# Exodus 18 📖: Jethro Advises Moses [[📚 Explore the Bible Books]] [[-Exodus Overview]] | [[Exodus 17]] | [[Exodus 19]] > [!info] Table of Contents > [[#📜 Scripture Text (NET)]] > [[#📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary]] > [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]] > [[#🧠 Chapter Summary]] > [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]] > [[#🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application]] > [[#💬 Discussion Questions]] > [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]] > [[#🔗 Related Passages/Cross Reference]] > [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]] > [[#📂 Internal Notes]] ## 📜 Scripture Text (NET) (The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005) ## The Advice of Jethro [[#Verse 01.]] Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard about all that God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, that the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. [[#Verse 02.]] Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Moses’ wife Zipporah after he had sent her back,  [[#Verse 03.]] and her two sons, one of whom was named Gershom (for Moses had said, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land”)  [[#Verse 04.]] and the other Eliezer (for Moses had said, “The God of my father has been my help and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh”). [[#Verse 05.]] Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, together with Moses’ sons and his wife, came to Moses in the wilderness where he was camping by the mountain of God.  [[#Verse 06.]] He said to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you, along with your wife and her two sons with her.”  [[#Verse 07.]] Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him; they each asked about the other’s welfare, and then they went into the tent.  [[#Verse 08.]] Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to Egypt for Israel’s sake, and all the hardship that had come on them along the way, and how the Lord had delivered them. [[#Verse 09.]] Jethro rejoiced because of all the good that the Lord had done for Israel, whom he had delivered from the hand of Egypt.  [[#Verse 10.]] Jethro 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!  [[#Verse 11.]] Now 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.”  [[#Verse 12.]] 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. [[#Verse 13.]] On the next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning until evening.  [[#Verse 14.]] When 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?” [[#Verse 15.]] Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God.  [[#Verse 16.]] When they have a dispute, it comes to me and I decide between a man and his neighbor, and I make known the decrees of God and his laws.” [[#Verse 17.]] Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good!  [[#Verse 18.]] You will surely wear out, both you and these people who are with you, for this is too heavy a burden for you; you are not able to do it by yourself.  [[#Verse 19.]] Now listen to me, I will give you advice, and may God be with you. You be a representative for the people to God, and you bring their disputes to God;  [[#Verse 20.]] warn them of the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do.  [[#Verse 21.]] But you choose from the people capable men, God-fearing men, men of truth, those who hate bribes, and put them over the people as rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.  [[#Verse 22.]] They will judge the people under normal circumstances, and every difficult case they will bring to you, but every small case they themselves will judge, so that you may make it easier for yourself, and they will bear the burden with you.  [[#Verse 23.]] If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people will be able to go home satisfied.” [[#Verse 24.]] Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he had said.  [[#Verse 25.]] Moses chose capable men from all Israel, and he made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.  [[#Verse 26.]] They judged the people under normal circumstances; the difficult cases they would bring to Moses, but every small case they would judge themselves. [[#Verse 27.]] Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and so Jethro went to his own land. ## 📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary ##### Verse 01. ###### Verse 02. ###### Verse 03. ###### Verse 04. ###### Verse 05. ###### Verse 06. ###### Verse 07. ###### Verse 08. ###### Verse 09. ###### Verse 10. ###### Verse 11. ###### Verse 12. ###### Verse 13. ###### Verse 14. ###### Verse 15. ###### Verse 16. ###### Verse 16. ###### Verse 17. ###### Verse 18. - Called the “Jethro Principle.” This is the beginning of ORG charts. The idea is to place leaders over areas of their capacity. Have someone they report to until it reaches the top of the leadership ladder. ###### Verse 19. ###### Verse 20. ###### Verse 21. ###### Verse 22. ###### Verse 23. ###### Verse 24. ###### Verse 25. ###### Verse 26. ###### Verse 27. ## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights 1. Jethro was a priest of Midian (18:1). 2. Moses had earlier sent Zipporah and his sons back to Jethro (18:2). 3. Moses' son Eliezer's name means "my God is help" (18:4). 4. Jethro, a non-Israelite, confessed that the Lord is greater than all gods (18:11). 5. Jethro offered sacrifices and shared a meal with Aaron and the elders "before God" (18:12). 6. Jethro's words "not good" (18:17) echo God's words in Genesis 2:18 that it is "not good" for the man to be alone. 7. Leaders were appointed over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens (18:21). 8. Moses kept the hard cases for himself and let the leaders handle the smaller ones (18:26). 9. Moses retells this event in Deuteronomy 1:9-18. 10. The apostles followed a similar pattern when they chose seven men to oversee the daily distribution (Acts 6:1-6). ## 🧠 Chapter Summary > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter Christ is the Head of His body who shares His ministry with His people. Moses could not carry the load alone (18:18), and Jesus gives leaders to equip His church so every member can serve (Ephesians 4:11-12). ## 🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## 💬 Discussion Questions 1. Jethro rejoiced at what God had done and declared the Lord greater than all gods (18:9-11). How does hearing others' stories of God's work strengthen faith? 2. Jethro told Moses, "What you are doing is not good" (18:17). Why is it hard to receive correction, even when it is good advice? 3. The leaders had to be capable, God-fearing, trustworthy, and hate bribes (18:21). Why does character matter as much as ability in leadership? ## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember - 📖 verse 11: Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods. - 📖 verses 17-18: The work is too heavy for you. You cannot do it alone. - 📖 verse 21: Choose capable, God-fearing, trustworthy people who hate bribes. ## 🔗 Related Passages/Cross Reference - 🔗 [[Ephesians 04#Verse 11.|Ephesians 4:11-12]] - Leaders equip the saints for ministry. - 🔗 [[Acts 06#Verse 01.|Acts 6:1-6]] - The apostles share the load. - 🔗 [[Deuteronomy 01#Verse 09.|Deuteronomy 1:9-18]] - Moses retells the appointment of leaders. - 🔗 [[Numbers 11#Verse 16.|Numbers 11:16-17]] - God shares Moses' burden with seventy elders. - 🔗 [[Proverbs 15#Verse 22.|Proverbs 15:22]] - Plans succeed with many advisers. ## 🙏 Devotional Reflection 📝 SOAP: [[Exodus 18- SOAP|Teamwork is a Force Multiplier]] ## 📂 Internal Notes