QT 3/23/2026 Exo 18:1-9, Family responsibilities

Exodus 18:1–9 (ESV) —

1 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.

 

NOTE: I believe that Moses prudently chose to keep his wife and sons back during the upcoming conflict with Pharaoh. I think that they could have been used as a weapon against him during the period of the plagues, and so he wisely leaves them with his father-in-law. I don’t believe that they were separated, and nothing in the greeting would suggest otherwise. Once again, prudence and trust are integrated. It does not have to be one or the other. Someone might argue that Moses should trust God to protect his family, but I disagree. There would have been a lot of pressure placed on her by the people because of the pushback to the plagues early on. Also, her Midianite status may have been used against her. The simplest solution was to keep Zipporah back to protect her emotionally and physically from both the Egyptians and the discontented Jews. Similarly I would argue that the boys could have been also affected, but mostly, I think it was done for Zipporah's sake.

 

PONDER:

1. Protecting your family is an important responsibility for parents, and especially for the the husband. It is not a lack of trust. Does my family see me as a protector?

 

PRAYER: Father, today, life is both easier and in a way harder. The dangers of physical attack, at least in most places is low, but the danger of stress (just as deadly in the long term) is much higher. Give us ideas and wisdom on how to reduce the stress in the family. Teach us how to rest. Teach us how to protect our children (not enable, but protect).