[24], Zipporah is often included in Exodus-related drama. They were concerned about each others welfare. When not researching or writing, she loves to spend time with her writer daughter, granddaughter, rescue doggie and husband (not always in that order). Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. Let's look at this first mentoring relationship in this series. [16][17] He is called Shuayb and viewed as the most important prophet for the Druze. Banish the Unofficial Luggage of Foster Care, Photo Credit: Seventeenth-century painting by Jan Victors. 4). Jethro is called a priest of Midian and became father-in-law of Moses after he gave his daughter, Zipporah, in marriage to Moses. However, we can learn some important lessons from his life. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (Matt. The relationship between Moses and Jethro was always cordial (verses 7-8), and Jethro offers some fatherly advice when he sees the overwhelming responsibility facing his son-in-law (verses 13-27). This week's portion opens with a friendly, wizened face. The story of Jethro is a story that begins much earlier than Exodus 18in fact, Moses's relationship with Jethro began all the way back in Exodus 2, when Moses met and married Jethro's daughter Zipporah (Ex. So heres the point of this story: God has redeemed a people for his own possession from the dominion of sin, death, and the devil through someone greater than Moses. A Mosque in the area of Medina, possibly: This page was last edited on 10 June 2023, at 10:18. We are told that the oral Torah was additional information given by Yahweh to Moses and passed down through the generations until it was put into writing. This cant be as Jewish community had not been larger than 100.000. When Jethro, Moses' father-in-law saw the heavy burdens that Moses was carrying on his own, he gave . In history, God actually redeemed and rescued his people Israel out of Egypt, and in history, God actually sent his Son into this world to take on human nature, suffer, die on a cross for our sins, rise from the dead, and ascend to reign with him at his right hand. We see this all the way through the Bible. 18:2). Jethro is called a priest of Midian and became father-in-law of Moses after he gave his daughter, Zipporah, in marriage to Moses. She is grateful for any opportunity to share the Lord in her writing and editing, believing that life is too short to write about anything else. In Islam he is mentioned in the Quran as a prophet who was sent to the city of Midian. [4] Hobab is also the name of Jethro's son in Numbers 10:29. Healing Prayers to Heal the Body, Mind, and Soul. In Exodus 27:18-23, God called Moses to transfer his mentoring spirit as the leader of Israel to Joshua. David gets confronted by the prophet Nathan to rebuke him for his sin. What is Jethro thinking at this point? For as much glory as Moses had, the glory of Jesus brings the glory of Moses to nothing (2 Cor. He chose workers, delegated authority to them, and they got busy judging (18:21,24-26). It seems as if Jethro's eventual response to Moses' testimony lends itself to the latter (Exodus 18:11). Each issue of Biblical Archaeology Review features lavishly illustrated and easy-to-understand articles such as: Fascinating finds from the Hebrew Bible and New Testament periods, The latest scholarship by the world's greatest archaeologists and distinguished scholars, Stunning color photographs, informative maps, and diagrams, Reviews of the latest books on biblical archaeology, 45+ years of Biblical Archaeology Review, 20+ years of Bible Review online, providing critical interpretations of biblical texts. The life experiences of others offer huge dividends once you trust their advice and are willing to receive constructive feedback that may be needed at the moment. 3:11) Moses asks God, "Who am I?". Video lectures from world-renowned experts. Robert L. Cate in the Exodus volume of Broadman Press' Layman's Bible Book Commentary writes . 7 So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. Moses wasnt even Jewish, but he was Israelite, of which Judahites (later Jews) were a tribe, then more or less a nation (Judah). Moses was taking upon . Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods; for in the very thing in which they behaved proudly, He was above them". It was not good for Moses because he was going to wear away. But all we know is that Moses wife and children had left Midian with him when he returned to Egypt (Ex 4:18-26). 7:7), so also Jethro blesses Moses by helping him judge the people better, thereby demonstrating that Moses is not the savior of the world. Once they saw him come and worship the Blessed Holy One, saying Now I know that YHVH is greater than all gods (Exodus 18:11), they all withdrew from their idols, realizing that these lacked any substance. Person to Person - Jethro and Moses - The Greater Heritage pseudo-Jonathan to Ex. One day while he sat by a well, Reuel's daughters came to water their father's flocks. Moses victory was Jethros victory. And speaking as a Presbyterian, even when my one church doesnt know what to do in a tricky situation (as often happens), we belong to a connectional denomination, and we frequently ask other elders from other churches for help, guidance, and wisdom. mentioned already those 600.000 soldiers Moses recruited I figured out that the community must have been then more than 4 Mio (old, young, females). Was it because of the Torah that God gave to His people? The Pharaoh himself is mentioned in Ezekiel 29:3 as a mighty dragon sprawling in your channels. In this view the Pharaohs power derives from the crocodile god Sobek with the Nile being its dominion. Biblical Archaeology Review is the guide on that fascinating journey. The estimate usually used is three million (including children, though). Zipporah, or Tzipora (/zpr, zpr/; Hebrew: , ippr, "bird"),[a] is mentioned in the Book of Exodus as the wife of Moses, and the daughter of Reuel/Jethro, the priest and prince of Midian.[2]. Moses' father-in-law, Jethro, is a devoted family man, well respected for his advice on governing and his benevolent leadership of the tribes of Midian. He says: When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? 25) being identified with Jethro by interpreting his name either as "he who abandoned idolatry" or as "who fattened calves for the sake of sacrifices to the idol". We should be their biggest cheerleader. In Exodus 18:11, Jethro says, Now I know that the LORD is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly. Then he brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses father-in-law in the presence of God., Second, he becomes a very important counselor to Moses. Examples include the films The Ten Commandments (1956),[25] The Prince of Egypt (1998),[26] and Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014). Ibn Ezra on Exodus 18:2 : , : ( :). This criticism displeases God, who punishes Miriam with tzaraath (often glossed as leprosy). The book of the pentaeuch do not fix together and are just written by several authors in and after the Exile. The Untold Story of Zipporah, Wife of Moses - Chabad.org What the Gospel Teaches Us through Jethro (Exodus 18) Reuel was his proper name, and is indeed the first (designated) mention of him Exodus 1:18. Exodus 18 - NIV - Now Jethro, the priest of Midian and father-in-law In the book of Numbers, Moses' father-in-law Hovav is identified as a Midianite. Yethro, if ever existed, was just a priest of Midianatic God. On the road, they stayed at an inn, where God came to kill Moses. [13][14], According to some modern scholars, "Jethro" was really a title meaning "His Excellency", and that "Reuel" was the figure's actual, given name. Four highly acclaimed books, published in conjunction with the Smithsonian Institution: Aspects of Monotheism, Feminist Approaches to the Bible, The Rise of Ancient Israel and The Search for Jesus. It is true that Exodus 7:7 says that Moses was 80 when he and Aaron spoke to Pharaoh, and Deut 34:7 says that he was 120 when he died. In a church context, you wouldnt go straight to the pastor or straight to the elders or straight to the whole congregation if someone sins against you. The Sinai mountain is not vulcanic as the sound / trumpets is clear description of vulcano eruption. Moses would not have entreated an 80 year old man, Reuel (one who was in need of the strength and vigor to drive away desert dwelling Bedouins competing for water) to be a scout for Israel. http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/s/r1/lp-e?q=Jethro&p=par, Go Jethro, give your daughter to [Ah-]Moses http://youtu.be/LbQDudV4ndA , Your email address will not be published. Supporting Roles: Jethro by Elie Wiesel was originally published in Bible Review, June 1998, and republished in Bible History Daily on March 19, 2014. a. Midrash is a genre of rabbinic literature that includes nonliteral elaborations of biblical texts. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, Fruitfulness & Faithfulness: The Mission and Mandate of Every Christian, Jethro was a foreign priest of Midian (Ex. Copyright 2023, Christianity.com. Even though Esau was a kinsman of Jacob, he was less favored than the alien Jethro. If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people will go to their place in peace.". Moses And His Mentor Jethro - SermonCentral He is thought to be the father-in-law for prophet Moses. Leadership Other posts in this series: Introduction One of the first instances of mentoring in the Old Testament is the example of Jethro and Moses. R. xxvii. Pharaohs daughter finds baby Moses in the basket on the Nile River and adopts him into the Egyptian royal family. All rights reserved. No one would ever accuse him of nepotism. After this amazing holy ground encounter with God, Moses asks Jethro for permission to leave with his wife and sons to find his people back in Egypt. When Jethro saw this, he was shocked, concerned that Moses would wear himself and the people of Israel out if he continued to work at that pace. Torah Reading Commentary: Jethro's Concern - CBN Israel Moses settled in Midian and married one of Reuel's daughters, Zipporah. Sermon on Exodus 18:1-27 - "A Fruitful Family Reunion" Apparently, Hobab was a common Midianite name, and it was needful to distinguish this particular tribal member from the others sojourning with the nation of Israel. [15][16][17][18][19] Moses was allowed to wed Zipporah after helping save Jethro's daughters and their flock from competing herdsmen. The Complex Relationship of Moses and God | Reform Judaism Photo Credit: Seventeenth-century painting by Jan Victors via Wikimedia Commons. Jethro's words and actions in . See e.g. On first reading the biblical text, Jethro seems a simple person, almost monolithic, someone who impresses us most as a family man. Upon their return home, their father asked them, "How is it that you have come home so early today?" "(Moses accepted Shu'ayb's suggestion and) said: 'This shall be (an agreement) between me and you, whichever of the two terms I fulfil, there shall be no injustice unto me, and Allah is a witness of what we say'." In marriage contracts, faith in Allah guarantees the safety of contracts. Moses assisted Jethros daughters in watering their fathers flocks, and this they reported to their father, who, in turn, extended hospitality to Moses. In Yithros days, there became an Israelite faith which long postdated the term Jews, let along the variant of todays Judaic faiths. Moses made a wise choice and continued listening. Numbers 10:29 says: Now Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses father-in-law, we are setting out for the place. Regarding this verse, it would be proper to put the words the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses father-in-law in parenthesis. First, the foundation of mentoring is a close relationship (Exodus 18:1-8). Paul is urging us to try our cases within the church by consulting someone among you wise enough to settle a dispute rather than dragging each other before the unrighteous courts of the world, spoiling our witness and making a mockery of the gospel. Hope That Is Anchored in the Scriptures - The Crosswalk Devotional - July 9. It does not say how old he was when he left Egypt. Jethro's daughter, Zipporah, became Moses's wife after Moses had fled Egypt, having killed an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew slave. Chapter 18. Lets make five simple observations about this story that are important for understanding whats happening here: John Sailhamer points out that all of these observations closely resemble the description of Melchizedek given in Genesis 14: From this, Sailhamer makes a fascinating suggestion: The purpose of these parallels appears to be to cast Jethro as another Melchizedek, the paradigm of the righteous Gentile. Jethro brings to Moses his wife and two sons. Moses flees across to Midian (in northwestern Saudi Arabia) where he meets a priest named Jethro, who becomes his father-in-law when Moses marries the priests daughter, Zipporah. She holds a B.A. Moses and Jethro: A father's counsel on easing burdens The Israelite Samaritan Version of the Torah: First English Translation Compared with the Masoretic Version. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. He is mentioned three times in the Pentateuch, once in the Prophets and in numerous places in rabbinic literature. You are not able to do it alone., Jethros advice was about Moses personal care and the well-being of Israel. Moses therefore fled from Egypt, and arrived in Midian. It took much trust for Jethro to give all of these to Mosesit would be akin to giving someone your daughter to marry and the business that supports your family. Section 3: Moses Weds Laban's Daughter - Al-Islam.org [22] This view has been used to represent an element of the special relationship between Israeli Jews and Druze.[23]. But, asks the midrash, was Jethro motivated by love of God or by fear of a divine force so powerful as to rescue the Israelites from their enemies? Travis now serves as the General Director of Vision Baptist Missions, helping local churches train and send missionaries worldwide. Some suppose that he was father to Hobab, who was also called Jethro, a likely possibility. And Moses takes advice from his father-in-law about how to lead the people of Israel better. Enduring Word Bible Commentary Exodus Chapter 18 First, Jethro acknowledges that the plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, and leading the entire cadre of Jews into the wilderness were miracles that only God could do. The most common translation is that Moses sent her away, but another grammatically permissible translation is that she sent things or persons, perhaps the announcement of the victory over Amalek. How Should Christians View the Quiverfull Movement? GBs in The Bible: Jethro and Moses - GodBuddies What Does the Bible Say about Visiting Graves?