Limitless Word
So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said.
Exodus 18:24 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said.
  • BSB Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he 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 1:5A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
  • 1 Cor 12:21And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
  • Exod 18:2–5Then Jethro, Moses’ father in law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her back,
  • Exod 18:19Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God:
  • Ezra 10:5Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they should do according to this word. And they sware.
  • Ezra 10:2And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (3)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Exodus videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Exodus 18:24YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on ExodusMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

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.