# Exodus 18 📖 [[📚 Explore the Bible Books]] [[Exodus Overview]] > [!info] Table of Contents > [[#📜 Scripture Text (NET)]] [[#📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary]] [[#🧠 Chapter Summary]] [[#🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application]] [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]] > [[#🤔 Interesting Facts]] [[#🔗 Related Passages/Cross Reference]] [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]] ## 📜 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. - Call 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 - coming soon. %% PRIVATE NOTES (only I see this) Write down things that are not straight from commentary but interesting facts that ground the text in history. %% ## 🧠 Chapter Summary - coming soon. %% PRIVATE NOTES (only I see this) Write a short paragraph (3–5 sentences) summarizing what happens in this chapter. - What is the main event or teaching? - How does this chapter fit the book’s overall story? - What stands out immediately? Anything Apologetic to point out? %% ## 🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application - coming soon. %% PRIVATE NOTES (only I see this) - 📌 Observation 1 - 📌 Observation 2 - 📌 Observation 3 - (Add more as needed.) %% %% #### Today, I can apply this chapter by: - ✅ Application 1 - ✅ Application 2 Make these very practical: - "Trust God's timing in an uncertain situation." - "Speak truth even when it’s unpopular." Think: - What do we learn about God here? - What do we learn about people? - Are there promises, commands, or warnings? %% ## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember - coming soon. %% PRIVATE NOTES (only I see this) - 📖 [Verse Reference] – "Quote of important verse." - 📖 [Verse Reference] – "Quote of another important verse." (You can link to deeper notes if you want later.) %% ## 🔗 Related Passages/Cross Reference - 🔗 coming soon. - 🔗 coming soon. %% Examples: - John 1:1 and Genesis 1 - Romans 5 and Genesis 3 %% ## 🙏 Devotional Reflection - coming soon. %% PRIVATE NOTES (only I see this) Write 3–6 sentences reflecting on: - How this chapter encourages your faith, - Convicts your heart, - Reveals God's character. Optional format: "In light of this chapter, I am challenged to..." or "I am comforted by..." %% ##### 📂 Internal Links/Personal Notes