Commentary - Exodus 18:1-12

Bird's-eye view

In Exodus 18, we have a marvelous family reunion that serves as a picture of the Great Commission in miniature. The central action is not just the reunion of Moses with his wife and sons, but the spiritual union of Jethro, a Gentile priest, with the covenant people of God. The fame of God's mighty acts in the Exodus has spread, and Jethro comes not as a curious tourist, but as a seeker who has heard the report and wants to see the truth for himself. Moses gives a faithful testimony of God's deliverance, and Jethro responds with rejoicing, a glorious confession of faith in Yahweh's supremacy, and he then leads the elders of Israel in a covenant meal of fellowship before God. This chapter is a beautiful interruption between the wars and the laws, reminding us that the purpose of God's mighty acts of redemption is the gathering of a people for His name from every tribe, tongue, and nation.

This is not simply a nice family story. It is a theological statement. Before the law is given from Sinai, before the tabernacle is constructed, God shows that the effects of His redemption are already spilling over the borders of Israel. Jethro, the priest of Midian, functions here as a Melchizedek figure, a righteous Gentile who blesses the people of God and acknowledges the supremacy of their God. His counsel in the latter part of the chapter is practical and wise, but his worship in this first part is foundational. True order in the church and in society flows from right worship of the one true God.

Outline

Context In Exodus

This chapter is strategically placed. Israel has just come through the crucible of battle with Amalek in chapter 17, where they learned that victory comes through the intercession of their mediator (Moses with his hands raised) and the sword of the people (Joshua in the valley). They are now camped at Horeb, the mountain of God, the very place where God first called Moses from the burning bush. They are on the cusp of receiving the Ten Commandments and the covenant law that will formally constitute them as a nation. But before the law, there is gospel. Before the internal ordering of the nation, there is an external witness. Jethro's visit demonstrates that God's purpose was never for Israel to be a holy cul-de-sac, but rather a kingdom of priests that would mediate the knowledge of God to the world. Jethro is the firstfruits of this mission.

Jethro's Gospel Journey

v. 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, how Yahweh had brought Israel out of Egypt. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Jethro heard the report. The fame of God's works had reached Midian. Notice the progression: God acted for Moses, and for His people Israel. And the pinnacle of that action was the great deliverance, that Yahweh had brought them out. This is the gospel in its Old Testament form. God, by His mighty power, redeems His people from bondage. Jethro is identified as a priest of Midian. He already has a religious function, but the report of Yahweh's deeds is about to transform his understanding entirely.

vv. 2-4 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took Moses' wife Zipporah, after he had sent her away, and her two sons, of whom one was named Gershom, for Moses said, "I have been a sojourner in a foreign land." And the other was named Eliezer, for he said, "The God of my father was my help and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh." Here we have a bit of backstory. Moses had sent his wife and sons away at some point, likely for their safety as he went to confront Pharaoh. Now Jethro, the faithful father-in-law, brings them back. The names of the sons are testimonies in themselves. Gershom means "sojourner there," a reminder of Moses' exile. Eliezer means "God is my help," a confession of God's faithfulness even in that exile. These names preach the story of Moses' life: an outcast who was sustained by the God of his father.

vv. 5-7 Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was camped, at the mount of God. And he sent word to Moses, "I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her." Then Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and he bowed down and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare and went into the tent. The reunion is marked by deep respect. Moses, the great prophet and leader of Israel, goes out to meet Jethro. He bows down. This is not worship, but the profound respect owed to an elder and a father-in-law. They kiss, a sign of familial affection. This is a model of Christian courtesy and honor. Their first action is to inquire of each other's "shalom," their peace and welfare, before they retreat to the tent for a more detailed conversation.

v. 8 And Moses recounted to his father-in-law all that Yahweh had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, all the hardship that had befallen them on the journey, and how Yahweh had delivered them. This is the heart of the matter. In the privacy of the tent, Moses becomes an evangelist. He doesn't just give the highlights. He recounts it all. He tells of God's mighty judgments on Egypt, but also of the hardships on the way, the thirst, the hunger, the battles. And through it all, the theme is constant: Yahweh had delivered them. This is what a faithful testimony looks like. It is honest about the difficulties but relentlessly focused on the sovereign goodness and power of God.

v. 9 And Jethro rejoiced over all the goodness which Yahweh had done to Israel, that He had delivered them from the hand of the Egyptians. The word of God produces its intended effect. Jethro's response is not intellectual curiosity; it is joy. He rejoices. The goodness of God toward His people becomes a source of gladness for this Gentile priest. This is the proper response to the gospel. When we hear of God's salvation, our hearts should leap.

vv. 10-11 So Jethro said, "Blessed be Yahweh who delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh, and who delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that Yahweh is greater than all the gods; for in this matter they acted presumptuously against the people." From joy flows worship and confession. Jethro blesses the name of Yahweh. He, a priest of Midian, now speaks the covenant name. And then comes the great confession: "Now I know." The report has become personal knowledge. Yahweh is not just one god among many; He is greater than all the gods. The proof? The Exodus itself. The Egyptian gods, and Pharaoh who claimed to be a god, acted with arrogance and presumption against God's people, and Yahweh utterly humiliated them. This is a polemical confession, a declaration of spiritual warfare and Yahweh's total victory.

v. 12 Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses' father-in-law before God. Confession is followed by consecration and communion. Jethro, in his capacity as a priest of God Most High, leads the worship. He brings a burnt offering, which is wholly consumed, signifying total dedication to God. He also brings sacrifices, which would have been used for a communal meal. And who joins him? Aaron, the high priest of Israel, and all the elders. They eat a meal together "before God." This is a stunning picture of Jew and Gentile, united in worship and fellowship, breaking bread in the presence of God. It is a foretaste of the messianic banquet, where people from every nation will sit down at the table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Key Words

Yahweh

This is the personal, covenant name of God, revealed to Moses at the burning bush. It speaks of His self-existence and His faithfulness to His promises. For Jethro, a Gentile, to hear the report of what Yahweh had done and then to confess and bless this name is a momentous event. It signifies his entrance into a covenant understanding of God, moving from a general knowledge of God (Elohim) to a personal relationship with the God of redemption (Yahweh).

Blessed be Yahweh

The Hebrew is Baruk Yahweh. This is a standard formula of praise and worship. It is an acknowledgment of God's goodness and a declaration that He is worthy of all blessing. Coming from Jethro, it is his first act of verbal worship to the God of Israel. It is the overflow of a heart that has been captured by the good news of redemption. This is what converted hearts do; they bless the one who saved them.

Greater than all the gods

Jethro's confession is a direct challenge to the polytheism of the ancient world. He does not say that other gods do not exist as demonic powers or idols, but rather that Yahweh is supreme over all of them. The Exodus was a contest of gods, and Yahweh proved Himself to be the undisputed sovereign. Every plague was a targeted strike against a specific Egyptian deity. Jethro understands this. His theology has been clarified by God's mighty acts in history.

Application

The story of Jethro's visit is rich with application for us. First, it underscores the power and necessity of testimony. Moses took the time to tell his father-in-law everything God had done. We must not be shy about recounting the works of God in our own lives and in history. Our testimony, centered on the cross and resurrection, is the means God uses to bring others from hearing to knowing.

Second, it shows us the proper response to the gospel: joy, worship, and confession. Jethro's heart was made glad by God's goodness to others. We should rejoice when we see God working, whether in our own lives or in the lives of others. This joy should then overflow into blessing the name of the Lord and confessing His supremacy over all other allegiances.

Finally, this passage is a beautiful portrait of fellowship. After the confession comes the meal. Worship and table fellowship are inextricably linked. Jethro, the new convert, eats with Aaron the high priest and all the elders of Israel. This is a picture of the church. We who have been saved by the mighty acts of God in Christ are called to eat and drink together in His presence, celebrating our common deliverance. This meal "before God" is a foretaste of the great wedding supper of the Lamb still to come.