Exodus 18:11
in Exodus 18Now I know that the LORD is greater than all other gods, for He did this when they treated Israel with arrogance.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Now I know that Jehovah is greater than all gods; yea, in the thing wherein they dealt proudly against them.
KJV
Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them.
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This verse in Exodus 18
Commentary
5 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Greater than all gods - See Exo 15:11. The words simply indicate a conviction of the incomparable might and majesty of Yahweh. For in ... above them - i. e. the greatness of Yahweh was shown in those transactions wherein the Egyptians had thought to deal haughtily and cruelly against the Israelites. Jethro refers especially to the destruction of the Egyptian host in the Red Sea.
This site's exposition
Now I know that the Lord is greater
The confession comes from outside Israel, and it answers in plain words the question the song of Moses had asked at 15:11, who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods. Exodus 12:12 had promised that against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment, and Jethro is the first man in the book to say out loud that the judgment landed. His ground is the place where Egypt was proudest, in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them, which commentators have generally read as the sea.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods,....
Observe, (1.) The matter of his faith: that the God of Israel is greater than all pretenders, all false and counterfeit-deities, that usurp divine honours; he silences them, subdues them, and is too hard for them all, and therefore is himself the only living and true God.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods - Some think that Jethro was now converted to the true God; but it is very probable that he enjoyed this blessing before he knew any thing of Moses, for it is not likely that Moses would have entered into an alliance with this family had they been heathens. Jethro no doubt had the true patriarchal religion. Wherein they dealt proudly - Acting as tyrants over the people of God; enslaving them in the most unprincipled manner, and still purposing more tyrannical acts. He was above them - he showed himself to be infinitely superior to all their gods, by the miracles which he wrought. Various translations have been given of this clause; the above I believe to be the sense.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
FOR IT IS IN THE THING THAT ‘ZADU’ UPON THEM. The meaning of this is that in the matter wherein the Egyptians premeditated. Ramban thus explains the word zadu on the basis of zadon (premeditated, conscious sin), as is explained further in the text.
2 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
BLESSED BE THE ETERNAL, WHO HATH DELIVERED YOU OUT OF THE HAND OF THE EGYPTIANS, AND OUT OF THE HAND OF PHARAOH; WHO HATH DELIVERED THE PEOPLE FROM UNDER THE HAND OF THE EGYPTIANS. 66 The text presents these difficulties: Why is the hand of the Egyptians mentioned twice?
All this took place before they came to Mount Sinai. 78 See above at the beginning of this Seder, where Ramban develops at length his explanation that Jethro, having arrived at the mount of G-d, sent a messenger to Moses in Rephidim, informing him of his arrival.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
12 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| עַתָּ֣ה | ʾatah | now | H6258 → | 433 times |
| יָדַ֔עְתִּי | yada'ti | I know | H3045 → | 945 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| גָד֥וֹל | gadol | [is] great | H1419 → | 526 times |
| יְהוָ֖ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| מִכָּל־ | mikol | more than all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים | haelohim | the gods | H430 → | 2601 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| בַדָּבָ֔ר | vadavar | in the matter | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| זָד֖וּ | zadu | they have acted presumptuously | H2102 → | |
| עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ | ʾaleihem | on them | H5921 → | 5755 times |
עַתָּ֣הnow
ʾatahH6258 →433 times
יָדַ֔עְתִּיI know
yada'tiH3045 →945 times
כִּֽי־that
ki-H3588 →4482 times
גָד֥וֹל[is] great
gadolH1419 →526 times
יְהוָ֖הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
מִכָּל־more than all
mikolH3605 →5413 times
הָאֱלֹהִ֑יםthe gods
haelohimH430 →2601 times
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
בַדָּבָ֔רin the matter
vadavarH1697 →1440 times
אֲשֶׁ֥רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
זָד֖וּthey have acted presumptuously
zaduH2102 →
עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃on them
ʾaleihemH5921 →5755 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Exodus 15:11Who among the gods is like You, O LORD? Who is like You—majestic in holiness, revered with praises, performing wonders?
it leads to
- 1 Kings 8:23
and said: “O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven above or on earth below, keeping Your covenant of loving devotion with Your servants who walk before You with…
- Psalms 89:5–8
The heavens praise Your wonders, O LORD— Your faithfulness as well— in the assembly of the holy ones.
- 1 Samuel 2:2
There is no one holy like the LORD. Indeed, there is no one besides You! And there is no Rock like our God.
- 2 Samuel 7:22
How great You are, O Lord GOD! For there is none like You, and there is no God but You, according to everything we have heard with our own ears.
- Revelation 4:8
And each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around and within. Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty,…
- 1 Kings 8:23
Through
Psalms 95:3For the LORD is a great God, a great King above all gods.
it leads to
- Psalms 97:9
For You, O LORD, are Most High over all the earth; You are exalted far above all gods.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 135:5
For I know that the LORD is great; our Lord is above all gods.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 96:4
For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods.
- Psalms 97:9
About Exodus
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.