Exodus 18:1-9

1 Iethro the prest of Madian Moses father in lawe herde of all that God had done vnto Moses and to Israel his people, how that the Lorde had broughte Israel out of Egipte.

2 And he toke Ziphora Moses wyfe, after she was sente backe,

3 and hir .ij. sonnes, of which the one was called Gerson, for he sayde: I haue bene an alient in a straunge lande.

4 And the other was called Eliesar: for the God of my father was myne helpe ad delyuered me from the swerde of Pharao.

5 And Iethro Moses father in lawe came wyth his two sonnes and his wife vnto Moses in to the wildernesse: where he had pitched his tente by the mounte of God.

6 And he sent worde to Moses: I thi father in law Iethro am come to the, and thi wyfe also, and hir two sonnes with her.

7 And Moses went out to mete his father in lawe and dyd obeyssaunce and kyssed him, and they saluted etch other ad came in to the tente.

8 And Moses tolde his father in lawe all that the Lorde had done vnto Pharao and to the Egiptians for Israels sake, and all the trauayle that had happened them by the waye, and how the Lorde had delyuered them.

9 And Iethro reioesed ouer all the good which the Lorde had done to Israel, and because he had delyuered them out of the hande of the Egiptians.

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.