Jethro as Priest. Exodus 18:1 a (Midian) J, Exodus 18:1 b E, Exodus 18:1 c (supply heard) J, Exodus 18:2-4 Rje, Exodus 18:5 E, Exodus 18:6 a(b) - Exodus 18:7 J, Exodus 18:8 ab (was) E, Exodus 18:8 c - Exodus 18:9 a (Israel) J, Exodus 18:9 b E, Exodus 18:10 a(b) - Exodus 18:11 a(b) J, Exodus 18:12 E. The analysis of Exodus 18:18 as shown here is that of Gressmann. In J, Jethro hears of Israel's deliverance by Yahweh (Exodus 18:1 ac), and sends to announce his arrival (Exodus 18:6). Moses welcomes him with Eastern courtesy (Exodus 18:7), and tells him the good news fully (Exodus 18:8 c). Jethro rejoices (Exodus 18:9 a), and pronounces a solemn priestly ascription of praise to Yahweh (Exodus 18:10 a, Exodus 18:11 a), as though he were a bishop visiting some place within his diocese. Similarly in E, but with the additional reason that he might bring his wife and two sons (contrast Exodus 2:22), Moses-' father-in-law, hearing of all that God had done, comes and hears the story more fully (Exodus 18:8, read God, Exodus 18:9 b), and then (Exodus 18:12) took a burnt-offering and sacrifices for God; and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses-' father-in-law before God, i.e. to share in a solemn sacrificial feast. What does all this mean, but that the Midianitish priest acted as it were as godfather to Moses and Israel, and that, as the N. Israelite priest (2 Kings 17:26 ff.) taught the settlers in Samaria the manner of the God of the land, so Jethro imparted to Israel the ritual customs and rules of the God of Sinai, Horeb, Seir, Edom, Teman or Paran (Judges 5:4 f., Deuteronomy 33:2; Hebrews 3:3), for all these places are named as the early centres of Yahweh's presence. Midian, geographically close, may also have been thus named, but, if so, was omitted by the final priestly editors for reasons of prejudice (Numbers 25:6-18; Numbers 3:1), which show the strength of the tradition which retained so much about Moses's relations with Midian (cf. Exodus 2:18 *).
Exodus 18:1-12
1 When Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father in law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, and that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt;
2 Then Jethro, Moses' father in law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her back,
3 And her two sons; of which the name of the one was Gershom;a for he said, I have been an alien in a strange land:
4 And the name of the other was Eliezer;b for the God of my father, said he, was mine help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh:
5 And Jethro, Moses' father in law, came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped at the mount of God:
6 And he said unto Moses, I thy father in law Jethro am come unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.
7 And Moses went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare;c and they came into the tent.
8 And Moses told his father in law all that the LORD had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, and all the travail that had comed upon them by the way, and how the LORD delivered them.
9 And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.
10 And Jethro said, Blessed be the LORD, 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.
11 Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them.
12 And Jethro, Moses' father in law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses' father in law before God.