And Moses let his father in law depart; and he went his way into his own land.
Exodus 18:27 closes Jethro's visit after Moses accepted his counsel, for Moses listened to his father-in-law's voice and did all he said, appointing judges to share the people's cases, and then let Jethro depart to his own land. After Moses followed the counsel and appointed capable men to judge the people, Jethro returned to his own land. His return followed his advice about the burdens of leadership.
The arrangement Moses adopted was to choose able men out of all Israel — such as fear God, men of truth hating covetousness — and make them heads over the people as rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. They were to judge the people at all seasons, judging every small and ordinary matter themselves while bringing every great, hard, and difficult cause to Moses. In this way the burden was eased and shared and the people could go to their place in peace.
Jethro's counsel about the burdens of leadership was for Moses to oversee the religious interests of Israel while trustworthy, unselfish men handled the people's secular concerns. In this account Moses acts as God's agent, receiving Christ's words and making God's will and law known to the people.
The verse shows Moses was not above being instructed though God had greatly exalted him and worked wonders by his hand. He did not reason that being chosen to instruct others meant he needed no instruction, but gladly and readily listened to Jethro's suggestions and adopted his plan as a wise arrangement.
Jethro's place in this account shows he was chosen by God from among the Gentiles to reveal the principles of heaven. It shows that God has appointed agencies on earth to bear witness to him and has given evidence that they are sent by heaven. Moses' ready acceptance of Jethro's advice provoked jealousy in Aaron and Miriam, who feared Jethro had more influence over Moses than they had and were not quickly reconciled to it. That jealousy over Jethro helped prepare their later jealousy when seventy elders were chosen without consulting them.
Exodus 18:27 closes Jethro's visit after Moses accepted his counsel, for Moses listened to his father-in-law's voice and did all he said, appointing judges to share the people's cases, and then let Jethro depart to his own land. After Moses followed the counsel and appointed capable men to judge the people, Jethro returned to his own land. His return followed his advice about the burdens of leadership.
The arrangement Moses adopted was to choose able men out of all Israel — such as fear God, men of truth hating covetousness — and make them heads over the people as rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. They were to judge the people at all seasons, judging every small and ordinary matter themselves while bringing every great, hard, and difficult cause to Moses. In this way the burden was eased and shared and the people could go to their place in peace.
Jethro's counsel about the burdens of leadership was for Moses to oversee the religious interests of Israel while trustworthy, unselfish men handled the people's secular concerns. In this account Moses acts as God's agent, receiving Christ's words and making God's will and law known to the people.
The verse shows Moses was not above being instructed though God had greatly exalted him and worked wonders by his hand. He did not reason that being chosen to instruct others meant he needed no instruction, but gladly and readily listened to Jethro's suggestions and adopted his plan as a wise arrangement.
Jethro's place in this account shows he was chosen by God from among the Gentiles to reveal the principles of heaven. It shows that God has appointed agencies on earth to bear witness to him and has given evidence that they are sent by heaven. Moses' ready acceptance of Jethro's advice provoked jealousy in Aaron and Miriam, who feared Jethro had more influence over Moses than they had and were not quickly reconciled to it. That jealousy over Jethro helped prepare their later jealousy when seventy elders were chosen without consulting them.