Exodus 18:1-12

Jethro as Priest. Exodus 18:1 a (Midian) J, Exodus 18:1 b E, Exodus 18:1 c (supply heard) J, Exodus 18:2 Rje, Exodus 18:5 E, Exodus 18:6 a(b) - Exodus 18:7 J, Exodus 18:8 ab (was) E, Exodus 18:8 c - Exodus 18:9 a (Israel) J, Exodus 18:9 b E, Exodus 18:10 a(b) - Exodus 18:11 a(b) J, Exodus 18:12 E. The analysis of Exodus 18:18 as shown here is that of Gressmann. In J, Jethro hears of Israel's deliverance by Yahweh (Exodus 18:1 ac), and sends to announce his arrival (Exodus 18:6). Moses welcomes him with Eastern courtesy (Exodus 18:7), and tells him the good news fully (Exodus 18:8 c). Jethro rejoices (Exodus 18:9 a), and pronounces a solemn priestly ascription of praise to Yahweh (Exodus 18:10 a, Exodus 18:11 a), as though he were a bishop visiting some place within his diocese. Similarly in E, but with the additional reason that he might bring his wife and two sons (contrast Exodus 2:22), Moses-' father-in-law, hearing of all that God had done, comes and hears the story more fully (Exodus 18:8, read God, Exodus 18:9 b), and then (Exodus 18:12) took a burnt-offering and sacrifices for God; and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses-' father-in-law before God, i.e. to share in a solemn sacrificial feast. What does all this mean, but that the Midianitish priest acted as it were as godfather to Moses and Israel, and that, as the N. Israelite priest (2 Kings 17:26 ff.) taught the settlers in Samaria the manner of the God of the land, so Jethro imparted to Israel the ritual customs and rules of the God of Sinai, Horeb, Seir, Edom, Teman or Paran (Judges 5:4 f., Deuteronomy 33:2; Hebrews 3:3), for all these places are named as the early centres of Yahweh's presence. Midian, geographically close, may also have been thus named, but, if so, was omitted by the final priestly editors for reasons of prejudice (Numbers 25:6; Numbers 3:1), which show the strength of the tradition which retained so much about Moses's relations with Midian (cf. Exodus 2:18 *).