CLARITY EDITION · OLD TESTAMENT
Exodus 18
Chapter 18 of 40
Chapter Overview
What happens in Exodus 18
Moses' father-in-law Jethro visits with Moses' wife and sons. After hearing about all that God did, Jethro praises the Lord. He also gives Moses wise advice about sharing the load of leadership by appointing other judges.
Scripture
Exodus 18
Jethro Brings Moses' Family
Study note
Jethro, the priest of Midian and Moses' father-in-law, heard about everything God had done for Israel. He brought Moses' wife Zipporah and their two sons to meet Moses in the wilderness. Moses told Jethro about all the miracles God had performed. Jethro was overjoyed and said, 'Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods.' He offered sacrifices to God, and Aaron and the elders ate a meal with him. This was a significant moment because a non-Israelite recognized the greatness of Israel's God.
1 Word reached Jethro about all God had done for Moses and the Israelites. Jethro was Moses' father-in-law and the priest of Midian. He heard how the Lord had rescued Israel from Egypt. 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 Some time earlier, Moses had sent his wife Zipporah back to stay with Jethro, who had looked after her. Then Jethro, Moses' father in law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her back,
3 Jethro also looked after her two sons. The first was named Gershom, because Moses had explained, "I have been a stranger in a foreign land." And her two sons; of which the name of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been an alien in a strange land:
4 The second son was named Eliezer. Moses had said, "The God of my father came to help me. He saved me from Pharaoh's sword." And the name of the other was Eliezer; for the God of my father, said he, was mine help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh:
5 Jethro traveled out to see Moses in the wilderness, bringing Moses' wife and two sons along. They arrived at the camp near the mountain of God. 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 Jethro had sent a message ahead: "This is your father-in-law Jethro. I am on my way with your wife and your two boys." 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 Moses went out to meet his father-in-law. He bowed respectfully and kissed him. They asked each other how things were going and then sat down together inside the tent. And Moses went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent.
8 Moses told Jethro the whole story. He told about everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and Egypt to free Israel. He told about all the hard times they had faced on the journey. He explained how the Lord had come through for them every time. 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 come upon them by the way, and how the LORD delivered them.
9 Jethro was so happy. He heard about all the great things the Lord had done for Israel. The Lord had saved them from the Egyptians. 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 Jethro exclaimed, "Praise the Lord! He rescued you from the Egyptians and from Pharaoh himself. He set the people free from Egypt's grip." 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 am fully convinced that the Lord is greater than every other god. He defeated the very people who had treated Israel so badly." Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them.
12 Jethro presented a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God. Aaron and all the elders of Israel came and shared a meal with Jethro there in God's presence. 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.
Jethro Advises Moses to Share Leadership
Study note
The next day, Jethro watched as Moses sat judging the people's disputes from morning until evening. Jethro warned Moses that he would wear himself out if he kept trying to do everything alone. He suggested that Moses teach the people God's laws and then appoint trustworthy men to serve as judges over groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. They would handle the small cases, and only the difficult ones would come to Moses. Moses listened to his father-in-law and set up this system. Then Jethro returned home to Midian.
13 The following day, Moses sat down to settle the people's disputes. People lined up around him from early morning all the way until evening. And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening.
14 Jethro watched all of this and said, "What exactly are you doing here? Why are you handling everything yourself, with this enormous crowd standing around you all day long?" And when Moses' father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even?
15 Moses explained to his father-in-law, "People come to me to find out what God wants them to do." And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to inquire of God:
16 "Whenever there is a disagreement between people, they bring it to me. I settle the matter and explain God's laws and teachings to them." When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.
17 Jethro shook his head and said, "This is not a good approach." And Moses' father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good.
18 "You are going to burn yourself out — and exhaust the people too. This is far too much for one person. You simply cannot do this by yourself." Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.
19 "Let me offer you some advice, and may God guide you through this. You should continue being the people's representative before God and bringing their difficult questions to him." Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God:
20 "Teach the people God's laws and instructions. Make it clear how they should live and what they should be doing." And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.
21 "But here is the key part: find trustworthy men from among the people — men who respect God, who are honest, and who refuse to be bribed. Put them in charge of groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten." Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people 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:
22 "These leaders can handle the everyday disputes. They only need to bring the truly tough cases to you. This will spread the load and take a great weight off your shoulders." And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.
23 "If you do this — and if God says it is right — you will be able to handle the work. Everyone else will go home with their problems solved." If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.
24 Moses took his father-in-law's advice and put every part of it into practice. So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said.
25 Moses picked able men from all of Israel. He made them leaders over groups of 1,000, 100, 50, and 10. And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
26 These appointed leaders handled the people's everyday disputes. Only the most complicated cases got passed up to Moses; the straightforward ones they resolved on their own. And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.
27 After that, Moses said goodbye to Jethro, and his father-in-law traveled back home to his own country. And Moses let his father in law depart; and he went his way into his own land.
Key Themes
Themes in Exodus 18
The value of wise counsel from othersShared leadership and delegationRecognizing our limitationsGod's work acknowledged by an outsider
Apply This Today
Living Exodus 18
Jethro's advice to Moses is one of the earliest examples of organizational leadership in the Bible. Even the greatest leaders cannot do everything alone. If you are burning out trying to carry every responsibility yourself, it may be time to follow Jethro's wisdom and share the load with trustworthy people.
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