Exodus 18:1-12

New American Standard Bible 1995

Jethro, Moses’ Father-in-law

18 Now ^(A)Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people, how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. ² Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Moses’ wife ^(B)Zipporah, after he had sent her away, ³ and her ^(C)two sons, of whom ^[a]one was named Gershom, for Moses said, “I have been ^(D)a ^[b]sojourner in a foreign land.” ^4 [c]The other was named ^[d](E)Eliezer, for he said, “^(F)The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.”

⁵ Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses ^[e]in the wilderness where he was camped, at ^(G)the mount of God. ⁶ He ^[f]sent word to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her.” ⁷ Then Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and ^(H)he bowed down and ^(I)kissed him; and they ^(J)asked each other of their welfare and went into the tent. ⁸ Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians ^(K)for Israel’s sake, all the ^(L)hardship that had befallen them on the journey, and how ^(M)the Lord had delivered them. ⁹ Jethro rejoiced over all ^(N)the goodness which the Lord had done to Israel, ^[g]in delivering ^[h]them from the hand of the Egyptians. ¹⁰ So Jethro said, “^(O)Blessed be the Lord who delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh, and who delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. ¹¹ Now I know that ^(P)the Lord is greater than all the gods; ^[i]indeed, ^(Q)it was proven when they dealt proudly against ^[j]the people.” ^12 (R)Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat ^[k]a meal with Moses’ father-in-law before God.