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Exodus Chapter Eighteen

 

Exodus 18 Outlines

Jethro’s Advice

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 18

This chapter gives an account of Jethro Moses's father-in-law with Zipporah his daughter the wife of Moses and her two sons meeting him in the wilderness who was kindly received by him Exodus 18:1 and on Moses' relating the great things God had done for Israel Jethro expressed his joy on that account gave praise to God offered sacrifice and kept a feast with the elders of Israel Exodus 18:8 and observing the constant and fatiguing business Moses had on his hands from morning to evening in judging the people Exodus 18:13 he gave him advice to appoint persons under him to receive laws and ordinances from him he should have from God and according to them judge and govern the people under them some being rulers of thousands others of hundreds others of fifties and some of tens Exodus 18:19 which counsel was acceptable to Moses and he took it Exodus 18:24 and the chapter is concluded with their friendly parting Exodus 18:27.

 

Exodus 18:1  And 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.

   YLT  1And Jethro priest of Midian father-in-law of Moses heareth all that God hath done for Moses and for Israel his people that Jehovah hath brought out Israel from Egypt

When Jethro the priest of Midian Moses's father-in-law .... The Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan call him the prince of Midian and so the wordF5כהז "praeses" Junius & Tremellius Piscator. is rendered in some versions; whose daughter Moses had married and so was his father-in-law of which see more in Exodus 2:16.

heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people; the miracles he had wrought for them in Egypt the dividing of the Red sea to make a way for them the destruction of the Egyptians providing them with bread and water in such a miraculous manner in the wilderness and giving them victory over Amalek and appearing always at the head of them in a pillar of cloud and fire:

and that the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt: which was the greatest blessing of all and for the sake of which so many wonderful things had been done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians. And now Midian being near to Egypt it is not to be wondered at that Jethro should hear of these things the fame of which went through all the countries round about see Exodus 15:14 though it is not improbable that Moses might send messengers to Midian to acquaint his father-in-law his wife and sons of what the Lord had done for him and by him.

 

Exodus 18:2  2 Then Jethro Moses’ father-in-law took Zipporah Moses’ wife after he had sent her back

   YLT  2and Jethro father-in-law of Moses taketh Zipporah wife of Moses besides her parents

Then Jethro Moses's father-in-law took Zipporah Moses's wife .... When he had heard of the above things he determined to pay Moses a visit and congratulate him on that account; and he took his daughter the wife of Moses along with him to deliver her to her husband to share with him in his cares and troubles; as to partake with him of his honours and dignity so to bear part with him in his burdens so far as she was capable of:

after he had sent her back: upon his call and mission to Egypt he took his wife and children with him; but upon an affair which occurred in the inn by the way he sent them back again to his father-in-law where they had remained ever since see Exodus 4:24. Jarchi says this was done at meeting with Aaron his brother Exodus 4:27 and relates a conversation between them upon it. As that Aaron should say to him who are these? to which he replied this is my wife I married her in Midian and these are my sons: he further said to him and where art thou carrying them? he replied to Egypt; says he by reason of those who are before there we are in straits and thou wilt add unto them; upon which he said to his wife go back to thy father's house and she took her sons and went thither. KimchiF6Sepher Shorash. rad. שלח "post dona vel donationes ejus"; so some in Vatablus and Drusius. observes that some render the words "after her gifts"; whose sense according to Aben Ezra is after she had sent gifts to her husband; but others more probably interpret it of gifts sent by him to her to engage his father-in-law to let her come to him as well as to prevail upon her to come; perhaps it may be better rendered "after her messenger"; that is either after the messenger sent to her by Moses to acquaint her and her father of what had been done for him or after the messenger she sent to him to let him know that she intended shortly to be with him; though perhaps after all nearer to our version and others it may be rendered "after her dismissions"F7אהר שלוחיה "post dimissiones ejus" Pagninus Montanus Drusius. ; the dismission or sending away of her and her sons as before related; for this is by no means to be interpreted of a divorce of her; after which she was brought again to her husband; for there is no reason to believe that ever anything of that kind had passed as some have thoughtF8Vid. Selden. Uxor. Hebr. p. 629. : the plain case seems to be this that Moses finding his family would be exposed to danger or would be too great an incumbrance upon him in the discharge of his great work he had to do in Egypt sent them back to his father-in-law until a fit opportunity should offer of their coming to him as now did.

 

Exodus 18:3  3 with her two sons of whom the name of one was Gershom (for he said “I have been a stranger in a foreign land”)[a]

   YLT  3and her two sons of whom the name of the one [is] Gershom for he said `a sojourner I have been in a strange land:'

And her two sons .... Those also Jethro took along with him and his daughter:

of which the name of the one was Gershom; which seems to be his firstborn Exodus 2:22 his name signifies a desolate stranger as some or "there I was a stranger": the reason of which name follows agreeably thereunto:

for he said I have been an alien in a strange land; meaning not the land of Egypt where he was born and had lived forty years; but in the land of Midian where he was when this son of his was born; and which name was given him partly to keep up the memory of his flight to Midian and partly to instruct his son that Midian though his native place was not his proper country where he was to dwell but another even the land of Canaan.

 

Exodus 18:4  4 and the name of the other was Eliezer[b] (for he said “The God of my father was my help and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh”);

   YLT  4and the name of the other [is] Eliezer for `the God of my father [is] for my help and doth deliver me from the sword of Pharaoh.'

And the name of the other was Eliezer .... Who seems to be his second son and was that which was circumcised by Zipporah at the inn and about which there was such a stir Exodus 4:24 and signifies "my God is help" or his helper:

for the God of my father said he was mine help and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh; who on hearing that Moses had killed an Egyptian was wroth with him and sought to slay him; and perhaps drew his sword for that purpose but was prevented: however this in all human probability would have been the case that he would have fallen by his sword either in a private or public manner had it not been for the interposition of divine Providence and therefore he gave this name to his child to be a standing memorial of it.

 

Exodus 18:5  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.

   YLT  5And Jethro father-in-law of Moses cometh and his sons and his wife unto Moses unto the wilderness where he is encamping -- the mount of God;

And Jethro Moses's father in law .... This is the third time he is so called in the chapter already and many more times besides after in it; the reason of which seems to be either to distinguish him from another of the same name or to do him honour that he should be in such a relation to so great and distinguished a man as Moses now was:

came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness; not with his own sons and wife but with the sons and wife of Moses; Zipporah and her sons as before related; with those he came into the wilderness of Arabia where Moses now was and which was not at a great distance from Midian since about the same spot Moses when he dwelt there had and fed the flock of his father-in-law Exodus 3:1 that part of the land of Midian where Jethro lived lay somewhere eastward of Mount Sinai and was probably situated where Sharme now stands; which according to Dr. PocockF9Travels p. 137. is about a day and a half's journey from Mount Sinai from whence the monks of Mount Sinai are chiefly supplied with fishF11See the Bishop of Clogher's Chronology of the Hebrew Bible p. 214. : it follows: where he encamped at the mount of God: at Horeb where the Lord had appeared to Moses; and so the Targum of Jonathan adds "where the glory of the Lord was revealed to Moses at the beginning;'and where afterwards the Lord appeared again and gave the law and therefore is called the Mount of God; the one as well as the other being past when Moses wrote this book and called the mountain by this name: it is matter of question at what time Jethro came hither whether before or after the giving of the law: it seems by the order in which this story is here placed as if it was immediately after the battle with Amalek; and Saadiah Gaon is of opinion it was before the giving of the law; and one would think it most reasonable and natural that Jethro would take the first opportunity of visiting Moses and that Moses would not long defer sending for his wife and children: but Aben Ezra thinks he did not come till the second year after the tabernacle was set up since in the context mention is made of burnt offerings and sacrifices and no account is given of a new altar built by Moses; and besides he says "I do make them know the statutes of God and his laws" Exodus 18:16 and it is certain from hence that the children of Israel were removed from Rephidim and were now encamped at the mount of God at Horeb; but whether they had got to the other side of the mount of Sinai as yet is not so clear; though it looks as if what Moses did by the advice of Jethro was after the law was given on Sinai see Deuteronomy 1:6 so that upon the whole it seems as if this account according to the order of time should be placed after Numbers 10:28 or as Dr. LightfootF12Works vol. 1. p. 710 711. thinks between the tenth and eleventh verses of that chapter and is put here to show that though Midian was near Amalek as he observes yet Jethro was exempt from the curse and destruction threatened to that see 1 Samuel 15:6.

 

Exodus 18:6  6 Now he had said to Moses “I your father-in-law Jethro am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her.”

   YLT  6and he saith unto Moses `I thy father-in-law Jethro am coming unto thee and thy wife and her two sons with her.'

And he said unto Moses .... By a messenger as Jarchi: or by a written letter as Aben Ezra: or as the Septuagint version "it was told to Moses thy father" &c. for as yet he was not come to him as appears by Moses going forth to meet him:

I thy father in law Jethro am come to thee: or "am coming"F13בא "veniens" Montanus. ; for as yet he was not in his presence and they were not personally present face to face: the Targum of Jonathan adds "to become a proselyte"; but it seems that before as well as now he had been a worshipper of the true God and always speaks like one that had had the fear of God before him continually:

and thy wife and her sons with her; this he thought fit to acquaint him of by messenger or letter that he might be in expectation of them and not be surprised at once with their appearance: besides as some observe and not amiss after the late attack of the Amalekites upon their rear guards or sentinels might be placed in the outer parts of the camp for its safety and who would not easily without order let strangers pass into it and therefore previous notice was necessary to get admission.

 

Exodus 18:7  7 So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law bowed down and kissed him. And they asked each other about their well-being and they went into the tent.

   YLT  7And Moses goeth out to meet his father-in-law and boweth himself and kisseth him and they ask one at another of welfare and come into the tent;

And Moses went out to meet his father in law .... Out of the camp at least out of his tent: the Targum of Jonathan says from under the cloud of glory; how far he went is not certain nor material to know: this was an instance of his great humility and modesty and was doing Jethro a great deal of honour; that one who was in such great dignity at the head of such a vast body of people and superior to him both in natural and spiritual abilities yet condescended to go forth in person to meet him when he might have sent a guard of his men to escort him to his camp which would have been honour sufficient; and it is not said he went out to meet his wife and children; for Aben Ezra says it was not usual for honourable men so to do:

and did obeisance: to Jethro bowed unto him and worshipped him in a civil way after the manner of the eastern nations who used to make very low bows to whom they paid civil respect:

and kissed him; not to make him a proselyte as the above Targum nor in token of subjection but of affection and friendship; it being usual for relations and friends to kiss each other at meeting or parting:

and they asked each other of their welfare; or "peace"F14לשלום "ad pacem" Montanus; "de pace" Munster Fagius Drusius Piscator; so Ainsworth. ; of their prosperity and happiness temporal and spiritual of their peace inward and outward and of the bodily health of them and their families:

and they came into the tent; the Targum of Jonathan says "into the tabernacle of the house of doctrine 'or school room; which is not likely since Jethro was a man well instructed in divine things and needed not to be put to school; and if he did it can hardly be thought that as soon as Moses met him he should set about the instruction of him; but into his tent where he dwelt; that as Aben Ezra says which was the known tent of Moses though it is not expressly said his tent.

 

Exodus 18:8  8 And 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 come upon them on the way and how the Lord had delivered them.

   YLT  8and Moses recounteth to his father-in-law all that Jehovah hath done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians on account of Israel all the travail which hath found them in the way and Jehovah doth deliver them.

And Moses told his father in law all that the Lord had done unto Pharaoh .... After the proper civilities had passed and Jethro had been refreshed with food and drink as is highly probable they entered into a conversation about what had lately passed which Jethro had had a general report of and which had brought him hither and therefore it would be very entertaining to him to have the particulars of it; and Moses begins with what the Lord had done to Pharaoh how he had inflicted his plagues upon him one after another and at last slew his firstborn and destroyed him and his host in the Red sea:

and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake; the several plagues affecting them especially the last the slaughter of their firstborn; and who also were spoiled of their riches by the Israelites and a numerous army of them drowned in the Red sea and all because of the people of Israel; because they had made their lives bitter in hard bondage had refused to let them go out of the land and when they were departed pursued after them to fetch them back or cut them off:

and all the travail that had come upon them by the way; to the Red sea and at Marah and Rephidim and how Amalek fought with them as the Targum of Jonathan observes; what a fright they were put into when pursued by Pharaoh and his host behind them the rocks on each side of them and the sea before them; their want of water in the wilderness not being able to drink of the waters at Marah because bitter; their hunger having no bread nor flesh in the wilderness of Sin and their violent thirst and no water to allay it in the plains of Rephidim and where also they were attacked by an army of the Amalekites:

and how the Lord delivered them; out of all this travail and trouble and out of the hands of all their enemies Egyptians and Amalekites.

 

Exodus 18:9  9 Then Jethro rejoiced for all the good which the Lord had done for Israel whom He had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.

   YLT  9And Jethro rejoiceth for all the good which Jehovah hath done to Israel whom He hath delivered from the hand of the Egyptians;

And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the Lord had done to Israel .... In giving them the manna and the well as the above Targum bread to eat when hungry and water to drink when thirsty; to which Jarchi adds and the law for he supposes the meeting of Jethro and Moses was after the law was given on Mount Sinai though here recorded; but this goodness may be extended to other things as the saving of their firstborn at the time of the Lord's passover giving them favour in the sight of the Egyptians of whom they borrowed or asked things of value of gold silver and jewels bringing them out of Egypt with an high hand going before them in a pillar of cloud and fire by day and night dividing the waters of the sea for them to pass through as on dry land and doing for them the above things related and giving them victory over Amalek; and it may be observed that the joy of Jethro was not merely on account of the goodness of God done to Moses a relation of his having married his daughter; but because of the great and good things God had done for Israel his special and peculiar people the worshippers of the true and living God for whom Jethro had an affection because they were so and therefore rejoiced in their prosperity: whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians; whom he had wrought upon to give them leave to depart from them and destroyed them when they pursued after them first delivered them from their bondage and then from their rage and wrath.

 

Exodus 18:10  10 And Jethro said “Blessed be the Lord who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh and who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.

   YLT  10and Jethro saith `Blessed [is] Jehovah who hath delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh -- who hath delivered this people from under the hand of the Egyptians;

And Jethro said .... Like a truly good man as one that knew the Lord and feared him and was desirous of giving him the praise and glory of all the wonderful things he had done:

blessed be the Lord who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians: and out of the hand of Pharaoh; meaning particularly Moses and Aaron the messengers of God as Aben Ezra observes who went to Pharaoh in the peril of their lives and whom he sometimes threatened with death; but the Lord delivered them both out of his hands and out of the hands of his ministers and people who doubtless must be at times enraged at them for the plagues they brought upon them; for the persons here pointed at are manifestly distinguished from the body of the people of Israel next mentioned:

who hath delivered the people from the hand of the Egyptians: the people of Israel from the hard bondage and cruel slavery they were held under by the Egyptians; which as it was the Lord's doing Jethro gives him the glory of it and blesses him for it or ascribes to him on account of it blessing honour glory and praise.

 

Exodus 18:11  11 Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods; for in the very thing in which they behaved proudly He was above them.”

   YLT  11now I have known that Jehovah [is] greater than all the gods for in the thing they have acted proudly -- [He is] above them!'

Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods .... He knew the Lord before and that he was the only true God and greater than all that were so called; but now he had a fresh instance of it a clear proof and demonstration of it and so more plainly and fully knew it and was assured of it that he was greater than all the idols of the Gentiles and particularly than the gods of the Egyptians; since he had saved his people Israel out of their hands and when they could not protect and defend the Egyptians neither from plagues nor from destruction; nay could not secure themselves being all destroyed by the mighty Jehovah see Exodus 12:12 as also that he is greater than all that are called gods kings princes and civil magistrates than Pharaoh and all his nobles generals and captains who were destroyed by him: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them; the idol gods the gods of the Egyptians the evil demons Satan and his principalities who influenced them presuming and boasting by their magicians what they could do; but in those things Jehovah in the wonders he wrought appeared to be above them; they were overcome by him and obliged to acknowledge the finger of God; and this sense stands best connected with the preceding clause: or else in those things in which the Egyptians dealt proudly with the Israelites pursuing after them in the pride and vanity of their minds and giving out that they should overtake them and divide the spoil and satisfy their lust upon them when God blew with his wind upon them the sea covered them and they sunk as lead in the mighty waters see Exodus 15:9 and to the drowning of the Egyptians in the Red sea the Jews commonly apply this: thus the Targum of Jonathan "wherein the Egyptians dealt wickedly in judging Israel by the waters judgment returned upon them that they might be judged by the waters;'and to the same sense Jarchi: they suppose here was a just retaliation that as the Egyptians drowned the Hebrew infants in the waters of the Nile they were in righteous judgment drowned in the Red sea; this is the very thing or is the same way they in their pride and malice dealt with the people of Israel; God dealt with them and showed himself to be both "against them"F15עליהם "contra eos" Pagninus Montanus; "contra illos" V. L. Tigurine version; so Reinbech "de accent". Heb. p. 314. as it may be rendered and above them.

 

Exodus 18:12  12 Then Jethro Moses’ father-in-law took[c] a burnt offering and other sacrifices to offer to God. And Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.

   YLT  12And Jethro father-in-law of Moses taketh a burnt-offering and sacrifices for God; and Aaron cometh in and all the elders of Israel to eat bread with the father-in-law of Moses before God.

And Jethro Moses's father in law took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God .... The burnt offering which was either of the flock or of the herd was wholly consumed by fire from whence it had its name; the peace offering for thanksgiving which seemed to be meant by the sacrifices here the flesh of them were to be eaten Leviticus 7:15 and now a feast was kept as the latter part of the verse shows: whether Jethro brought cattle along with him for such a purpose and so "gave"F16ויקח "acceptumque obtulit" Junius & Tremellius Piscator Fagius Drusius. or "offered" them for a burnt offering and sacrifices to God; as the word for took may be rendered one and the same word signifying both to give and take see Psalm 68:18 compared with Ephesians 4:8 or whether with the leave of Moses and the children of Israel he took them out of their flocks and herds it matters not since this is only observed to show Jethro's devotion to God and the grateful sense he had of the divine goodness to Israel; and since he was a priest of Midian as he is generally said to be and a priest of the most high God as Melchizedek was he might offer sacrifices; for it does not appear that he delivered them to others to be offered or that these were slain by Aaron; for though he is after mentioned yet not as a sacrificer but as a guest; and perhaps this might be before he and his sons were separated to the priest's office or at least before they had entered upon it; nor is this mention of a burnt offering and sacrifices any proof of Jethro's meeting Moses after the giving of the law since before that sacrifices were in use and Jethro being a grandchild of Abraham might have learnt the use of them from him:

and Aaron came and all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses's father in law before God; the tents of Moses being on the east side of the tabernacle as Aben Ezra says in which was the mercy seat and cherubim between which the divine Majesty was; but there is no need to suppose that the tabernacle was now built for this tent of Moses might be placed before or near the pillar of cloud in which Jehovah was; or the sense may only be that they ate their food in the presence of God in the fear of the Lord with gladness and singleness of heart as good men do; and especially as this was an eucharistic sacrifice unto God they partook of Aaron and the elders came out of a civil respect to Jethro to take a meal with him as well as to join with him in a religious action: the bread they ate was no doubt the manna which Jethro though a Midianite yet a descendant of Abraham and a good man partook of and is put for the whole repast the flesh of the sacrifices and what else were eaten: no mention is made of Moses nor was there any need of it as Aben Ezra observes it being his tent in which they were: the Targum of Jonathan adds "Moses stood and ministered before them;'and so says Jarchi; which is not very probable it being not agreeable to the dignity of his station and office.

 

Exodus 18:13  13 And so it was on the next day that Moses sat to judge the people; and the people stood before Moses from morning until evening.

   YLT  13And it cometh to pass on the morrow that Moses sitteth to judge the people and the people stand before Moses from the morning unto the evening;

And it came to pass on the morrow .... The above Targum paraphrases it "on the day after the day of atonement:'and so Jarchi observes the same out of a book of theirs called Siphri; but rather this was either the day after the entertainment of Jethro with Aaron and the elders in the tent of Moses or the day after Jethro's coming as Aben Ezra:

that Moses sat to judge the people; though his father-in-law was come to visit him yet he did not neglect the care of his people and the business that lay upon his hands for their good civil and religious; but the very day following his coming closely applied himself to hear and judge causes; and such a vast body of people must find him work enough; and especially if we consider their quarrelsome disposition for if they were so to one another as they were to Moses and Aaron they must be very litigious; however Moses bore with them and attended to their causes to do justice and judgment among them being now made a prince and a judge over them by divine authority and whom they acknowledged as such:

and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening; not that a single cause was so long a trying but there being so many of them in one day that they lasted from the morning tonight; so that when one cause was dispatched and the parties dismissed another succeeded and so continued all the day long: Moses he sat as judge with great majesty gravity and sedateness hearkening with all attention to what was said on both sides and the people they "stood" both plaintiff and defendant as became them.

 

Exodus 18:14  14 So when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did for the people he said “What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit and all the people stand before you from morning until evening?”

   YLT  14and the father-in-law of Moses seeth all that he is doing to the people and saith `What [is] this thing which thou art doing to the people? wherefore art thou sitting by thyself and all the people standing by thee from morning till evening?'

And when Moses's father in law saw all that he did to the people .... Or for themF17לעם "propter populum" Vatablus. ; for their information and instruction in the laws of God and for the decision of cases brought before him according to them; and what a deal of business was on his hands and he went through for the good of the people:

he said what is this thing that thou doest to the people? this question he put not as being ignorant what he did he saw what he did and understood it full well but this he said to lead on to some conversation upon this head:

why sittest thou thyself alone? no other judge upon the bench with him to assist him to take it by turns and to relieve and ease him:

and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even? not being able to get their causes heard and tried there being so many of them; and therefore some were obliged to wait all day long before they could have their business done which was both fatiguing to him and them.

 

Exodus 18:15  15 And Moses said to his father-in-law “Because the people come to me to inquire of God.

   YLT  15And Moses saith to his father-in-law `Because the people come unto me to seek God;

And Moses said unto his father in law .... In answer to his question; and there were two things as Aben Ezra observes he did to the people and for which they came to him; the one is observed in this verse and the other in the next:

because the people come unto me to inquire of God; of his mind and will in certain cases and of his statutes and laws as the following verse shows; what they should observe and according to which they should conduct themselves: they came to inquire what God would have them to do; and in doubtful cases what was his will and pleasure and to desire Moses to inform them; and if the things were of such a nature that he could not easily and readily do it then to inquire of God for them which in later times was done by Urim and Thummim.

 

Exodus 18:16  16 When they have a difficulty they come to me and I judge between one and another; and I make known the statutes of God and His laws.”

   YLT  16when they have a matter it hath come unto me and I have judged between a man and his neighbour and made known the statutes of God and His laws.'

When they have a matter they come unto me .... This is the other thing he did for them as the above writer observes; which being last mentioned he speaks of first as follows meaning that when there was a matter in difference between two persons or more and they could not agree upon it among themselves then they brought it to him to be heard and decided:

and I judge between one and another; hear what they have to say on both sides and then judge which is in the right and which is in the wrong and determine what is to be done according to the laws of God or according to the rules of justice and equity:

and I do make them know the statutes of God and his laws; this relates to the first thing their coming to him to inquire of God what is his mind and will or what he would have them do; and in order to this and in answer to their request he instructed them in the laws of God both civil and religious: this is made use of by some to prove that Jethro's coming to Moses was after the law was given: but this does not necessarily follow because Moses by a divine impulse might be directed immediately to make known to the people what was the will and mind of God with respect to any particular case they inquired about; and rather this seems to furnish out an argument to the contrary since if the laws and statutes of God had yet been given on Mount Sinai the people could not have been ignorant of them and so needed not such daily information and instruction from Moses.

 

Exodus 18:17  17 So Moses’ father-in-law said to him “The thing that you do is not good.

   YLT  17And the father-in-law of Moses saith unto him `The thing which thou art doing [is] not good;

And Moses's father in law said unto him .... Having observed what he did and heard his answer to the question he put to him:

the thing that thou doest is not good; not meaning that it was not morally good or that it was morally evil; for it was certainly a good thing to inquire of the mind and will of God for the people and to hear and decide matters in controversy between them and do justice to both parties; but it was not good for the health of Moses; it was not commodious and convenient for him; it was not for his bodily welfare; it was too much for him as he explains himself in the next verse.

 

Exodus 18:18  18 Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you; you are not able to perform it by yourself.

   YLT  18thou dost surely wear away both thou and this people which [is] with thee for the thing is too heavy for thee thou art not able to do it by thyself.

Thou wilt surely wear away .... His natural strength and animal spirits and so his flesh; he feared his constant application and attendance to business would impair his health break his constitution and bring him into a consumption. Moses was naturally of a strong and vigorous constitution; for forty years after this even to the time of his death his natural force was not abated; or "fading thou wilt fade" or "falling thou wilt fall"F18נבל תבל "marcescendo marcesses" Montanus; so Ainsworth; "cadendo cades" Pagninus. ; in allusion to the leaves of trees in autumn which fade and wither and fall:

both thou and this people that is with thee; it was tiresome to the people as well as fatiguing to Moses who because of the multitude of cases were obliged to wait a long time some of them from morning to night and yet could not get their suit to come and so were obliged to attend next day and perhaps day after day. The Targum of Jonathan is "even thou also Aaron and his sons and the elders that are with them;'and so Jarchi; but these do not seem to have been assisting to him at all as appears by what follows:

for this thing is too heavy for thee: it was too great a burden upon his shoulders what his strength was not equal to; for though his internal abilities were exceeding great and he had a good will to the work to serve God and his people yet it was more humanly speaking than his bodily strength would admit of or any mortal man could go through:

thou art not able to perform it thyself alone; and this Moses was sensible of himself afterwards and says the same thing Deuteronomy 1:9.

 

Exodus 18:19  19 Listen now to my voice; I will give you counsel and God will be with you: Stand before God for the people so that you may bring the difficulties to God.

   YLT  19`Now hearken to my voice I counsel thee and God is with thee: be thou for the people over-against God and thou hast brought in the things unto God;

Hearken now unto my voice I will give thee counsel .... Jethro being the elder man and of some character and figure being either a priest or prince of Midian or both might without incurring a censure take upon him to give advice to Moses a younger man and his son-in-law though he was superior to him in office and in parts; and especially since his advice proceeded from a sincere and cordial regard for his health and welfare:

and God shall be with thee: and succeed the advice he gave which he persuaded himself would be agreeable to the will of God and attending to it he would prosper and find that the method taken would be blessed of God and issue in his own good and the good of the people; or it may be taken prayerwise as by some "may God be with thee"F19ויהי אלהים עמך see Poole in loc. ; to direct thee to what thou shouldest do either to take the advice or reject it; and be it as it will he wished him well and that he might have his health and that as his day was his strength might be:

be thou for the people to God-ward; or on the part of God as Aben Ezra interprets it; that part of his work he advised him to retain by all means which lay more immediately between God and the people; to be a mediator between them; to transact affairs for them with God; to inquire his mind and will in matters difficult and doubtful; to be as Jarchi expresses it a messenger and interpreter between them and an inquirer of judgments of him or what statutes and judgments he would have observed by them: that thou mayest bring the causes unto God; concerning which as yet he had given no directions as a rule to go by.

 

Exodus 18:20  20 And you shall teach them the statutes and the laws and show them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do.

   YLT  20and thou hast warned them [concerning] the statutes and the laws and hast made known to them the way in which they go and the work which they do.

And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws .... Both with respect to things civil and religious which he should receive from God:

and shalt show them the way wherein they must walk; the path of faith and duty the way of truth holiness and righteousness:

and the work that they must do; both with respect to God and one another the various duties and exercises of religion everything relating to their moral religious and civil conduct.

 

Exodus 18:21  21 Moreover you shall select from all the people able men such as fear God men of truth hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands rulers of hundreds rulers of fifties and rulers of tens.

   YLT  21`And thou -- thou dost provide out of all the people men of ability fearing God men of truth hating dishonest gain and hast placed [these] over them heads of thousands heads of hundreds heads of fifties and heads of tens

Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people .... Or look outF20 from among them; see Acts 6:3

able men; or "men of power"F21; meaning not so much men of strong and robust constitutions who as Aben Ezra says are able to bear labour; but men that have strength of heart as Ben Gersom expresses it men of spirit and courage and are not afraid to do justice to repress vice and countenance virtue; or as Maimonides saysF23Hilchot Sanhedrin c. 2. sect. 7. have a strong heart or courage and boldness to deliver the oppressed from the hands of the oppressor. Jarchi interprets it of rich men of men of substance who have no need to flatter or play the hypocrite and to know the faces of men:

such as fear God; who have the fear of God before their eyes and on their hearts in all they do and therefore cannot do those things that others do who are destitute of it; cannot give a cause the wrong way wilfully or pervert judgment and are the reverse of the character of the unjust judge that neither feared God nor regarded man Luke 18:2

men of truth; true men sincere upright and faithful men that love truth and hate lies and falsehood and will take some pains to get at the truth of a cause to inquire where it lies and pursue and encourage it where it is found and discourage to the uttermost falsehood lies and perjury: hating covetousness; in themselves and others filthy lucre dishonest gain mammon of unrighteousness and so not to be bribed and corrupted and execute wrong judgment for the sake of money:

and place such over them to be rulers of thousands rulers of hundreds rulers of fifties and rulers of tens; meaning not courts of judicature consisting of such a number of judges for such a court was never known to have a thousand judges upon the bench at once; the highest court of judicature that ever was among the Jews which was long after this time consisted but of seventy or seventy one: but the sense is that each of these should have such a number of persons or rather families under their care who when they applied unto them for justice should faithfully administer it to them; See Gill on Exodus 18:25.

F20 תחזה "videbis" Montanus; "tu prospice" Tigurine version; "tu videto" Drusius.F21 אנשי חיל "viros virtutis" Montanus Vatablus; "viros fortitudinis" Cartwright.

 

Exodus 18:22  22 And let them judge the people at all times. Then it will be that every great matter they shall bring to you but every small matter they themselves shall judge. So it will be easier for you for they will bear the burden with you.

   YLT  22and they have judged the people at all times; and it hath come to pass every great matter they bring in unto thee and every small matter they judge themselves; and lighten it from off thyself and they have borne with thee.

And let them judge the people at all times .... In their several districts whenever a matter of difference between man and man arises and the case is brought before them let them judge impartially between them and determine what is right and wrong and execute judgment and justice truly; which would take off a great deal of business from the hands of Moses:

and it shall be that every great matter they shall bring to thee; any affair of great importance and difficult of determination and about which the judges may have some doubt in their minds and they are not clear as to the decision of it; this they the judges not the people were to bring to Moses:

but every small matter; which is of no great importance or is easy of decision where the right and the wrong clearly appear and there is no difficulty in the determination of it:

so shall it be easier for thyself; to go through the business that would be necessarily devolved upon him as the chief ruler and governor supreme judge lawgiver leader and commander:

and they shall bear the burden with thee; of ruling and judging the people; they taking a share of it it would sit the lighter and easier upon him; and the whole seems to be wise and prudent counsel.

 

Exodus 18:23  23 If you do this thing and God so commands you then you will be able to endure and all this people will also go to their place in peace.”

   YLT  23If thou dost this thing and God hath commanded thee then thou hast been able to stand and all this people also goeth in unto its place in peace.'

If thou shall do this thing .... Hearken to the advice given and put it in execution by choosing out of the people and placing over them judges qualified as directed: and God command thee so; for he did not desire him to follow his advice any further than it appeared to be according to the will of God which he doubted not he would inquire about; and if he found it was agreeable to it and should pursue it:

then thou shall be able to endure; to continue in his office and post and hold on for years to come God granting him life and health; whereas otherwise in all human probability he must waste and wear away apace:

and all this people shall also go to their place in peace; having had their cases heard and tried and their differences adjusted to satisfaction; and quick dispatch being made they would return to their tents or places of abode in much peace of mind and sit down contented with the determination made and pleased that the lawsuit was not protracted to any unreasonable length of time. Jarchi interprets all this people of Aaron Nadab and Abihu and the seventy elders that came with him as if they by this means would be eased and so pleased with it.

 

Exodus 18:24  24 So Moses heeded the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said.

   YLT  24And Moses hearkeneth to the voice of his father-in-law and doth all that he said

So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law .... Considered what he said weighed it well in his mind and judged it good advice and determined to follow it:

and did all that he had said; by choosing such men as he directed to and committing the judgment of the people to them as follows:

 

Exodus 18:25  25 And Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people: rulers of thousands rulers of hundreds rulers of fifties and rulers of tens.

   YLT  25and Moses chooseth men of ability out of all Israel and maketh them chiefs over the people heads of thousands heads of hundreds heads of fifties and heads of tens

And Moses chose able men out of all Israel .... He looked among them and selected the best of them such as most answered to the qualifications it was requisite they should have; and though only one of them is here mentioned which is the first Jethro gave yet no doubt they were all attended to though not expressed:

and made them heads over the people; rulers governors judges and officers; this is a general word comprehending their several particular offices they sustained; which seem to be chiefly distinguished by the different numbers of people or families under them otherwise their work and office were much the same:

rulers of thousands rulers of hundreds rulers of fifties and rulers of tens; just as Jethro advised Exodus 18:21. According to the Targum of Jonathan the rulers of thousands were six hundred rulers of hundreds 6000 rulers of fifties 12 000 and the rulers of tens 60 000; and so Jarchi; and the like account is given in both the TalmudsF24T. Hieros. Sanhedrin fol. 19. 3. T. Bab. Sanhedrin fol. 18. 1. where the whole is summed up amounting to 78 600; which account Aben Ezra disapproves of and thinks not credible: it is built upon the number of Israel at this time when they came out of Egypt being 600 000 men; and so if there was a ruler to every thousand men there must be six hundred of them and so on; but these thousands may intend not individual persons but families that these were appointed over as the families of Israel and Judah are called their thousands Micah 5:2 and this will serve greatly to reduce the number of these judges and officers.

 

Exodus 18:26  26 So they judged the people at all times; the hard cases they brought to Moses but they judged every small case themselves.

   YLT  26and they have judged the people at all times; the hard matter they bring in unto Moses and every small matter they judge themselves.

And they judged the people at all seasons .... Any day in the week or any time in the day whenever there was any occasion for them and cases were brought before them:

the hard cases they brought unto Moses; that is the judges brought them to Moses when such came before them which were too hard for them it was difficult to them to determine rightly about them then they brought them to be heard and decided by him; for the judges and not the people best knew when a case was hard or easy to determine:

but every small matter they judged themselves; and gave it as they saw was most agreeable to justice and equity and did not trouble Moses with it; by which means he was eased of a great deal of business and fatigue which was Jethro's view in giving the advice he did.

 

Exodus 18:27  27 Then Moses let his father-in-law depart and he went his way to his own land.

   YLT  27And Moses sendeth his father-in-law away and he goeth away unto his own land.

And Moses let his father in law depart .... After he had been with him some time and desired leave to go into his own country which was granted; or he "dismissed"F25וישלח "et dimisit" V. L. Tigurine version Montanus Vatablus Drusius Piscator. him in an honourable way: and as he went out to meet him when he came if he did not attend him when he went some way in person yet sent a guard along with him both for honour and for safety:

and he went his way into his own land; the land of Midian: the Targum of Jonathan "he went to proselyte all the children of his own country;'or as Jarchi expresses it the children of his family; and it is plain that the Kenites and Rechabites descended from him who in later times lived among the Jews and were proselytes to their religion Judges 1:16.

 

──John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

Footnotes:

a.    Exodus 18:3 Compare Exodus 2:22

b.    Exodus 18:4 Literally My God Is Help

c.Exodus 18:12 Following Masoretic Text and Septuagint; Syriac Targum and Vulgate read offered.