Exodus 18:12

_AND JETHRO, MOSES' FATHER IN LAW, 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._ Jethro ... took a burnt offering, х_ `OLAAH_ (H5930) _ UWZBAACHIYM_ (H2077)] - a holocaust and victims. This friendly interview was terminated by a solemn religious service-the burnt offerings were consumed on the altar, and the sacrifices were offerings, used in a feast of joy and gratitude, at which Jethro, as priest of the true God, seems to have presided, and to which the chiefs of Israel were invited. This incident is in beautiful keeping with the character of the parties, and, in the spirit of it, is well worthy of the imitation of Christian friends when they meet in the present day....

12._And Jethro. _Although I do not think that Jethro had previously sacrificed to idols, yet, because he worshipped an unknown God, with but a confused and clouded faith, it appears that this was his first sincere and legitimate sacrifice since the God of Israel had been more clearly known to him. We may gather from hence that it was duly offered, because Moses, and Aaron, and the elders openly professed them. selves his companions, and partook with him; for it is not merely said that they came to eat bread with him, but “before God;” which expression describes a sacred and solemn feast, a part and adjunct of the offering and divine worship. But they never would have willingly polluted themselves with the defilement’s of the Gentiles for the sake of gratifying an unholy man. It follows, then, that this was a token of his piety, since they did not hesitate to become partakers with him. We...

7-12 Conversation concerning God's wondrous works is good, and edifies. Jethro not only rejoiced in the honour done to his son-in-law, but in all the goodness done to Israel. Standers-by were more affected with the favours God had showed to Israel, than many were who received them. Jethro gave the glory to Israel's God. Whatever we have the joy of, God must have the praise. They joined in a sacrifice of thanksgiving. Mutual friendship is sanctified by joint worship. It is very good for relations and friends to join in the spiritual sacrifice of prayer and praise, as those that meet in Christ. This was a temperate feast; they did eat bread, manna. Jethro must see and taste that bread from heaven, and though a gentile, is welcome: the gentiles are welcomed to Christ the Bread of life....

Verse Exodus 18:12. _JETHRO - TOOK A BURNT-OFFERING_] עלה _olah_. Though it be true that in the patriarchal times we read of a burnt-offering, (see Genesis 22:2, c.,) yet we only read of one in the case of _Isaac_, and therefore, though this offering made by Jethro is not a decisive proof that the law relative to burnt-offerings, c., had already been given, yet, taken with other _circumstances_ in this account, it is a presumptive evidence that the meeting between Moses and Jethro took place _after_ the erection of tabernacle. Exodus 18:5, Exodus 18:5. Sacrifices for God

A BURNT OFFERING AND SACRIFICES - This verse clearly shows that Jethro was recognized as a priest of the true God, and is of great importance in its bearings upon the relation between the Israelites and their congeners, and upon the state of religion among the descendants of Abraham....

JETHRO'S VISIT TO MOSES. EXPOSITION JETHRO'S VISIT TO MOSES. It has been noticed, in the comment on Exodus 4:1; that shortly after the circumcision of Eliezer, Moses' second son, he sent back his wife, Zipporah, to her own kinsfolk, the Midianites, together with her two sons, Eliezer and Gershom. Reuel, Zipporah's father, was then dead (Exodus and had been succeeded in his priesthood and headship of the tribe by Jethro, probably his son, and therefore the brother-in-law, and not the father-in-law, of Moses. (The Hebrew word used, as already observed, has both meanings.) Jethro gave protection to his sister and her children until he heard of the passage of the Red Sea, when he set forth to meet and congratulate his kinsman, and to convey back

AND JETHRO, MOSES'S FATHER IN LAW, TOOK A BURNT OFFERING AND SACRIFICES FOR GOD,.... The burnt offering, which was either of the flock or of the herd, was wholly consumed by fire, from whence it had its name; the peace offering for thanksgiving, which seemed to be meant by the sacrifices here, the flesh of them were to be eaten, Leviticus 7:15 and now a feast was kept, as the latter part of the verse shows: whether Jethro brought cattle along with him for such a purpose, and so "gave" p or "offered" them for a burnt offering and sacrifices to God; as the word for took may be rendered, one and the same word signifying both to give and take, see Psalms 68:18, compared with Ephesians 4:8 or whether, with the leave of Moses

CHAPTER 18 MOSES AND JETHRO _ 1. The coming of Jethro (Exodus 18:1)_ 2. Moses' and Jethro's communion (Exodus 18:6) 3. Jethro's advice (Exodus 18:13) 4. Moses' action (Exodus 18:24) This chapter concludes the first section of the second part of Exodus. We have in it a beautiful dispensational foreshadowing of things to come. God had redeemed Israel, delivered them from Pharaoh's host, manifested His power and had given them victory. The priest of Midian, a Gentile, now comes, having heard all that Jehovah had done for Moses and for Israel, his people. Zipporah, Moses' wife, and his two sons are with

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 -...

JETHRO—TOOK A BURNT-OFFERING— Hence it plainly appears, that Jethro was a priest of the true God; and that _burnt-offerings,_ which were to be wholly consumed upon the altar, (Leviticus 1:9.) and _sacrifices_ or _peace-offerings,_ of which the people, as well as the priests, partook, (Leviticus 15:33.) were in general use among believers before the giving of the law. See Genesis 4:4. To _eat bread,_ signifies to partake of the sacrifice. _Before God_ means, either before the place where the _Shechinah_ now appeared; or, if this visit was after the erection of the tabernacle, (as some commentators suppose,) it signifies, before the face of God's special presence there; see ch....