Bible Commentaries

Then Jethro, Moses' father in law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had ^a sent her back,

(a) It may seem that he sent her back for a time to her father for her impatience, lest she should be a hinderance to his calling, which was so dangerous, (Exodus 4:25).

And Jethro, Moses' father in law, came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped at the ^b mount of God:

(b) Horeb is called the mount of God, because God did many miracles there. So Peter calls the mount where Christ was transfigured, the holy mount: for by Christ's presence it was holy for a time, (2 Peter 1:18).

And he ^c said unto Moses, I thy father in law Jethro am come unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.

(c) That is, he sent messengers to say to him.

And Jethro said, ^d 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.

(d) By this it is evident that he worshipped the true God, and therefore Moses did not refuse to marry his daughter.

Now I know that the LORD [is] greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly ^e [he was] above them.

(e) For they that drowned the children of the Israelites, perished themselves by water.

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 ^f before God.

(f) They ate in the place, where the sacrifice was offered: for part was burnt, and the rest eaten.

And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of ^g God:

(g) That is, to know God's will, and to have justice executed.

Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to ^h God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God:

(h) You judge in difficult cases, which cannot be decided without consulting with God.

Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people ⁱ able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place [such] over them, [to be] rulers of thousands, [and] rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:

(i) What manner of men ought to be chosen to bear office.

So Moses ^k hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said.

(k) Godly counsel should always be obeyed, even if it comes from our inferiors, for to such God often gives wisdom to humble those that are exalted, and to declare that one member has need of another.

And Moses ^l let his father in law depart; and he went his way into his own land.

(l) Read (Numbers 10:29).