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;
Jethro ... came ... unto Moses ... It is thought by many eminent commentators that this episode is inserted out of its chronological order, because it is described as occurring when the Israelites were "encamped at the mount of God." And yet they did not reach it until the third month after their departure from Egypt (Exodus 19:1-2: cf. Deuteronomy 1:6; Deuteronomy 1:9-15). Besides, there is internal evidence that this visit took place a considerable time after at Sinai, not only from the fact that the social organization suggested by Jethro could not have been accomplished during the brief and tumultuary encampment at Rephidim, and from the distinct references that are made (Exodus 18:12; Exodus 18:15-16; Exodus 18:19) to the promulgation of the law and the establishment of the divine oracle, but from the settled tranquillity and order which appear among the Israelites. It is clear (Exodus 18:5) that they had left Rephidim and were encamped before Sinai: but at what particular period the visit was paid, the inspired record gives no information.
It could not have occurred, as Lepsius suggests, during the first three days after the arrival at Sinai; but a presumption arises, from the altered position of Miriam in consequence of the arrival of Moses' wife, that it was shortly before the singular outbreak against the leader caused by her jealousy, (Numbers 12:1-16). How, then, did this episode come to be inserted out of its proper chronological place in the history? Just in conformity with the usual manner of the writer when about to enter upon a continuous narrative, to dispose of collateral matters of interest, as in giving the genealogy of Judah's family (Genesis 38:1-30) before commencing the story of Joseph's life and policy in Egypt; so he adverts to this visit of Jethro, important both on private and public grounds, before commencing the lengthened details of the Sinaitic legislation, (cf. Josephus, 'Antiquities,' b.
iii., ch. 3:)
Verse 2. Then Jethro ... took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her back. There is no express mention (Exodus 4:27) of Zipporah and her sons having been sent back to remain with her father. But it is certain that she was sent back; and whether, as the Jewish rabbis say, this was done by the advice of Aaron; whether the motive for it was a tender regard for the safety of the family, to keep them away from the intensely agitating and engrossing scenes of the exodus, or, as some suppose, a domestic feud, caused by the circumcision of the younger son, had produced a sudden strife and alienation between Moses and Zipporah, there is no doubt that she returned to sojourn under her father's roof. It may be assumed with confidence that Moses had, at departure, informed Jethro that he would certainly bring his people to a particular spot, whither, on hearing a report of his arrival, his father-in-law repaired.
Verse 3. Gershom (see the note at Exodus 2:22).
Verse 4. Eliezer - х 'Eliy`ezer (H461), my God helps, or God is my helper.] Scarcely anything is known of these sons of Moses. His genuine and remarkable disinterestedness led him, instead of advancing his family, to keep them back, and fill public offices of honour and responsibility with others.
Verse 5. Jethro ... came ... unto Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped at the mount of God. Those who identify Rephidim and Feiran, suppose that from Husseiyeh-the scene of engagement with the Amalekites-they moved to their next encampment, only two miles distant, at the base of Serbal, the grandeur and rugged majesty of which render it a conspicuous object in passing through the extensive Wady Feiran, near the end of which it stands, and is approached through the lateral Wady Aleyat. It is assumed to have been "the mount of God" - a high place sacred to religious rites long before the Mosaic period and pilgrimages made to it by the Phoenicians and Amalekites. Its name, Serbal, signifies the palm groves of Baal; and hence, it is concluded that it was called "the mount of God," to which those writers consider Exodus 3:1; Exodus 4:27, as referring. But that name is applied to a different mountain, where the train God appeared (Exodus 19:2-3; Exodus 24:13; 1 Kings 19:8); and hence, Ritter maintains that there were two high places called "the mount of God." But this view is inadmissible. Not to dwell on the circumstance that a camp containing upwards of two million people must, in a narrow valley, have covered the whole of the two miles' space from Husseiyeh to Serbal, and therefore would not require to remove to the latter as a new encampment, is it conceivable that the leader should have been allowed to set the people down at so early a stage before those luxurious palm groves of Baal, which proved so fatally seductive to them on the plains of Moab (Numbers 25:1-18) at a subsequent period of their history? Besides, it is observable that the name is х har (H2022) haa-'Elohiym (H430)], 'the mount of the God,' the definite article marking it out as applied to Yahweh Himself in contradistinction from idol deities.