English Standard Version
Exodus 18:1
1Jethro, 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.
Exodus 18:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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;
- New International Version (NIV)Now Jethro, the priest of Midian and father-in-law of Moses, heard of everything God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, and how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people—that the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard about everything God had done for Moses and his people, the Israelites. He heard especially about how the Lord had rescued them from Egypt.
Context of Exodus 18:1
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. 2Now Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, had taken Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her home, 3along with her two sons. The name of the one was Gershom (for he said, "I have been a sojourner in a foreign land"),
Read all of Exodus 18Exodus 18:1 word by word
וַיִּשְׁמַ֞ע יִתְר֨וֹ כֹהֵ֤ן מִדְיָן֙ חֹתֵ֣ן מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֵת֩ כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ לְמֹשֶׁ֔ה וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עַמּ֑וֹ כִּֽי־הוֹצִ֧יא יְהוָ֛ה אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- When Jethroיִתְרוֹyithrô · JethroH3503
- the priestכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
- of Midianמִדְיָןmidyân · MidianH4080
- Moses’מֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
- father in lawחֹתֵןchâthan · relativeH2859
- heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- of all that Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- had doneעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- and for Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- his peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- that the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- had broughtיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: sendH3318
- out of Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
Cross-references for Exodus 18:1
- Exodus 2:16Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father's flock.
- Exodus 3:1Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
- Exodus 4:18Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, "Please let me go back to my brothers in Egypt to see whether they are still alive." And Jethro said to Moses, "Go in peace."
- Numbers 10:29And Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law, "We are setting out for the place of which the Lord said, 'I will give it to you.' Come with us, and we will do good to you, for the Lord has promised good to Israel."
- Judges 4:11Now Heber the Kenite had separated from the Kenites, the descendants of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far away as the oak in Zaanannim, which is near Kedesh.
- Psalms 34:2My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad.
- Psalms 44:1O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us, what deeds you performed in their days, in the days of old:
- Psalms 77:14You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples.
- Psalms 78:4We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.
- Psalms 105:5Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,
- Psalms 106:2Who can utter the mighty deeds of the Lord, or declare all his praise?
- Jeremiah 33:9And this city shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth who shall hear of all the good that I do for them. They shall fear and tremble because of all the good and all the prosperity I provide for it.
- Zechariah 8:23Thus says the Lord of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, 'Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'"
- Galatians 1:23They only were hearing it said, "He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy."
- Acts 7:35"This Moses, whom they rejected, saying, 'Who made you a ruler and a judge?'—this man God sent as both ruler and redeemer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.
- Acts 14:27And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.
Commentaries on Exodus 18:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1When Jethro, the priest of Midian, etc. - Concerning this person and his several names, See Clarke's note on Exodus 2:15, See Clarke's note on Exodus 2:16, See Clarke's note on Exodus 2:18, See Clarke's note on Exodus 3:1, See Clarke's note on Exodus 4:20, See Clarke's note on Exodus 4:24. Jethro was probably the son of Reuel, the father-in-law of Moses, and consequently the brother-in-law of Moses; for the word חתן chothen, which we translate…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Jethro was, in all probability, the “brother-in-law” of Moses Exodus 3:1. On the parting from Zipporah, see Exodus 4:26.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Jethro brings to Moses his wife and two sons. (1-6) Moses entertains Jethro. (7-12) Jethro's counsel to Moses. (13-27) Verses 1-6 Jethro came to rejoice with Moses in the happiness of Israel, and to bring his wife and children to him. Moses must have his family with him, that while he ruled the church of God, he might set a good example in family government, 1Ti 3:5.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-12Moses had sent his wife and children back to stay with his father-in-law at some point. During the intense confrontation with Pharaoh, Moses might have feared for their lives. Jethro now came to meet Moses and the Israelites, bringing the family of Moses with him (18:2–6). During the visit, Moses gave him a report. Jethro came to trust in the Lord through the testimony of the Lord's work.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-271-5. Jethro ... came ... unto Moses, &c.--It is thought by many eminent commentators that this episode is inserted out of its chronological order, for it is described as occurring when the Israelites were "encamped at the mount of God." And yet they did not reach it till the third month after their departure from Egypt (Ex 19:1, 2; compare De 1:6, 9-15).Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 18:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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