New English Translation
Exodus 18:12
12Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices for God, and Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat food with the father-in-law of Moses before God.
Exodus 18:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of God.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God; and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before God.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and other sacrifices to offer to God. And Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.
Context of Exodus 18:12
10Jethro said, “Blessed be the Lord who has delivered you from the hand of Egypt, and from the hand of Pharaoh, who has delivered the people from the Egyptians’ control! 11Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods, for in the thing in which they dealt proudly against them he has destroyed them.” Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices for God, and Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat food with the father-in-law of Moses before God. 13On the next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning until evening. 14When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why are you sitting by yourself, and all the people stand around you from morning until evening?”
Read all of Exodus 18Exodus 18:12 word by word
וַיִּקַּ֞ח יִתְר֨וֹ חֹתֵ֥ן מֹשֶׁ֛ה עֹלָ֥ה וּזְבָחִ֖ים לֵֽאלֹהִ֑ים וַיָּבֹ֨א אַהֲרֹ֜ן וְכֹ֣ל׀ זִקְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לֶאֱכָל־לֶ֛חֶם עִם־חֹתֵ֥ן מֹשֶׁ֖ה לִפְנֵ֥י הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Jethroיִתְרוֹyithrô · JethroH3503
- Moses’מֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
- father in lawחֹתֵןchâthan · relativeH2859
- tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: bringH3947
- a burnt offeringעֹלָה‛ôlâh ‛ôlâh · burnt offeringH5930
- and sacrificesזֶ֫בַחzebach · sacrificeH2077
- for Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- and Aaronאַהֲרֹן'ahărôn · AaronH175
- cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- and all the eldersזָקֵןzâqên · old: elderH2205
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- to eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
Cross-references for Exodus 18:12
- Exodus 24:5He sent young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls for peace offerings to the Lord.
- Genesis 4:4But Abel brought some of the firstborn of his flock – even the fattest of them. And the Lord was pleased with Abel and his offering,
- Genesis 8:20Noah built an altar to the Lord. He then took some of every kind of clean animal and clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
- Genesis 12:7The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” So Abram built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.
- Genesis 26:25Then Isaac built an altar there and worshiped the Lord. He pitched his tent there, and his servants dug a well.
- Genesis 31:54Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain and invited his relatives to eat the meal. They ate the meal and spent the night on the mountain.
- Job 1:5When the days of their feasting were finished, Job would send for them and sanctify them; he would get up early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job thought, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s customary practice.
- Job 42:8So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job will intercede for you, and I will respect him, so that I do not deal with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken about me what is right, as my servant Job has.”
- Exodus 24:11But he did not lay a hand on the leaders of the Israelites, so they saw God, and they ate and they drank.
- Leviticus 7:11“‘This is the law of the peace offering sacrifice which he is to present to the Lord.
- Deuteronomy 12:7Both you and your families must feast there before the Lord your God and rejoice in all the output of your labor with which he has blessed you.
- Deuteronomy 27:7Also you must offer fellowship offerings and eat them there, rejoicing before the Lord your God.
- 1 Chronicles 29:21The next day they made sacrifices and offered burnt sacrifices to the Lord (1,000 bulls, 1,000 rams, 1,000 lambs), along with their accompanying drink offerings and many other sacrifices for all Israel.
- 2 Chronicles 30:22Hezekiah expressed his appreciation to all the Levites, who demonstrated great skill in serving the Lord. They feasted for the seven days of the festival, and were making peace offerings and giving thanks to the Lord God of their ancestors.
- 1 Corinthians 10:18Look at the people of Israel. Are not those who eat the sacrifices partners in the altar?
- Exodus 2:20He said to his daughters, “So where is he? Why in the world did you leave the man? Call him, so that he may eat a meal with us.”
Commentaries on Exodus 18:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Jethro - took a burnt-offering - עלה olah . Though it be true that in the patriarchal times we read of a burnt-offering, (see Genesis 22:2, etc)., yet we only read of one in the case of Isaac, and therefore, though this offering made by Jethro is not a decisive proof that the law relative to burnt-offerings, etc., had already been given, yet, taken with other circumstances in this account, it is a presumptive evidence that the meeting between Moses and…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12A burnt offering and sacrifices - This verse clearly shows that Jethro was recognized as a priest of the true God, and is of great importance in its bearings upon the relation between the Israelites and their congeners, and upon the state of religion among the descendants of Abraham.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-12Verses 7-12 Conversation concerning God's wondrous works is good, and edifies. Jethro not only rejoiced in the honour done to his son-in-law, but in all the goodness done to Israel. Standers-by were more affected with the favours God had showed to Israel, than many were who received them. Jethro gave the glory to Israel's God. Whatever we have the joy of, God must have the praise. They joined in a sacrifice of thanksgiving. Mutual friendship is sanctified…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. 1212. Jethro ... took a burnt offering--This friendly interview was terminated by a solemn religious service--the burnt offerings were consumed on the altar, and the sacrifices were peace offerings, used in a feast of joy and gratitude at which Jethro, as priest of the true God, seems to have presided, and to which the chiefs of Israel were invited. This incident is in beautiful keeping with the character of the parties, and is well worthy of the imitation…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 18:12
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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