What is the meaning of Exodus 18:2? After Moses had sent back his wife Zipporah, • Exodus 18:2 opens with a reminder that Moses, somewhere between the journey to Egypt (Exodus 4:20) and the plagues (Exodus 7–12), purposefully returned Zipporah to her family in Midian. • The wording shows a deliberate, protective action—not abandonment—aligned with Moses’ God-given responsibility to safeguard his household while confronting Pharaoh. Compare the similar protective separations in Genesis 45:9–11 and Exodus 12:31–32. • Sending her back likely followed the tense circumcision episode en route to Egypt (Exodus 4:24-26), after which Zipporah may have questioned continued travel. Moses’ decision let him face Egypt’s judgments (Exodus 7–12) without exposing his family to danger. • The verse affirms Scripture’s chronology: Zipporah departs early, reappears only once Israel is safe at Sinai (Exodus 18:5). God honors Moses’ care for his wife, echoing the principle of 1 Timothy 3:5—faithful leaders manage their own households well. his father-in-law Jethro had received her • Jethro, “priest of Midian” (Exodus 3:1), acts as guardian, showing Near-Eastern family solidarity. His hospitality prefigures later commands to honor kin and sojourners (Leviticus 19:34). • Jethro’s reception kept Zipporah and her sons Gershom and Eliezer (Exodus 18:3-4) spiritually and physically secure. In due time he escorts them back, illustrating Proverbs 17:17—“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” • By caring for Moses’ family, Jethro models godly wisdom that he will soon share with Israel’s leader (Exodus 18:17-24). The reunion proves God was orchestrating relationships beyond Israel’s borders, hinting at the future blessing of all nations through Abraham’s seed (Genesis 12:3; Isaiah 60:3). • The phrase also validates the literal historical link between Midian and Israel: two peoples cooperating under Yahweh’s sovereign plan, not myth but factual family history (Numbers 10:29-32). summary Exodus 18:2 means exactly what it says: Moses, acting responsibly under God, had earlier sent Zipporah back to Midian for her safety; Jethro graciously received and sheltered her until the LORD’s appointed moment for reunion at Sinai. The verse underscores protective leadership, faithful family support, and God’s meticulous providence—each detail fitting seamlessly into the unfolding, literal narrative of Israel’s redemption. |
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