Exodus 18:1-9

1 When Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done with Moses and with Israel his people and how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt,

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

3 and her two sons, of which the name of the one was Gershon, for he said, I have been an alien in a strange land,

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

5 and Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness, where he was camped next to the mount of God;

6 and he said unto Moses, I, thy father-in-law Jethro, am come unto thee and thy wife and her two sons with her.

7 And Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and did obeisance and kissed him; and they asked each other of their peace; and they came into the tent.

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

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

Exodus 18:1-9 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.