Exodus 18:1-12

New International Version

Jethro Visits Moses

18 Now Jethro,^(A) the priest of Midian^(B) 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.^(C)

² After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah,^(D) his father-in-law Jethro received her ³ and her two sons.^(E) One son was named Gershom,^[a] for Moses said, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land”;^{(F) 4} and the other was named Eliezer,^[b](G) for he said, “My father’s God was my helper;^(H) 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 mountain^(I) 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 down^(J) and kissed^(K) 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 hardships^(L) they had met along the way and how the Lord had saved^(M) them.

⁹ Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things^(N) the Lord had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians. ¹⁰ He said, “Praise be to the Lord,^(O) 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,^(P) for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly.”^{(Q) 12} Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law,^(R) brought a burnt offering^(S) and other sacrifices^(T) to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal^(U) with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence^(V) of God.