Exodus 18:2-4

2 Now Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, had taken Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her home,
3 along with her 1two sons. The name of the one was Gershom (2for he said, 3"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").

Exodus 18:2-4 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 3

  • 1. Exodus 4:20; Acts 7:29
  • 2. Exodus 2:22
  • 3. Psalms 39:12; Hebrews 11:13

Footnotes 2

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