Exodus 18:1-12

Jethro,¹ the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah,² his father-in-law Jethro took her back, along with her two sons. The name of one was Gershom (for he said, ‘I have been an alien³ in a foreign land’), and the name of the other, Eliezer (for he said, ‘The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh’).

Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came into the wilderness where Moses was encamped at the mountain of God, bringing Moses’ sons and wife to him. He sent word to Moses, ‘I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you, with your wife and her two sons.’ Moses went out to meet his father-in-law; he bowed down and kissed him; each asked after the other’s welfare, and they went into the tent. Then Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had beset them on the way, and how the Lord had delivered them.⁴ Jethro rejoiced for all the good that the Lord had done to Israel,⁵ in delivering them from the Egyptians.
Jethro said, ‘Blessed be the Lord, who has delivered you from the Egyptians and from Pharaoh. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods,⁶ because he delivered the people from the Egyptians, when they dealt arrogantly with them.’ And Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt-offering and sacrifices to God;⁷ and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of God.



1 The name “Jethro” is used here, rather than the “Reuel” or “Hobab” used elsewhere.

2 Why did he send away Zipporah? The narrative is unclear.

3 Does he see himself as a Hebrew or a Midianite? Or is he an alien everywhere? The name was given to reflect Moses's feelings, but I wonder how the son feels.

4 Moses retelling of events is focused on two things alone: the hardships they went through, and how God delivered them from it all.

5 Though not an Israelite, he rejoices for the sake of Israel.

6 As the deeds were a sign to the Israelites, and a sign to the Egyptians, Jethro's praise signifies how they are a sign to the wider world as well.

7 The result is worship.

Take-home: Moses's father-in-law is reintroduced to the story in order to show how God's works have brought recognition of him not only to the Israelites and to the Egyptians, but to other people as well. God's glory among the Israelites can lead to worship from other people's.