XVIII.
THE VISIT OF JETHRO.
(1) Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father in law. — On Jethro’s probable relationship to Moses, see the second Note on Exodus 3:1. On the priesthood of Reuel, which Jethro seems to have inherited, see Note on Exodus 2:16. It has been very unnecessarily supposed that the chronological order of the narrative is here deranged, Jethro’s visit having been really paid after the legislation of Sinai and the setting up of the Tabernacle (Aben Ezra, Ranke, Kurtz). Both the position of the chapter and its contents are against this theory.
And that the Lord had brought Israel out. — Rather, in that the Lord had brought Israel out, It was this fact especially which Jethro had heard, and which induced him to set out on his journey.
(1) The people want decisions which they can feel to have Divine sanction — they “come to him to enquire of God” — and the ruling of inferior judges would not be regarded by them as equally authoritative.