God’s Word Translation
Exodus 18:1
1Moses’ father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard about everything God had done for Moses and his people Israel and 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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.
- 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.
Context of Exodus 18:1
Moses’ father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard about everything God had done for Moses and his people Israel and how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. 2When Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro had taken her in, 3along with her two sons. The one son was named Gershom [Foreigner], because Moses said, “I was a foreigner living in another country.”
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 2:16seven daughters of the priest of Midian came. They drew water and filled the troughs to water their father’s sheep.
- Exodus 3:1Moses was taking care of the sheep of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. As he led the sheep to the far side of the desert, he came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
- Exodus 4:18Then Moses went back to his father-in-law Jethro. Moses said to him, “Please let me go back to my own people in Egypt. I would like to see if they’re still alive.” Jethro said to Moses, “You may go.”
- Numbers 10:29Moses said to his brother-in-law Hobab, son of Reuel the Midianite, “We are going to the place the Lord promised to give us. Come with us. We will be good to you, because the Lord has promised good things to Israel.”
- Judges 4:11Heber the Kenite had separated from the other Kenites (the descendants of Hobab, Moses’ father-in-law). Heber went as far away as the oak tree at Zaanannim near Kedesh and set up his tent.
- Psalms 34:2My soul will boast about the Lord. Those who are oppressed will hear it and rejoice.
- Psalms 44:1O God, we have heard it with our own ears. Our ancestors have told us about the miracle you performed in their day, in days long ago.
- Psalms 77:14You are the God who performs miracles. You have made your strength known among the nations.
- Psalms 78:4We will not hide them from our children. We will tell the next generation about the Lord’s power and great deeds and the miraculous things he has done.
- Psalms 105:5Remember the miracles he performed, the amazing things he did, and the judgments he pronounced,
- Psalms 106:2Who can speak about all the mighty things the Lord has done? Who can announce all the things for which he is worthy of praise?
- Jeremiah 33:9Then Jerusalem will be my source of joy, praise, and honor. All the nations on earth will hear about all the blessings that I will give to Jerusalem. They will be afraid and tremble because of all the prosperity that I will provide for it.
- Zechariah 8:23This is what the Lord of Armies says: In those days ten people from every language found among the nations will take hold of the clothes of a Jew. They will say, “Let us go with you because we have heard that God is with you.”
- Galatians 1:23The only thing they had heard was this: “The man who persecuted us is now spreading the faith that he once tried to destroy.”
- Acts 7:35“This is the Moses whom the Israelites rejected by saying, ‘Who made you our ruler and judge?’ This is the one God sent to free them and to rule them with the help of the Messenger who appeared to him in the bush.
- Acts 14:27When they arrived, they called the members of the church together. They reported everything God had done through them, especially that he had given people who were not Jewish the opportunity to believe.
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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