◄ Exodus 18:10 ►
Jethro declared, "Blessed be the LORD, who has delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who has delivered the people from the hand of the Egyptians.
Study Bible
Jethro declared
The name "Jethro" is of Hebrew origin, meaning "his abundance" or "excellence." Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, was a Midianite priest, which highlights the inclusivity of God's work beyond the Israelites. His declaration signifies a recognition of God's power and sovereignty, even from those outside the covenant community. This moment underscores the universal acknowledgment of God's mighty acts.

Blessed be the LORD
The phrase "Blessed be the LORD" is a common doxology in the Hebrew Scriptures, expressing praise and adoration. The Hebrew word for "blessed" is "baruch," which conveys a sense of kneeling or showing reverence. This expression of blessing is significant as it comes from Jethro, a non-Israelite, indicating that God's deeds are so profound that they elicit worship from all nations.

who has delivered you
The term "delivered" in Hebrew is "natsal," meaning to snatch away, rescue, or save. This word is often used in the context of divine intervention, emphasizing God's active role in the salvation of His people. The deliverance from Egypt is a central theme in the Exodus narrative, symbolizing God's power to save and His faithfulness to His promises.

from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh
The "hand" symbolizes power and control. The Egyptians and Pharaoh represent the oppressive forces that held the Israelites in bondage. Historically, Egypt was a dominant power, and Pharaoh was considered a god-king. God's deliverance from such a formidable force highlights His supremacy over earthly powers and His ability to liberate His people from any form of oppression.

and who has rescued the people
The word "rescued" is synonymous with "delivered," reinforcing the theme of salvation. The "people" refers to the Israelites, God's chosen nation. This rescue is not just a physical liberation but also a spiritual one, as it sets the stage for the covenant relationship at Sinai. It is a reminder of God's commitment to His people and His plan for their redemption.

from the hand of the Egyptians
Reiterating the earlier phrase, this repetition emphasizes the completeness of God's deliverance. The Israelites were not just freed from physical slavery but also from the cultural and spiritual influences of Egypt. This liberation is a precursor to their identity as a distinct people, set apart for God's purposes. It serves as a powerful reminder of God's ability to free His people from any bondage, both then and now.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jethro
Moses' father-in-law, a priest of Midian, who visits Moses in the wilderness and acknowledges God's deliverance of Israel.

2. Moses
The leader of the Israelites, chosen by God to lead His people out of Egyptian bondage.

3. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant name of God, who delivered Israel from Egypt.

4. Egyptians
The oppressors of the Israelites, from whom God delivered His people.

5. Pharaoh
The ruler of Egypt, who resisted God's command to let the Israelites go.
Teaching Points
Recognition of God's Deliverance
Jethro's declaration reminds us to acknowledge and praise God for His acts of deliverance in our lives.

Witness to Others
Jethro, a non-Israelite, recognizes God's power, illustrating how our testimonies can impact those outside the faith.

Gratitude and Worship
Like Jethro, we should respond to God's work with gratitude and worship, recognizing His sovereignty and grace.

Intergenerational Faith
Jethro's acknowledgment of God's deliverance encourages us to share accounts of God's faithfulness with future generations.

God's Sovereignty Over Nations
The deliverance from Egypt demonstrates God's control over nations and rulers, reassuring us of His ultimate authority.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Jethro's acknowledgment of God's deliverance challenge us to recognize and testify about God's work in our own lives?

2. In what ways can we, like Jethro, be a witness to God's power and faithfulness to those who may not share our faith?

3. How does the theme of deliverance in Exodus 18:10 connect with other instances of God's deliverance in the Bible, and what can we learn from these connections?

4. What practical steps can we take to cultivate a heart of gratitude and worship in response to God's deliverance and provision?

5. How does understanding God's sovereignty over nations and rulers, as seen in the deliverance from Egypt, impact our perspective on current world events?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Exodus 3:12
God's promise to Moses that He would be with him and that the Israelites would worship God on this mountain, fulfilled in Jethro's acknowledgment.

Psalm 124:6-8
A psalm of thanksgiving for deliverance, similar in theme to Jethro's blessing.

Acts 7:35-36
Stephen's speech recounts Moses' role in delivering Israel, affirming God's hand in their liberation.

1 Samuel 2:1-10
Hannah's prayer of thanksgiving, paralleling Jethro's acknowledgment of God's deliverance.

Romans 15:9
Paul speaks of the Gentiles glorifying God for His mercy, akin to Jethro, a Midianite, blessing Yahweh.
Sermons
Jethro's Visit - Moses in His Domestic RelationsD. Young Exodus 18:1-12
The Consolations of Those Who Suffer Loss for the Kingdom of GodJ. Urquhart Exodus 18:1-12
The Visit of JethroJ. Orr Exodus 18:1-13
Friendship in its Loftiest FormH.T. Robjohns Exodus 18:6-12
LessonsG. Hughes, B. D.Exodus 18:9-12
People
Aaron, Egyptians, Eliezer, Gershom, Jethro, Moses, Pharaoh, Zipporah
Places
Egypt, Midian, Rephidim
Topics
Blessed, Delivered, Egyptians, Freeing, Jethro, Pharaoh, Praise, Rescued, Yoke
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Exodus 18:10

     6738   rescue
     8665   praise, reasons

Exodus 18:9-10

     8667   praise, examples

Exodus 18:9-12

     8428   example

Library
The Ideal Statesman [Footnote: Preached on Occasion of Mr. Gladstone's Death. ]
'Thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them.'--EXODUS xviii. 21. You will have anticipated my purpose in selecting this text. I should be doing violence to your feelings and mine if I made no reference to the event which has united the Empire and the world in one sentiment. The great tree has fallen, and the crash has for the moment silenced all the sounds of the forest. Wars abroad and controversies at home are …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Gershom and Eliezer
'The name of the one [of Moses' sons] was Gershom ... and the name of the other was Eliezer....'--EXODUS xviii. 3, 4. In old times parents often used to give expression to their hopes or their emotions in the names of their children. Very clearly that was the case in Moses' naming of his two sons, who seem to have been the whole of his family. The significance of each name is appended to it in the text. The explanation of the first is, 'For he said, I have been an alien in a strange land'; and that …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Origin and Growth of Law.
MOSES' WORK AS JUDGE AND PROPHET.--Ex. 18; 1-27; 33:5-11. Parallel References. Hist. Bible I, 198-203. Prin. of Politics, Ch. VI. Maine, Ancient Law. Jehovah spake to Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend--Ex. 33: 11. And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard cases they brought unto Moses, but every small …
Charles Foster Kent—The Making of a Nation

The Development of the Earlier Old Testament Laws
[Sidenote: First the principle, and then the detailed laws] If the canon of the New Testament had remained open as long as did that of the Old, there is little doubt that it also would have contained many laws, legal precedents, and ecclesiastical histories. From the writings of the Church Fathers and the records of the Catholic Church it is possible to conjecture what these in general would have been. The early history of Christianity illustrates the universal fact that the broad principles are …
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament

That the Ruler Relax not his Care for the Things that are Within in his Occupation among the Things that are Without, nor Neglect to Provide
The ruler should not relax his care for the things that are within in his occupation among the things that are without, nor neglect to provide for the things that are without in his solicitude for the things that are within; lest either, given up to the things that are without, he fall away from his inmost concerns, or, occupied only with the things that are within bestow not on his neighbours outside himself what he owes them. For it is often the case that some, as if forgetting that they have …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

Opposition to Messiah Ruinous
Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel T here is a species of the sublime in writing, which seems peculiar to the Scripture, and of which, properly, no subjects but those of divine revelation are capable, With us, things inconsiderable in themselves are elevated by splendid images, which give them an apparent importance beyond what they can justly claim. Thus the poet, when describing a battle among bees, by a judicious selection of epithets …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2

Easter Tuesday
Second Sermon. Same Text. Acts 13, 26-39. THE WORD AND THE RESURRECTION.[1] [Footnote 1: This sermon appeared first in the Church Postil, the Explanation of the Epistle and Gospel Texts from Easter to Advent. Printed by Hans Lufft, Wittenberg, 1559.] 1. This sermon was preached by Paul in the synagogue at Antioch of Pisidia, where were gathered with the Jews some Greek converts. Wherever in a city Jews were to be found, there also were their synagogues in which they taught and preached; and many …
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. II

After the Scripture.
"In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God created He him."--Gen. v. 1. In the preceding pages we have shown that the translation, "in Our image," actually means, "after Our image." To make anything in an image is no language; it is unthinkable, logically untrue. We now proceed to show how it should be translated, and give our reason for it. We begin with citing some passages from the Old Testament in which occurs the preposition "B" which, in Gen. i. 27, stands before image, where …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

Appendix xii. The Baptism of Proselytes
ONLY those who have made study of it can have any idea how large, and sometimes bewildering, is the literature on the subject of Jewish Proselytes and their Baptism. Our present remarks will be confined to the Baptism of Proselytes. 1. Generally, as regards proselytes (Gerim) we have to distinguish between the Ger ha-Shaar (proselyte of the gate) and Ger Toshabh (sojourner,' settled among Israel), and again the Ger hatstsedeq (proselyte of righteousness) and Ger habberith (proselyte of the covenant). …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Exodus
The book of Exodus--so named in the Greek version from the march of Israel out of Egypt--opens upon a scene of oppression very different from the prosperity and triumph in which Genesis had closed. Israel is being cruelly crushed by the new dynasty which has arisen in Egypt (i.) and the story of the book is the story of her redemption. Ultimately it is Israel's God that is her redeemer, but He operates largely by human means; and the first step is the preparation of a deliverer, Moses, whose parentage, …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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