So Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything that he had 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.
- 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.
- 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 1:5that the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsel:
- 1 Cor 12:21The eye can’t tell the hand, “I have no need for you,” or again the head to the feet, “I have no need for you.”
- Exod 18:2–5Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, received Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her away,
- Exod 18:19Listen now to my voice. I will give you counsel, and God be with you. You represent the people before God, and bring the causes to God.
- Ezra 10:5Then Ezra arose, and made the chiefs of the priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they would do according to this word. So they swore.
- Ezra 10:2Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered Ezra, “We have trespassed against our God, and have married foreign women of the peoples of the land. Yet now there is hope for Israel concerning this thing.
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.