Shemot 18

1 8 When Yitro, the kohen of Midyan, Moshe’s khoten (father-in-law), heard of all that Elohim had done for Moshe, and for Yisroel His people, and that Hashem had brought Yisroel out of Mitzrayim;

2 Then Yitro, Moshe’s khoten, received Tzipporah, Moshe’ wife, after Moshe had sent her away,

3 And her two banim; of which the shem of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been a ger in a foreign land;

4 And the shem of the other was Eliezer; for the Elohei Avi, said he, was ezri (my help), and delivered me from the cherev of Pharaoh;

5 And Yitro, Moshe’s khoten, came with his banim and his isha unto Moshe into the midbar, where he encamped at the Har HaElohim;

6 And he said unto Moshe, I thy khoten (father-in-law) Yitro am come unto thee, and thy isha, and her two banim with her.

7 And Moshe went out to meet his khoten, bowed low, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their shalom (welfare); and they came into the ohel.

8 And Moshe told his khoten all that Hashem had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for the sake of Yisroel, and all the travail that had befallen them along the derech, and how Hashem saved and delivered them.

9 And Yitro rejoiced for all the tovah which Hashem had done for Yisroel, whom He had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.

10 And Yitro said, Baruch Hashem, Who hath rescued you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, and Who hath delivered HaAm from under the hand of the Egyptians.

11 Now I have da’as that Hashem is gadol than kol haelohim; for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly He was above them.

12 And Yitro, Moshe’s khoten, brought an olah and zevakhim for Elohim; and Aharon came, and kol Ziknei Yisroel, to eat lechem with Moshe’s khoten before HaElohim.

13 And it came to pass on next day, that Moshe sat to judge HaAm; and HaAm stood around Moshe from the boker unto erev.

14 And when Moshe’s khoten saw all that he was doing for HaAm, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? Why sittest thou thyself alone, and kol HaAm stand around thee from boker unto erev?

15 And Moshe said unto his khoten, Because HaAm come unto me to inquire of Elohim;

16 When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the chukkei HaElohim, and His torot.

17 And Moshe’s khoten said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not tov.

18 Thou wilt surely wear out, both thou, and HaAm hazeh that is with thee; for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.

19 Shema (pay heed) now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and may Elohim be with thee; be thou for HaAm before HaElohim, that thou mayest bring the disputes unto HaElohim;

20 And thou shalt teach them chukkim and torot, and shalt show them the derech wherein they must walk, and the ma’aseh that they must do.

21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of kol HaAm anshei chayil (able men), yirei Elohim, anshei emes, hating bribes; and place such over them, to be over thousands, and over hundreds, over fifties, and over tens;

22 And let them judge HaAm at all times; and it shall be, that every davar hagadol they shall bring unto thee, but every davar hakaton they shall judge; so shall it be eased for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.

23 If thou shalt do this thing, and Elohim command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and kol HaAm hazeh shall also go to their place in shalom.

24 So Moshe paid heed to the voice of his khoten, and did all that he had said.

25 And Moshe chose anshei chayil out of kol Yisroel, and made them rashim over HaAm, over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.

26 And they judged HaAm at all times; the davar hakasheh (difficult case) they brought unto Moshe, but every devar hakaton they judged themselves.

27 And Moshe let his khoten depart; and he went his way into his own land.

Shemot 18 Commentary

Chapter 18

Jethro brings to Moses his wife and two sons. (1-6) Moses entertains Jethro. (7-12) Jethro's counsel to Moses. (13-27)

Verses 1-6 Jethro came to rejoice with Moses in the happiness of Israel, and to bring his wife and children to him. Moses must have his family with him, that while he ruled the church of God, ( 1 Timothy. 3:5 )

Verses 7-12 Conversation concerning God's wondrous works is good, and edifies. Jethro not only rejoiced in the honour done to his son-in-law, but in all the goodness done to Israel. Standers-by were more affected with the favours God had showed to Israel, than many were who received them. Jethro gave the glory to Israel's God. Whatever we have the joy of, God must have the praise. They joined in a sacrifice of thanksgiving. Mutual friendship is sanctified by joint worship. It is very good for relations and friends to join in the spiritual sacrifice of prayer and praise, as those that meet in Christ. This was a temperate feast; they did eat bread, manna. Jethro must see and taste that bread from heaven, and though a gentile, is welcome: the gentiles are welcomed to Christ the Bread of life.

Verses 13-27 Here is the great zeal and the toil of Moses as a magistrate. Having been employed to redeem Israel out of the house of bondage, he is a further type of Christ, that he is employed as a lawgiver and a judge among them. If the people were as quarrelsome one with another as they were with God, no doubt Moses had many causes brought before him. This business Moses was called to; it appears that he did it with great care and kindness. The meanest Israelite was welcome to bring his cause before him. Moses kept to his business from morning to night. Jethro thought it was too much for him to undertake alone; also it would make the administration of justice tiresome to the people. There may be over-doing even in well-doing. Wisdom is profitable to direct, that we may neither content ourselves with less than our duty, nor task ourselves beyond our strength. Jethro advised Moses to a better plan. Great men should not only study to be useful themselves, but contrive to make others useful. Care must be taken in the choice of the persons admitted into such a trust. They should be men of good sense, that understood business, and that would not be daunted by frowns or clamours, but abhorred the thought of a bribe. Men of piety and religion; such as fear God, who dare not to do a base thing, though they could do it secretly and securely. The fear of God will best fortify a man against temptations to injustice. Moses did not despise this advice. Those are not wise, who think themselves too wise to be counselled.

Chapter Summary

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.