Exodus 18:1-6

Jethro's Visit

1 Moses' father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard about everything that God had done for Moses and His people Israel, and how 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 along with her two sons, one of whom was named Gershom (because Moses had said, "I have been a stranger in a foreign land")^{[a] [b]}

4 and the other Eliezer (because [he had said,] "The God of my father was my helper and delivered me from Pharaoh's sword").^{[c] [d]}

5 Moses' father-in-law Jethro, along with Moses' wife and sons, came to him in the wilderness where he was camped at the mountain of God.

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

Exodus 18:1-6 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. The name Gershom sounds like Hb "a stranger there"
• [b]. Ex 2:22
• [c]. My God Is Help
• [d]. Ex 2:15