Exodus 18:1

Jerome's Latin Vulgate

Cumque audisset Jethro, sacerdos Madian, cognatus Moysi, omnia quæ fecerat Deus Moysi, et Israëli populo suo, et quod eduxisset Dominus Israël de Ægypto,

Parallel Translations

Clementine Latin Vulgate (1592)
Apparuit autem ei Dominus in convalle Mambre sedenti in ostio tabernaculi sui in ipso fervore diei.

Nova Vulgata (1979)
Cumque audisset Iethro sacerdos Madian socer Moysi omnia, quae fecerat Deus Moysi et Israel populo suo, eo quod eduxisset Dominus Israel de Aegypto,

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Jethro: Exodus 2:16, Exodus 2:21, Exodus 3:1, Exodus 4:18, Numbers 10:29, Judges 4:11

heard: Psalms 34:2, Psalms 44:1, Psalms 77:14, Psalms 77:15, Psalms 78:4, Psalms 105:5, Psalms 105:43, Psalms 106:2, Psalms 106:8, Jeremiah 33:9, Zechariah 8:23, Galatians 1:23, Galatians 1:24

God: Acts 7:35, Acts 7:36, Acts 14:27, Acts 15:12, Acts 21:19, Acts 21:20, Romans 15:18

done: Exodus 7:1 - Exodus 15:27, Joshua 2:10, Joshua 9:9, Nehemiah 9:10, Nehemiah 9:11, Psalms 77:14, Psalms 77:15, Psalms 78:50-53, Psalms 105:36-41, Psalms 106:8-11, Psalms 136:10-16, Isaiah 63:11-13

Reciprocal: Genesis 25:2 - Midian Exodus 2:18 - General Exodus 18:8 - told Judges 1:16 - Moses' 2 Chronicles 7:10 - goodness

Gill's Notes on the Bible

When Jethro the priest of Midian, Moses's father-in-law,.... The Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan call him the prince of Midian, and so the word e is rendered in some versions; whose daughter Moses had married, and so was his father-in-law, of which see more in Exodus 2:16.

heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people; the miracles he had wrought for them in Egypt, the dividing of the Red sea to make a way for them, the destruction of the Egyptians, providing them with bread and water in such a miraculous manner in the wilderness, and giving them victory over Amalek, and appearing always at the head of them in a pillar of cloud and fire:

[and] that the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt: which was the greatest blessing of all, and for the sake of which so many wonderful things had been done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians. And now Midian being near to Egypt, it is not to be wondered at that Jethro should hear of these things, the fame of which went through all the countries round about, see Exodus 15:14, though it is not improbable that Moses might send messengers to Midian to acquaint his father-in-law, his wife, and sons, of what the Lord had done for him, and by him.

e כהז "praeses", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Jethro was, in all probability, the “brother-in-law” of Moses Exodus 3:1. On the parting from Zipporah, see Exodus 4:26.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER XVIII

Jethro, called the father-in-law of Moses, hearing of the

deliverance which God had granted to Israel, 1,

took Zipporah and her two sons, Gershom and Eliezer, and brought

them to Moses, when the Israelites were encamped near Horeb, 2-5.

He sends to Moses, announcing his arrival, 6.

Moses goes out to meet him, 7,

and gives him a history of God's dealings with the Israelites, 8.

Jethro greatly rejoices, and makes striking observations on the

power and goodness of God, 9-11.

He offers burnt-offerings and sacrifices to Jehovah, and Aaron and

all the elders of Israel feast with him, 12.

The next day Jethro, observing how much Moses was fatigued by being

obliged to sit as judge and hear causes from morning to evening, 13,

inquires why he did so, 14.

Moses answers, and shows that he is obliged to determine causes

between man and man, and to teach them the statutes and laws of

God, 15, 16.

Jethro finds fault, and counsels him to appoint men who fear God,

love truth, and hate covetousness, to be judges over thousands,

hundreds, fifties, and tens, to judge and determine in all smaller

matters, and refer only the greater and most important to himself,

17-22;

and shows that this plan will be advantageous both to himself and to

the people, 23.

Moses hearkens to the counsel of Jethro, and appoints proper officers

over the people, who enter upon their functions, determine all minor

causes, and refer only the most difficult to Moses, 24-26.

Moses dismisses Jethro, who returns to his own country, 27.

NOTES ON CHAP. XVIII

Verse Exodus 18:1. When Jethro, the priest of Midian, c. — Concerning this person and his several names, Exodus 2:15 "Exodus 2:16"; "Exodus 2:18"; "Exodus 3:1"; Exodus 4:20; "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 father-in-law, in this chapter means simply a relative by marriage. Exodus 3:1.