Exodus 18:1-7

Jethro's Advice

1 1Jethro, 2the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.
2 Now Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, had taken Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her home,
3 along with her 3two sons. The name of the one was Gershom (4for he said, 5"I have been a sojourner[a] in a foreign land"),
4 and the name of the other, Eliezer[b] (for he said, "The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh").
5 Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was encamped at the 6mountain of God.
6 And when he sent word to Moses, "I,[c] your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her,"
7 Moses 7went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and 8kissed him. And they asked each other of their welfare and went into the tent.

Exodus 18:1-7 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 18

This chapter gives an account of Jethro, Moses's father-in-law, with Zipporah his daughter, the wife of Moses, and her two sons, meeting him in the wilderness, who was kindly received by him, Ex 18:1-7 and on Moses' relating the great things God had done for Israel, Jethro expressed his joy on that account, gave praise to God, offered sacrifice, and kept a feast with the elders of Israel, Ex 18:8-12, and observing the constant and fatiguing business Moses had on his hands from morning to evening in judging the people, Ex 18:13-18, he gave him advice to appoint persons under him to receive laws and ordinances from him, he should have from God, and, according to them, judge and govern the people under them, some being rulers of thousands, others of hundreds, others of fifties, and some of tens, Ex 18:19-23, which counsel was acceptable to Moses, and he took it, Ex 18:24-26 and the chapter is concluded with their friendly parting, Ex 18:27.

Cross References 8

  • 1. [Exodus 2:18]
  • 2. ver. 12; Exodus 2:16
  • 3. Exodus 4:20; Acts 7:29
  • 4. Exodus 2:22
  • 5. Psalms 39:12; Hebrews 11:13
  • 6. See Exodus 3:1
  • 7. Genesis 14:17; Genesis 18:2; Genesis 19:1; 1 Kings 2:19
  • 8. [Genesis 29:13; Genesis 33:4]; 2 Samuel 19:39

Footnotes 3

  • [a]. Gershom sounds like the Hebrew word for sojourner
  • [b]. Eliezer means My God is help
  • [c]. Hebrew; Samaritan, Septuagint, Syriac behold
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.