Introduction

Exodus 18:1–12: In today’s reading, Moses greets his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. Midian was a hilly area in northern Arabia along the east coast of the Gulf of Aqabah and across from the Sinai Peninsula. The Midianites were descendants of Abraham and his wife Keturah (see Genesis 25:1–2). Midian was the land to which Moses had escaped from Egypt after Moses had killed an Egyptian for killing a Hebrew slave. It was in Midian that he met Jethro and married Zipporah, one of Jethro’s daughters (see Exodus 2:11–22 from the February 12 reading).

Today’s Key Verse: Exodus 18:10 GNT

[Jethro said:] “Praise the LORD, who saved you from the king and the people of Egypt! Praise the LORD, who saved his people from slavery!”

Read

18 Moses’ father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard about everything that God had done for Moses and the people of Israel when he led them out of Egypt. 2 So he came to Moses, bringing with him Moses’ wife Zipporah, who had been left behind, 3 and Gershom and Eliezer, her two sons. (Moses had said, “I have been a foreigner in a strange land”; so he had named one son Gershom.[a] 4 He had also said, “The God of my father helped me and saved me from being killed by the king of Egypt”; so he had named the other son Eliezer.[b]) 5 Jethro came with Moses’ wife and her two sons into the desert where Moses was camped at the holy mountain. 6 He had sent word to Moses that they were coming, 7 so Moses went out to meet him, bowed before him, and kissed him. They asked about each other’s health and then went into Moses’ tent. 8 Moses told Jethro everything that the Lord had done to the king and the people of Egypt in order to rescue the Israelites. He also told him about the hardships the people had faced on the way and how the Lord had saved them. 9 When Jethro heard all this, he was happy 10 and said, “Praise the Lord, who saved you from the king and the people of Egypt! Praise the Lord, who saved his people from slavery! 11 Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods, because he did this when the Egyptians treated the Israelites with such contempt.” 12 Then Jethro brought an offering to be burned whole and other sacrifices to be offered to God; and Aaron and all the leaders of Israel went with him to eat the sacred meal as an act of worship.

Reflect

What prompted Jethro to visit Moses (verses 1–3a)? How did Moses greet his father-in-law (verse 7)? What did Moses say to Jethro (verse 8)? What was Jethro’s response (verses 9–11)?

What will you praise God for today?

Pray

I praise you, glorious God, for your mighty deeds and steadfast love and care. Great are you, Lord God. May my words and actions this day bring honor and glory to you. Amen.

Tomorrow’s Reading

Romans 8:18–39: The apostle Paul describes the future glory for God’s people.