Exoduschapter 18

A.Jethro Brings Zipporah and Rejoicesvv. 1-12

1 Now Moses’ father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard about all that God had done for Moses and His people Israel, and how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt. 2 After Moses had sent back his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro had received her, 3 along with her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses had said, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land.” 4 The other son was named Eliezer, for Moses had said, “The God of my father was my helper and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.” 5 Moses’ father-in-law Jethro, along with Moses’ wife and sons, came to him in the desert, where he was encamped 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.” 7 So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and went into the tent. 8 Then Moses recounted to his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardships they had encountered along the way, and how the LORD had delivered them. 9 And Jethro rejoiced over all the good things the LORD had done for Israel, whom He had rescued from the hand of the Egyptians. 10 Jethro declared, “Blessed be the LORD, who has delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who has delivered the people from the hand of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that the LORD is greater than all other gods, for He did this when they treated Israel with arrogance.” 12 Then Moses’ father-in-law Jethro brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of God.

B.Choose Able Men to Judgevv. 13-27

13 The next day Moses took his seat to judge the people, and they stood around him from morning until evening. 14 When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he asked, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone as judge, with all the people standing around you from morning till evening?” 15 “Because the people come to me to inquire of God,” Moses replied. 16 “Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me to judge between one man and another, and I make known to them the statutes and laws of God.” 17 But Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. 18 Surely you and these people with you will wear yourselves out, because the task is too heavy for you. You cannot handle it alone. 19 Now listen to me; I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their causes to Him. 20 Teach them the statutes and laws, and show them the way to live and the work they must do. 21 Furthermore, select capable men from among the people—God-fearing, trustworthy men who are averse to dishonest gain. Appoint them over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. 22 Have these men judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you any major issue, but all minor cases they can judge on their own, so that your load may be lightened as they share it with you. 23 If you follow this advice and God so directs you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people can go home in peace.” 24 Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. 25 So Moses chose capable men from all Israel and made them heads over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. 26 And they judged the people at all times; they would bring the difficult cases to Moses, but any minor issue they would judge themselves. 27 Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro returned to his own land.

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Chapter summary

Jethro's counsel.

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Jethro's counsel. The priest of Midian brings Zipporah and the two sons back to Moses at the mount of God. He rejoices in the LORD's deliverance; offers a burnt offering; eats bread with Aaron and the elders. Watching Moses judge the people alone from morning to evening, he advises: ‘the thing that thou doest is not good … thou wilt surely wear away, both thou and this people’. Rulers of thousands, hundreds, fifties, tens. Great matters to Moses; small matters themselves. Moses hearkens. The first governmental reform of Israel comes from a Gentile father-in-law. Scripture acknowledges wisdom where it is found. Jethro returns home.

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament and John Calvin, Commentaries.

Context

Law · Moses — Exodus overview

A. 1–12 Jethro Brings Zipporah and Rejoices
B. 13–27 Choose Able Men to Judge

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

Exodus 186 verses
- Exodus 18:2After Moses had sent back his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro had received her,
- Exodus 18:14When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he asked, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone as judge, with all the people standing around you from morning till evening?”
- Exodus 18:18Surely you and these people with you will wear yourselves out, because the task is too heavy for you. You cannot handle it alone.
- Exodus 18:19Now listen to me; I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their causes to Him.
- Exodus 18:21Furthermore, select capable men from among the people—God-fearing, trustworthy men who are averse to dishonest gain. Appoint them over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
- Exodus 18:22Have these men judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you any major issue, but all minor cases they can judge on their own, so that your load may be lightened as they share it with you.
- Read Exodus 18 →
Exodus 23 verses
- Exodus 2:16Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father’s flock.
- Exodus 2:21Moses agreed to stay with the man, and he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage.
- Exodus 2:22And she gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom, saying, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land.”
- Read Exodus 2 →
Deuteronomy 13 verses
- Deuteronomy 1:13Choose for yourselves wise, understanding, and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will appoint them as your leaders.”
- Deuteronomy 1:15So I took the leaders of your tribes, wise and respected men, and appointed them as leaders over you—as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens, and as officers for your tribes.
- Deuteronomy 1:18And at that time I commanded you all the things you were to do.
- Read Deuteronomy 1 →
Exodus 32 verses
- Exodus 3:1Meanwhile, Moses was shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
- Exodus 3:12“I will surely be with you,” God said, “and this will be the sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, all of you will worship God on this mountain.”
- Read Exodus 3 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

Numbers 272 verses
- Numbers 27:2the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and the whole congregation, and said,
- Numbers 27:5So Moses brought their case before the LORD,
- Read Numbers 27 →
Romans 122 verses
- Romans 12:8if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is giving, let him give generously; if it is leading, let him lead with diligence; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
- Romans 12:15Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.
- Read Romans 12 →
Exodus 242 verses
- Exodus 24:5Then he sent out some young men of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as peace offerings to the LORD.
- Exodus 24:14And he said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we return to you. Aaron and Hur are here with you. Whoever has a dispute can go to them.”
- Read Exodus 24 →
Numbers 152 verses
- Numbers 15:33Those who found the man gathering wood brought him to Moses, Aaron, and the whole congregation,
- Numbers 15:34and because it had not been declared what should be done to him, they placed him in custody.
- Read Numbers 15 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.