18:2 Then Jethro, Moses' father in law, took Zipporah, Moses'
wife, after he had a sent her back,
(a) It may seem that he sent her back for a time to her
father for her impatience, lest she should be a
hinderance to his calling, which was so dangerous,
(Ex 4:25).
18:5 And Jethro, Moses' father in law, came with his sons and
his wife unto Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped
at the b mount of God:
(b) Horeb is called the mount of God, because God did many
miracles there. So Peter calls the mount where Christ
was transfigured, the holy mount: for by Christ's
presence it was holy for a time, (2Pe 1:18).
18:6 And he c said unto Moses, I thy father in law Jethro am
come unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.
(c) That is, he sent messengers to say to him.
18:10 And Jethro said, d 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.
(d) By this it is evident that he worshipped the true God,
and therefore Moses did not refuse to marry his
daughter.
18:11 Now I know that the LORD [is] greater than all gods: for
in the thing wherein they dealt proudly e [he was] above
them.
(e) For they that drowned the children of the Israelites,
perished themselves by water.
18:12 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 f
before God.
(f) They ate in the place, where the sacrifice was
offered: for part was burnt, and the rest eaten.
18:15 And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people
come unto me to enquire of g God:
(g) That is, to know God's will, and to have justice
executed.
18:19 Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and
God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to h
God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God:
(h) You judge in difficult cases, which cannot be decided
without consulting with God.
18:21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people i 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:
(i) What manner of men ought to be chosen to bear office.
18:24 So Moses k hearkened to the voice of his father in law,
and did all that he had said.
(k) Godly counsel should always be obeyed, even if it
comes from our inferiors, for to such God often gives
wisdom to humble those that are exalted, and to
declare that one member has need of another.
18:27 And Moses l let his father in law depart; and he went
his way into his own land.
