7/23/2007

Exodus 18:1-12

Jethro's family eats before God

Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done

for Moses and for his people Israel, how the Lord had brought Israel out

of Egypt. After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro

took her back, along with her two sons. The name of the one was Gershom (for

he said, "I have been an alien in a foreign land"), and the name of the other,

Eliezer (for he said, "The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from

the sword of Pharaoh"). Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came into the wilderness

where Moses was encamped at the mountain of God, bringing Moses' sons and

wife to him. He sent word to Moses, "I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to

you, with your wife and her two sons." Moses went out to meet his father-in-law;

he bowed down and kissed him; each asked after the other's welfare, and they

went into the tent. Then Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to

Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, all the hardship that had beset

them on the way, and how the Lord had delivered them. Jethro rejoiced for all

the good that the Lord had done to Israel, in delivering them from the Egyptians.

Jethro said, "Blessed be the Lord, who has delivered you from the Egyptians and

from Pharaoh. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods, because he

delivered the people from the Egyptians, when they dealt arrogantly with them."

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 in the presence of God.