Exodus 18:1–12

Jethro Visits Moses

18 Now Jethro,j the priest of Midiank and father-in-law of Moses, heard of everything God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, and how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt.l

2 After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah,m his father-in-law Jethro received her 3 and her two sons.n One son was named Gershom,a for Moses said, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land”;o 4 and the other was named Eliezer,b p for he said, “My father’s God was my helper;q he saved me from the sword of Pharaoh.”

5 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, together with Moses’ sons and wife, came to him in the wilderness, where he was camped near the mountainr of God. 6 Jethro had sent word to him, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.”

7 So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed downs and kissedt him. They greeted each other and then went into the tent. 8 Moses told his father-in-law about everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake and about all the hardshipsu they had met along the way and how the Lord had savedv them.

9 Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good thingsw the Lord had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians. 10 He said, “Praise be to the Lord,x who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods,y for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly.”z 12 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law,a brought a burnt offeringb and other sacrificesc to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meald with Moses’ father-in-law in the presencee of God.