EXODUS 18
Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. 2 Now Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, had taken Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her home, 3 along with her two sons. The name of the one was Gershom (for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land”), 4 and the name of the other, Eliezer (for he said, “The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh”). 5 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was encamped at the mountain of God. 6 And when he sent word to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her,” 7 Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. And they asked each other of their welfare and went into the tent. 8 Then Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had come upon them in the way, and how the Lord had delivered them. 9 And Jethro rejoiced for all the good that the Lord had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians. – Exodus 18:1-9
EXODUS 18 JETHRO MEETS MOSES IN THE WILDERNESS
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
When Moses’ father-in-law Jethro heard of their deliverance
He brought back Moses’ family to him in the wilderness
Jethro rejoiced for all the good things that Moses went through
Moses told Jethro all the hardship that had come their way
He also bowed down to his father-in-law and kissed him
He was like a real father to Moses all those years in Midian.
We hear in this account that Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law brought Moses’ wife, Zipporah and his children Gershom and Eliezer to reunite with him in the wilderness after the Israelites were delivered from the Egyptians. This must have been an emotional reunion after many years of being separated from each other. We witness the close bond that Moses and Jethro have in this account. When Moses fled to Midian after escaping Egypt Jethro took him in and also gave his daughter to marry Moses.
REFLECTION
- What can we learn from this reunion of Moses and his family?
