βWhen Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father in law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, and that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt;β
Jethro. See chap. ii. 18. β Priest. Hebrew Cohen means also a prince. Both offices were performed by the heads of families, in the law of nature. (Worthington) β It is supposed that this interview took place later, and should be placed [after] Numbers x. 10. (Calmet)
βThen Jethro, Moses' father in law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her back,β
Back, with her consent, when he was going to the court of Pharao. (Menochius) β Since he had the vision of God, St. Epiphanius says, he lived in continence with her. (HΕr. 78.)
βAnd Jethro, Moses' father in law, came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped at the mount of God:β
Mountain. Horeb, (chap. iii. 1,) or Sinai. (Menochius)
βAnd he said unto Moses, I thy father in law Jethro am come unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.β
Word. Hebrew, βAnd he said unto Moses, I, &c. (7) And Moses went out to meet,β &c., which seems very strange, after he had been just talking with him. The authors of the Septuagint and Syriac read behold, instead of I. βIt was told Moses. Behold thy,β &c. Kennicott observes, that five Samaritan copies retain ene, βbehold,β instead of ani, βI,β and thus obviate the nonsense which disturbs the reader of the present Hebrew.
βAnd Moses went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent. welfare: Heb. peaceβ
Worshipped, bending to the ground, according to the custom of the country. (Haydock) β Tent of the Lord, if it were then erected, and afterwards into that of Moses. (Calmet)
βAnd Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.β
Rejoiced. Septuagint, βwas in an ecstacy,β of admiration, mixed with joy. (Menochius)
βNow I know that the LORD is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them.β
I know. I am now more convinced of this truth. Jethro instructed his family in these principles. The Rechabites were his descendants. (1 Paralipomenon ii. 55; Jeremias xxxv.) (Menochius) β Proudly. Hebrew, βbecause in the thing in which they did proudly, he was against, or above them.β Something must be supplied. God turned the wisdom and arms of the Egyptians to their own confusion. (Calmet)
βAnd 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.β
Sacrifices. Peace-offerings, of which he might partake with the ancients. (Haydock) β Jethro being a stranger, and a servant of the true God, might perform this duty in person, even though we allow that the priesthood was restrained to the family of Aaron before this time with regard to the Hebrews. (Calmet) β Before God. St. Augustine, who supposes that the tabernacle was not yet erected, explains this in honour of God: but others, who believe this happened at the close of the year, say that the feast was made before the tabernacle, the house of God. (Menochius)
βAnd Moses' father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good.β
Good, or convenient, either for yourself, or for the people. (Haydock)
βThou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone. Thou wilt: Heb. Fading thou wilt fadeβ
Foolish. Septuagint, βintolerable.β β Labour. Hebrew, βthou wilt surely sink, or be wasted away.β
βAnd thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.β
To do. Be a mediator between God and the people: explain their wants, and bring back his decision: but let inferior officers see them executed. (Haydock)
βMoreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:β
Avarice. That they may not be bribed against their better knowledge. The wise, rich, and disinterested, must be appointed magistrates; such as may not be under any undue influence. Aristotle blames the Lacedemonians for entrusting such offices to people who had nothing. See Isaias iii. 7.
βIf thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.β
Thou shalt. Hebrew, βand God shall order thee.β Jethro does not wish his advice should be followed, till God had been consulted. (Calmet) β By his plan, he thought Moses would have time to confer more with God, and promote his own welfare, and the convenient dispatch of business. (Menochius)
βAnd 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.β
Tens. The Samaritan copy here inserts, from Deuteronomy i. 9 to 19, where this is related at greater length. The Septuagint also add to the other officers, the Grammatoeisagogeis, or Shoterim, mentioned in the same place, as lectors or scribes, whose business it perhaps was to present written requests.
βAnd they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.β
To him. Whether they regarded religious or civil matters. No appeal was made from an inferior or any other tribunal, but that of the supreme magistrate. (Calmet)
βAnd Moses let his father in law depart; and he went his way into his own land.β
Depart, upon his consenting to leave his son Hobab, for a guide, (Bonfrere on Numbers x. 29,) or perhaps he departed for a time, and returned again. (Calmet) β Moses shews by his example, that superiors ought not to disdain receiving prudent admonitions from any one. (St. Chrysostom) (Worthington)