out to the wilderness to meet Moses and brings Zipporah and their two sons, reuniting the family. When Jethro sees how Moses sits all day every day hearing disputing and ruling between the people, he counsels him to delegate that responsibility.

Exodus 18

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

2 Now Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, had taken in Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her back

3 And her two sons; of which the name of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land:

4 And the name of the other was Eliezer; for the God of my father, he said, was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh:

5 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped at the mount of God:

6 He said to Moses “I, your father-in-law Jethro, have come to you, and your wife, and her two sons with her.”

7 And Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare; and they went inside the tent.

8 Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, and all the travail that had come upon them by the way, and how the LORD delivered them.

9 Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.

10 And Jethro said “Blessed be the LORD, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.

11 Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods: for he did this to those who treated Israel arrogantly.”

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

13 The next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood by Moses from the morning until the evening.

14 And when Moses’  father-in-law saw all that he did for the people, he said “What is this thing that you do for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand by you from morning until evening?”

15 Moses said to his father-in-law “Because the people come to me to enquire of God:

16 When they have a matter, they come to me; and I judge between one and another, and I make known to them the statutes of God and his laws.”

17 And Moses’ father-in-law said to him “The thing that you do is not good.

18 You will surely wear out, both you and this people that is with you: for this thing is too heavy for you and you are not able to perform it alone.

19 Listen to me now, I will give you counsel, and God will be with you: Be the representative for the people to God, that you may bring the causes to God:

20 And you shall teach them ordinances and laws, and show them the way in which they must walk, and the work that they must do.

21 You should choose out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating bribes; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:

22 Let them judge the people at all times: and in every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for yourself, and they shall bear the burden with you. 

23 If you wlll do this thing, and God so command you, then you will be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.”

24 So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said.

25 And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

26 And they judged the people at all times: the hard cases they brought to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

27 And Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way into his own land.

Compare and contrast with Exodus 18 in the ESV, HCSB, NASB and NIV.