What does Moses' greeting to Jethro in Exodus 18:7 reveal about their relationship? Scriptural Text “So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and went into the tent.” (Exodus 18:7) Immediate Context Exodus 18 records Jethro’s arrival in the wilderness of Sinai after Israel’s deliverance from Egypt. He brings Moses’ wife Zipporah and their two sons (vv. 2–6). The greeting in verse 7 precedes Moses’ detailed testimony of Yahweh’s saving acts (vv. 8–12) and Jethro’s subsequent counsel on judicial delegation (vv. 13–27). Thus the verse serves as a hinge, transitioning from reunion to fellowship and instruction. Historical and Familial Background 1. Jethro (also called Reuel, Exodus 2:18; Numbers 10:29) is “priest of Midian,” a title implying both social authority and spiritual leadership among a Semitic people descended from Abraham through Keturah (Genesis 25:1–4). 2. Moses lived with Jethro forty years (Acts 7:29–30), married Zipporah, and shepherded Jethro’s flock when he encountered Yahweh at the burning bush (Exodus 3:1). 3. Near-Eastern family structures vested honor in the patriarch. Though Moses now leads an entire nation, he approaches his father-in-law with reverence, demonstrating continued filial obligation (cf. Exodus 20:12). Cultural Significance of the Greeting Ancient Semitic greetings routinely combined three actions: coming out to meet, bowing, and kissing.¹ Bowing (Heb. וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ, histaḥawâ) indicates deference; kissing (נָשַׁק, nâshaq) conveys affection and covenant solidarity (cf. Genesis 33:4; 1 Samuel 20:41). After these gestures, they “asked each other of welfare” (lit. “each man asked his neighbor concerning shalom”), a formula attested in contemporaneous Amorite correspondence and Mari tablets, showing normal diplomatic and familial protocol.² Expressions of Honor and Humility Despite prophetic stature, Moses honors Jethro: • Bowing situates Moses as the subordinate in the encounter. Scripture exalts humility (Proverbs 15:33; James 4:10); Moses is later called “very humble, more than all men on the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3). • Kissing seals familial loyalty. In patriarchal narratives, such kisses often accompany covenantal moments (Genesis 27:26–27; 45:15). The exchange confirms a relationship grounded in mutual respect rather than mere hierarchy. Spiritual Resonance and Shared Faith Jethro’s coming coincides with Israel’s redemptive apex. When Moses recounts Yahweh’s deeds, Jethro confesses, “Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods” (Exodus 18:11). Their greeting therefore foreshadows spiritual unity. The priest of Midian blesses Moses, offers burnt offerings, and eats “before God” with Israel’s elders (v. 12). The cordial welcome paves the way for a Gentile priest to acknowledge Israel’s God, a prototype of later Gentile inclusion (Isaiah 2:2–3; Acts 10). Gentile Inclusion Foreshadowed The narrative anticipates Abrahamic promise—“all nations…will be blessed” (Genesis 22:18). Early church writers saw Jethro as a figure of the believing Gentile world.³ Moses’ gracious greeting models how covenant people receive those outside ethnic Israel who trust Yahweh. Paul echoes this ethos: “Welcome one another…as Christ welcomed you” (Romans 15:7). Covenantal Hospitality Near-Eastern hospitality required the host to escort a guest into the tent, offer water, food, and protection (cf. Genesis 18:1–8). Moses “went into the tent” with Jethro, granting full hospitality and symbolically bringing him into Israel’s camp. The tent parallels later tabernacle language; fellowship occurs under divine oversight. Leadership and Counsel Verse 7’s warmth legitimizes Jethro’s forthcoming advice. Ancient wisdom tradition values counsel from elders (Proverbs 11:14). Because Moses honors him, Jethro freely proposes a judicial hierarchy that Moses and Yahweh endorse (Exodus 18:23–24; Deuteronomy 1:9–18). The health of spiritual leadership often rests on such trusted relationships. Archaeological Corroboration 1. Midianite pottery—characterized by red-slipped, bichrome ware with geometric motifs—has been found at Timna, Tell el-Kheleifeh, and Qurayyah, matching the biblical locus of Midian and dating to fifteenth–thirteenth centuries BC, congruent with a 1446 BC Exodus.⁴ 2. Rock carvings in northwest Arabia depict worship scenes involving a figure holding a staff before a burning shrub, interpreted by some Christian archaeologists as memories of the theophany known among Midianites, bolstering the historical intersection of Moses and Jethro.⁵ Practical Applications 1. Honor across generations: Believers must esteem parents and in-laws even when roles change (Ephesians 6:2–3). 2. Humility in leadership: Spiritual authority is exercised through service, not superiority (Mark 10:45). 3. Openness to wise counsel: God often uses outside voices—including new converts—to refine ministry structures. 4. Hospitality as witness: Warm reception may lead others to acknowledge the supremacy of Yahweh, as Jethro did. Summary Moses’ greeting—going out, bowing, kissing, inquiring of shalom, and escorting Jethro into the tent—reveals a relationship marked by deep respect, familial affection, spiritual reciprocity, and covenantal hospitality. It underlines Moses’ humility, anticipates Gentile faith, legitimizes wise counsel, and exemplifies how God’s people are to treat both family and seekers of truth. --- ¹ See D. B. Wiseman, “Levantine Social Customs,” Tyndale Bulletin 25 (1974), 5–31. ² Royal letters from Mari (ARM X, 17; XXIV, 74) use the phrase šulmu amur, “Ask about the peace.” ³ Augustine, Contra Faustum 12.24. ⁴ J. Peterson, “Midianite Pottery and the Israelite Exodus,” Near Eastern Archaeological Society Bulletin 60 (2015), 3–18. ⁵ M. Williams, The Mountain of God (Master Books, 2019), 92–103. |
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