Exodus 18:1-12

Common English Bible

Sharing the burden of leadership

18 Jethro, Midian’s priest and Moses’ father-in-law, heard about everything that God had done for Moses and for God’s people Israel, how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. ² Moses’ father-in-law Jethro took with him Zipporah, Moses’ wife whom he had sent away, ³ along with her two sons. One was named Gershom because he said, “I have been an immigrant^[a] living in a foreign land.” ⁴ The other was named Eliezer^[b] because he said, “The God of my ancestors was my helper who rescued me from Pharaoh’s sword.” ⁵ Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought Moses’ sons and wife back to him in the desert where he had set up camp at God’s mountain. ⁶ He sent word to Moses: “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you along with your wife and her two sons.” ⁷ Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and he bowed down and kissed him. They asked each other how they were doing, and then they went into the tent. ⁸ Moses then told his father-in-law everything that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians on Israel’s behalf, all the difficulty they had on their journey, and how the Lord had rescued them. ⁹ Jethro was glad about all the good things that the Lord had done for Israel in saving them from the Egyptians’ power.

¹⁰ Jethro said, “Bless the Lord who rescued you from the Egyptians’ power and from Pharaoh’s power, who rescued the people from Egypt’s oppressive power. ¹¹ Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods, because of what happened when the Egyptians plotted against them.” ¹² Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought an entirely burned offering and sacrifices to God. Aaron came with all of Israel’s elders to eat a meal with Moses’ father-in-law in God’s presence.