Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said.
Parallel translations
- WEB So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said.
- KJV So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said.
- NKJV So Moses heeded the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said.
- NASB So Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything that he had said.
- NLT Moses listened to his father-in-law’s advice and followed his suggestions.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Moses humbly accepted his father-in-law Jethro's advice and put it fully into practice. Godly leaders are teachable and willing to learn even from outsiders.
Overview
After Jethro proposed delegating judicial responsibility, Moses did not defend his exhausting routine but listened and obeyed. His humility models the wisdom of receiving sound counsel, even from a Midianite priest. Scripture honors the leader who heeds wise correction (Prov. 12:15), and points ahead to Christ, the meek and humble Servant-Leader.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Prov 1:5let the wise listen and gain instruction, and the discerning acquire wise counsel
- 1 Cor 12:21The eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not need you.” Nor can the head say to the feet, “I do not need you.”
- Exod 18:2–5After Moses had sent back his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro had received her,
- Exod 18:19Now listen to me; I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their causes to Him.
- Ezra 10:5So Ezra got up and made the leading priests, Levites, and all Israel take an oath to do what had been said. And they took the oath.
- Ezra 10:2Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, an Elamite, said to Ezra: “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the people of the land, yet in spite of this, there is hope for Israel.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Passover lamb whose blood turns away death, the exodus through the sea, the manna, the rock, and the tabernacle where God dwells with his people all foreshadow Jesus — our Passover, our redemption, the bread from heaven, and God-with-us in the flesh.
How Exodus 18:24 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.