Bible Study Reader

Exodus 18

Introduction

Exodus 18 provides a remarkable narrative interlude between Israel's wilderness trials and the great theophany at Sinai. After the crossing of the Red Sea, the victory over Amalek, and the provision of manna and water, the story pauses for a domestic reunion and a lesson in governance. Moses' father-in-law Jethro, a Midianite priest, hears of all that God has done for Israel, brings Moses' wife Zipporah and their two sons to him in the wilderness, and responds to the exodus story with a spontaneous confession of faith: "Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods." This chapter thus presents a Gentile outsider recognizing and worshiping the God of Israel before Israel itself receives the covenant at Sinai.

The second half of the chapter turns from worship to administration. Jethro observes Moses spending entire days adjudicating disputes for the people and bluntly tells him, "What you are doing is not good." He then lays out a system of delegated authority: appoint qualified judges over groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, reserving only the most difficult cases for Moses himself. Moses accepts this counsel without objection, implements it, and sends Jethro home. The themes are rich and enduring: wisdom can come from outside the covenant community, leadership requires humility and delegation, and the people of God need institutional structures as well as prophetic charisma. The parallel account in Deuteronomy 1:9-18 recounts Moses' perspective on the appointment of judges, though with some variations in detail and emphasis.

Jethro Brings Zipporah and Moses' Sons (vv. 1-6)

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."

1 Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people — that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt. 2 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her away, 3 along with her two sons. The name of the one was Gershom, for he had said, "I have been a sojourner in a foreign land." 4 And the name of the other was Eliezer, for "the God of my father was my help and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh." 5 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was encamped, at the mountain of God. 6 And he said to Moses, "I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you, and your wife and her two sons with her."

Notes

Moses Recounts God's Deeds; Jethro Worships (vv. 7-12)

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.

7 And Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They asked each other about their well-being and went into the tent. 8 Then Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians on account of Israel — all the hardship that had found them on the way — and how the LORD had delivered them. 9 And Jethro rejoiced over all the good that the LORD had done for Israel, in that he had delivered them from the hand of the Egyptians. 10 And Jethro said, "Blessed be the LORD, who has delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh — who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods, for in the very matter in which they acted arrogantly, he was above them." 12 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, 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 before God.

Notes

Interpretations

Jethro's confession "Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods" has been interpreted differently across traditions. Some interpreters read it as a genuine conversion to faith in the LORD, making Jethro one of the earliest Gentile converts. The fact that he offers sacrifices to God and that Israel's elders eat with him before God supports this reading. Others see it as henotheistic acknowledgment — Jethro affirms YHWH's supremacy without necessarily denying the existence of other deities — reflecting the theological outlook of the ancient Near East before Israel's strict monotheism was fully articulated. A third view holds that Jethro, as a Midianite priest descended from Abraham through Keturah (Genesis 25:1-2), may have already worshiped the God of Abraham under a different name and that this event represents not conversion but confirmation of a prior faith. The Kenite hypothesis suggests that elements of YHWH worship may have originated in or been transmitted through Midianite/Kenite circles, though this remains speculative and is not widely accepted in evangelical scholarship.

Jethro Observes Moses Judging the People (vv. 13-16)

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."

13 And it happened on the next day that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood over Moses from morning until evening. 14 When Moses' father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, "What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, with all the people standing over you from morning until evening?" 15 And Moses said to his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to inquire of God. 16 When they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor, and I make known the statutes of God and his instructions."

Notes

Jethro's Counsel: Delegate Authority (vv. 17-23)

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."

17 But Moses' father-in-law said to him, "The thing that you are doing is not good. 18 You will surely wear out, both you and this people who are with you, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it by yourself. 19 Now listen to my voice; I will advise you, and may God be with you. You be for the people a representative before God, and you bring the matters to God. 20 And you shall warn them about the statutes and the instructions, and make known to them the way in which they must walk and the work that they must do. 21 And you shall look out from all the people men of ability, who fear God, men of truth, who hate dishonest gain, and place over them leaders of thousands, leaders of hundreds, leaders of fifties, and leaders of tens. 22 And they shall judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall judge themselves. So it will be lighter for you, and they will bear the burden with you. 23 If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and also all this people will go to their place in peace."

Notes

Interpretations

The chronological placement of this episode has generated scholarly discussion. In the canonical text, Jethro's visit occurs before the Sinai covenant (Exodus 19), yet Moses speaks of "the statutes of God and his instructions" (v. 16) as though some body of law already exists. Some scholars argue the event historically occurred after the giving of the law and has been placed here thematically — as a prelude to the covenant — to show the administrative infrastructure being built before the law is given. The parallel account in Deuteronomy 1:9-18 places the appointment of judges after the Sinai events. Others maintain the canonical order, arguing that God had given preliminary laws at Marah (Exodus 15:25) and that Moses was applying general divine principles before the formal codification at Sinai. The theological point remains the same regardless of chronology: God's people need structures of governance, and wisdom about those structures can come from unexpected sources.

Moses Implements the System; Jethro Departs (vv. 24-27)

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.

24 And Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said. 25 And Moses chose men of ability from all Israel and appointed them as heads over the people — leaders of thousands, leaders of hundreds, leaders of fifties, and leaders of tens. 26 And they judged the people at all times. The difficult cases they would bring to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves. 27 Then Moses sent his father-in-law off, and he went his way to his own land.

Notes