Commentary on Exodus, Commentary · Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII.
Verſe 1. NOW Jethro, the Priest of Midian, &c.] Many ancient and later Verſions have it, Prince of Midian. See Chap. II. v. 16.
Heard of all that God had done for Moſes and for Iſrael, &c.] The Fame of which went into all the Countries thereabout, XV. 14, &c.
Ver. 2. Took Zipporah Moſes wiſe, after he had ſent her back.] It is uncertain, when Moſes ſent her back to her Father: but it is likely it was done at her own deſire, when ſhe ſaw how difficult his Work was likely to prove in Egypt. See IV. 26. The Hebrew word ſeems to ſome to intimate a Divorce, as the Mauritanian Jews take it. But all Chriſtian Verſions, and that of the Jerman, Jews, and the Perſian, underſtand it as we do. See Selden de Ʋxor. Hebr. p. 629.
Ver. 3. And her two Sons, &c.] Whoſe Names carry in them a thankful Remembrance of God's great Mercy to him.
Gerſhom.] See II. 22.
Ver. 4. Eliezer.] Who is thought to have been born a little before he left Midian, and went out of Midian into Egypt by God's ſpecial derection. See IV. 25.
Ver. 5. And Jethro, &c. came unto Moſes.] Took a Journey out of Midian to give him a viſit.
Into the Wilderneſs.] Into the ſame Wilderneſs where Moſes and the Iſraelites now were.
Where he incamped at the Mount of God.] viz. At Horeb, which was not far from Midian, it appears from III. 11. where we read that when Moſes fed Jethro's Flock, he led them hither to this Mount. Which is called God's Mount, becauſe there he appeared ſirſt to Moſes, III. 2, &c. and had lately appeared there again upon the Rock, XVII. 6. unto which place he bid Moſes lead the Congregration, (XVII. 5.) who were now, I ſuppoſe, incamped thereabout, after the ſight with Amalek in Rephidim; which was not far from it.
Ver. 6. And he ſaid unto Moſes.] By a Letter which he ſent him from the place where he was incamped (of which theſe were the Contents) to give him notice of his coming. Which was but neceſſary; that he might without any impediment paſs the Guards, which we may well think Moſes had ſet very carefully, after the Fight with Amalek; who had ſuddenly ſurprized the hindmoſt of the People, XXV Deut. 18.
I thy Father-in-law Jethro, am come unto thee, &c.] Am upon the way, and come near to thee.
Here it may be ſit to take notice, that there is a great diſpute among Interpreters, about the time when Jethro came from Midian, with Moſes his Wife and Children: whether immediately after the Fight with Amalek, as it is here ſet down; or ſome time after, when the Iſraelites were better ſettled. One would think, that he could not but take the firſt opportunity to viſit Moſes, and to bring him and his neareſt Relations together; after he heard the News of their coming out of Egypt, and their paſſing the Red Sea, &c. The news of which could not but reach him, who was a Borderer upon this Wilderneſs. Yet the Hebrews are generally of an opinion, that this fell out, after the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai; and many Chriſtians have been of the ſame mind: particularly ſuch great Men as our moſt Learned Primate Ʋſher ad A. M. 2514. and Mr. Selden L. II. de Synedris, c. 2. where he ſaith, no other account of it is to be received, [nec aliam ſanè ſententiam omninò amplexandam ſentio] but they are not agreed in what year he came. Some ſay it was in this firſt year, after their coming out of Egypt: And the Hebrews have an opinion, that it was in the Month of Tiſri, and on the eleventh day of that Month, when Jethro gave the following Counſel to Moſes, v. 19, &c. i. e. above three Months after God gave the Law from Mount Sinai; or after Moſes received the ſecond Tables. But others are as conſident that it was in the ſecond year; and place this Story according to order of time after X Numb. 28. or as Dr. Lightfoot thinks, it ſhould come in between the 10th and 11th Verſes of that Tenth of Numbers. And Primate Ʋſher in like manner judges his coming to have been about that time. But though all this be uncertain, yet Mr. Selden thinks he hath a ſtrong ground to affirm, it was after the giving of the Law, from what we read I Deut. 6, 9, 10, 11, &c. And I confeſs it ſeems plain from thence, that the Regulation which Moſes made by the advice of Jethro, was after God ſpake to them in Horeb, which is the ſame with Mount Sinai. For though he did appear at Horeb before this (as I obſerved XVII. 6.) yet he ſaid nothing then of that which Moſes mentions (I Deut.) which was after the giving of the Law. At which time he ſaith there (v. 9.) it was that he told them, he was not able to bear them himſelf alone, &c. But notwithſtanding this, I cannot think that the coming of Jethro to Moſes was deferred ſo long (for no reaſon can be given why Moſes here places the Story of it, if it did not follow their Fight with Amalek) though he did not give him the advice for the better Adminiſtration of Juſtice, till after God had delivered the Law from Mount Sinai; as I ſhall obſerve in its proper place.
Ver. 7. And Moſes went out to meet his Father-in-law.] Before he came into the Camp; or at leaſt before he came to his Tent: that he might ſhow the great reſpect he bare to him, and his joy to ſee him.
And did obeyſance and kiſſed him.] Welcomed him according to the Cuſtom of thoſe Countries.
And they asked each other of their welfare.] Had ſuch diſcourſe together, as Friends commonly have at their meeting, till they came into the Tent.
And they came into the Tent.] Into the Tent of Moſes; or rather the Tent prepared to entertain Jethro. But the Talmudiſts are ſo poſſeſſed with the opinion, that this hapned ſome Months, if not a whole Year, after the Law was given, that they take this Tent to have been Beth-midraſh, the Houſe of Expoſition; or the School where Moſes made the People underſtand the Law. For ſo Jonathan in his Paraphraſe upon this, and the foregoing Verſe; I thy Father-in-law am come unto thee, that I may be made a Proſelyte. And if thou wilt not receive me for my own ſake; yet admit me for the ſake of thy Wife and Children which I bring with me. And Moſes went out from under the Cloud of Glory to meet him, &c. and when they had mutually ſaluted, they came into the Tabernacle of the Houſe of Learning. But nothing can be more abſurd than this fancy; that he carried him immediately to hear a Lecture upon the Law.
Ver. 8. And Moſes told his Father-in-law, all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh, &c.] It ſeems to me, from theſe words, and thoſe that follow, that all we read hitherto about this matter, fell out in order of time as it is here ſet down. For if it had hapned after the giving of the Law, it is moſt probable, he would have ſaid ſomething of the moſt remarkable paſſage of all other, Gods glorious appearance to them on Mount Sinai, and the Law he had delivered to them, &c. Whereas, at this meeting, he only relates what God had done to Pharaoh, and to the Egyptians, and how the LORD delivered them; and all the Travel that came upon them by the way: which comprehends their paſſing through the Red Sea, and their want of Water and Bread, and their Fight with Amalek. That is, all that we read in the foregoing Chapters. And accordingly Jethro rejoyced for their deliverance from the Egyptians, v. 9. and gives thanks to God for it, v. 10. taking notice of nothing elſe.
Ver. 9. And Jethro rejoyced for all the goodneſs which the LORD had done to Iſrael, &c.] The Gentiles, as Conradus Pellicanus here obſerves, more devoutly acknowledged God's Mercies when they underſtood them, than the Jews themſelves did. With which our Saviour, when he came, upbraids that People; ſinding ſuch Faith among the Gentiles, as he could not meet withal in Iſrael.
Ver. 10. Bleſſed be the LORD who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, &c.] This may relate to the Preſervation of Moſes and Aaron, who had brought the ſoreſt Plagues upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians; and yet God ſuffered them not to hurt them.
Who hath delivered the People from under the hand of the Egyptians.] And then this relates to the Deliverance of the whole Body of the People from the Egyptian Bondage; and to the overthrow of Pharaoh and his Hoſt in the Red Sea: whereby the Iſraelites were ſinally delivered from under the hand, i. e. the tyranny and oppreſſion of the Egyptians.
Ver. 11. Now I know that the LORD.] He knew the true God before; but was now fully convinced that he alone was the moſt High.
Is greater then all Gods.] Than all that the world accounted Gods. For he did not acknowledge any more Divine Powers than One: but he ſpeaks according to the common opinion, Men had in thoſe days, of other Gods beſides the moſt High. This is a common acknowledgment of good Men in after times, LXXXVI Pſal. 8, 10. CXXXV. 5.
For in the thing wherein they dealt proudly, he was above them.] If we refer this to what immediately goes before (viz. all Gods) the meaning is, that the LORD appeared ſuperiour to all the Egyptian Gods, who inſolently attempted, by the Magicians, to equal him in his wonderful Works; but were baffled and expoſed to contempt, and at laſt thrown down in their Images, VIII. 19. IX. 11. XII. 12. But it is commonly thought to relate to the Egyptians and Pharaoh, mention'd in the foregoing Verſe: and then the meaning is, That the LORD confounded them, that proudly contemned his Authority, ſaying, Who is the LORD, &c. V. 2. whom he forced to beg his pardon, IX. 27. and at laſt drowned him and his Hoſt in the Red Sea, when they ſaid, in an haughty, boaſting manner, I will purſue, I will overtake, I will divide the ſpoil, my lust ſhall be ſatisfied upon them, &c. XV. 9. And to this purpoſe the Chaldee expounds it; In that very thing wherein they thought to judge (i. e. to puniſh or deſtroy) the Iſraelites, they were judged themſelves; i. e. drowned in the Sea, as they intended to drown all their Male Children.
Ver. 12. And Jethro Moſes Father-in-law.] He is conſtantly thus deſcribed (v. 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8. and every where elſe but v. 9, 10.) to diſtinguiſh him from any other Jethro; to whom theſe things might poſſibly be thought to belong.
Took a Burnt-offering.] Which was to be wholly conſumed upon the Altar, and nothing of it eaten by any body, I Lev. 9. This now may be thought to have been done, after the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai; which Moſes here mentions becauſe he would put together all that belongs to Jethro's ſtory (though not all done at the very ſame time) juſt, as I ſaid he did what belonged to the Hiſtory of the Manna, XVI. 33, 35. See there.
And Sacrifices.] i. e. Peace-offerings; of which the People, as well as the Prieſts, were to be partakers, VII Lev. 34. XXVI Deut. 7. And regularly there never was any Burnt-offerings made, which were wholly conſumed upon the Altar, but Peace-offerings attended upon them; if they were not Offerings for the whole Congregation, but for particular Perſons; that ſo, they who brought them, might Feaſt alſo with God upon the Sacrifices. For feaſting upon Sacriſices was an Appendix unto all Sacrifices whatſoever, one way or other; if not by themſelves, yet by the Prieſts, who eat of the Sin-offerings, as the Proxies of the People. Of this there are numerous Inſtances, not only among the Jews, after the Law was given, but among other People, who had this Cuſtom antecedent to it: As appears from XXV Numb. 2. where the Midianites invite the Iſraelites to the Sacrifices of their Gods, and the People did eat, &c. Which they did not learn from Moſes, but derived from higher Antiquity; it is probable even from Abraham himſelf.
For God.] To be offered unto God. Who offered them we are not told; but it ſhould ſeem by the word took, that Jethro himſelf (who was a Prieſt) was permitted to perform this Office; in token that they owned him to be a faithful Servant and Miniſter of the moſt High God, as Melchizedeck was. And accordingly it follows that Aaron was invited, with the Elders of Iſrael, to come and Feaſt with him upon theſe Sacrifices.
And Aaron came.] This ſeems to ſignifie, that Aaron was but a Gueſt, and had not been the Prieſt who offered the Sacrifice. For though we ſuppoſe the Law to have been now given, yet it is likely Aaron and his Sons were not yet conſecrated, nor the Service of God, as yet ordered, according to the Law that had been delivered; no more then Judicatures were erected, as after this they were by the advice of Jethro.
But of theſe things we can have no abſolute certainty, but only make probable conjectures.
And all the Elders of Iſrael.] See III. 16.
To eat Bread.] To partake of the Sacrifices that had been offered; for this comprehends the whole Meal, XLIII Gen. 25.
Before God.] Before the Tabernacle where God dwelt. Or, if that was not yet ſet up, in the place where God appeared in an extraordinary manner; which it is likely was in the Tent of Moſes, XXXIII. 7.
Ver. 13. And it came to paſs on the morrow.] The next day, after this Solemn Sacrifice: which the Jews (I obſerved above) ſay was on the XIth day of Tiſri. So Sepher Mechilta, and others from thence, as Mr. Selden hath noted, L. II. de Synedr. c. 2. p. 75.
That Moſes ſate.] That was the poſture of Judges.
To judge the People.] To hear Cauſes and determine them.
And the People ſtood by Moſes, &c.] That was the poſture both of the Plaintiff, and the Defendant. And there were now ſo may Cauſes brought before him, that they took up the whole day: ſo that he had not time to eat and refreſh himſelf.
Ver. 14. And when Moſes Father-in-law ſaw all that he did to the People.] He either was preſent, and obſerved himſelf; or was informed by others what inſupportable pains he took.
He ſaid, what is this thing that thou dost to the People?] What a burden is this, to judge the Cauſes of a whole Nation?
Why ſittest thou thy ſelf alone?] Takeſt more upon thee than any one Perſon is able to bear.
And all the People ſtand by thee, from morning to the even?] Till both thou and they are tired.
Ver. 15. Becauſe the People come unto me to enquire of God.] I cannot refuſe to do Juſtice; and there is none but my ſelf, to declare what the Law of God is in ſuch Caſes, as are brought before me.
To enquire of God.] Doth not ſignifie here, to deſire him, to conſult the Divine Majeſty for them; but to decide their Controverſies, according to the mind of God declared in the Laws he had given him. So the LXX. to ſeek for judgment from God: and the Vulgar, to ſeek God's Sentence. For what was determined according to God's Law, was the Judgment of God, and ſo it is called by Moſes. See Mr. Selden, L. I. de Synedr. c. 15. p. 610.
Ver. 16. When they have matter.] Of Controverſie.
They come to me.] That I may decide it.
And I judge between one and another.] Determine where the right lyes.
And I do make them know the Statutes of God, and his Laws.] This explains what is meant by enquiring of God; i. e. what was the Law of God, in the Caſe brought before him. From which we may probable gather, that the Law was already given from Mount Sinai, and all the other Laws and Statutes, which follow (Chap. XXI, XXII, XXIII.) before this hapned. Unleſs we will ſay, as ſome do, that Moſes was directed, upon the ſpot (as we ſpeak) by a ſecret inſpiration, how to determine every Cauſe.
Ver. 17. The thing that thou dost is not good.] Neither profitable for thy ſelf, nor for the People; as it follows in the next Verſe.
Ver. 18. Thou wilt ſurely wear away.] Decay apace, and without remedy; as the Phraſe in the Hebrew ſignifies.
Both thou and the People that is with thee.] Such tedious Attendance will impair them alſo, as well as thy ſelf.
For this thing is too heavy for thee, &c.] Too much for one Man to undergo.
Ver. 19. Hearken now unto my voice.] Be adviſed by me.
I will give thee counſel, and God ſhall be with thee.] Though I am no Iſraelite, I will take upon me to be thy Counſellor; and I doubt not, God will ſhow my Advice to be good, by the good Succeſs which will attend it.
Be thou for the People to Godward, that thou mayst bring the Cauſes unto God.] Appoint others to hear Cauſes, and do thou give thy ſelf foreign, to the Worſhip and Service of God alone, as Joſepus expounds it, L. III. Antiq. c. 3. or, as Ruffinus gloſſes, reſerve thy ſelf only to the Miniſtry of God; to attend, that is, upon him, and know his mind. Which, if it be the ſenſe, muſt be underſtood with this Exception, only in greater Cauſes (as it follows afterward) which he was to hear himſelf. And that may well be the meaning of theſe words, When the People bring any matter to thee, which is too hard for other Judges to determine, (v. 22.) do thou, if need be, carry it to God, that he may reſolve thee. Not that he was alway to conſult the Oracle; for he knew in moſt Cauſes the ſenſe of God's Law: but in ſome it might be neceſſary to have a particular direction from Heaven. As in XV Numb. 34, 35. XXVII. 5, &c.
Ver. 20. And thou ſhalt teach them Ordinances and Laws.] How theſe two differ, is not certain: but Ordinances are commonly taken to concern matter of Religion; and Laws civil matters of Juſtice and Charity. In both which he was, if the Caſe required it, to bring it to God; and then to report to the People, what his Reſolution was about it.
And ſhalt ſhew them the way wherein they muſt walk.] How to behave themſelves towards God.
And the work that they must do.] How to behave themſelves one towards another.
Ver. 20. Moreover.] Now in order to this
Thou ſhalt provide out of all the People.] Look out ſuch Men as are qualified according to the following Directions. Which he did in this manner, as he himſelf relates, I Deut. 13. where he ſaith to the People, take ye wiſe and underſtanding men, &c. In the Hebrew it is give ye, i. e. preſent to me ſuch Men as you think ſit for this office: And then it follows, I will make them Rulers over you. They choſe them; and then he approved them, and gave them authority. Or, perhaps they preſented a good many whom they thought qualified; and out of them he appointed ſuch, as he judged moſt meet. And thus he ſaith again v. 15. So I took the chief of the Tribes, &c. See Mr. Selden, L. I. de Synedr. c. 15. p. 632.
Able men.] Men able to endure labour; or Men who are not needy, but rich and wealthy; or Men of Parts, or Men of Courage: for it may refer to any of theſe, eſpecially the laſt; ſuch as did not fear potent Perſons, but God alone, as it here follows.
Such as fear God.] Men truly Religious; who would fear to offend God by doing Injuſtice; but not fear to offend Men by doing Right.
Men of Truth.] Honeſt, upright Men: whoſe love to Truth would make them ſift it out; by hearing both ſides patiently, with impartial attention and unbiaſſed affection.
Hating Covetouſneſs.] Not greedy of Money; but abhorring Bribes, and all baſe ways of Gain. Which, as Demoſthenes ſays, foreign makes Judges beſides themſelves, and no better than mad.
For all theſe good qualities, they were to be eminent and noted among the People, as Moſes his words import, I Deut. 13. where he bids them preſent to him, not only wiſe men and underſtanding, but alſo known among their Tribes; generally accounted Men of Underſtanding and Integrity.
And place ſuch over them, to be Rulers of Thouſands, &c.] The Hebrew words are ſuch, that it cannot be determined by them, whether this relate to the number of Rulers, or of People that were to be ruled by them; as Mr. Selden obſerves and diſcourſes upon it very largely, in the ſore-mentioned place, L. I. de Synedr. c. 15. p. 615. Where he ſhows that Decem vir, for inſtance, was not only one ſet over ten; but one of the ten Judges of which a Court conſiſted: and ſo the reſt may be interpreted. But the moſt ancient and moſt received Senſe is, that he doth not ſpeak of the Number of Judges (for what a ſtrange Court would that be in which there was a Thouſand Judges?) but of the People, of whoſe Cauſes they were to take cognizance: And it is commonly thought alſo there was but one Ruler over a Thouſand (Families or Men, it is uncertain which) and ſo of the reſt: though the words may import more than one, in each of theſe Judicatures; whether greater or ſmaller. The Talmudiſts make a prodigious number of Judges of each ſort; but it is moſt rational to think that Jethro's meaning was, That he ſhould conſtitute greater and leſſer Judicatures, according to the Diviſion of their ſeveral Tribes, into Thouſands, Hundreds, Fifties and Tens; and a competent number of Perſons appointed to be Judges in theſe greater or leſſer Courts.
For that their Tribes were divided into Thouſands (for inſtance) is apparent from ſeveral places, XXII Joſh. 14. VI Judg. 15. (where Gideon ſaith, my Family (in the Hebrew it is my Thouſand) is the meanest in Iſrael, 1 Chron. XII. 20. V Mic. 2. Theſe Thouſands Corn. Bertramus takes to be Families, whom the Hebrew call Houſes: which were divided into ſo many Heads, as they call them, as the Tribes were into Families. And of theſe he thinks Jethro adviſes him to make ſuch Rulers, as are here mentioned, of ſeveral degrees. But others, particularly Herman. Conringius de Republ. Hebr. Sect. 19.) think we are to underſtand only Rulers over a thouſand Men, not Families: as it is certain in Military Affairs, the Captains of thouſands were only of a thouſand Soldiers, XXXI Numb. 14.
Rulers of hundreds, Rulers of fifties, and Rulers of tens.] There were four orders of theſe Rulers: but whether there was a ſubordination of the lower order to the higher, as in Armies there is of the Captain to the Colonel, (as we now ſpeak) and the Inferiors to him, I cannot determine.
Ver. 22. And let them judge the People at all Seaſons.] Sit every day, ſome or other of them, in their ſeveral Diſtricts. See v. 26.
Every great matter they ſhall bring to thee.] Not if they were able to determine it themſelves. For they had power to hear all Cauſes; but when they found any too difficult, they were to refer it to be heard by Moſes himſelf. So R. Leviben Gerſom explains it; Every great Cauſe, in which they know not what to judge, they ſhall bring to thee, and thou ſhalt ſhow what is right: or how it is to be decided.
There are thoſe indeed who think there were ſeveral ſorts of Cauſes, that might not be brought before theſe Inferiour Courts; but were to be reſerved for Moſes's hearing and judging. Theſe they make to be Four: First, All Sacred Matters, or Things, belonging unto God; which they gather from v. 19. Secondly, All Matters of Equity; where the rigour of the Law was ſit to be mitigated. Thirdly, All Capital Cauſes. And laſtly, Such as the Chiliarchs, i. e. Rulers of Thouſands, and the other Judges referred to him. But this is ſaid without ground; for it is plain, all ſorts of Cauſes might be determined by the inferiour Courts, if they were able to make an end of them, whether Civil or Sacred. Only thoſe which were too difficult for them; that is, when they did not find a Law to direct them, or it was obſcure, or they could not agree about the Puniſhment, then they were to be brought before Moſes. So he himſelf charges; not that the People ſhould bring ſuch Cauſes to him as they thought difficult; but that the Judges themſelves ſhould bring them; i. e. order an Appeal to him, I Deut. 17. bring it unto me (ſpeaking to the Judges) and I will hear it. Which ſhows the Cauſe had been at the Bar of other Courts before, and that it was not unlawful for them to meddle with it, if they had been able to determine it. And accordingly we read here below, v. 26. that the Judges did ſo. In ſhort, theſe words do not intimate that there were ſome Cauſes the other Judges might not try, if they were able; but only that ſuch things as they found themſelves not skilful enough to determine, they ſhould bring to him. See Mr. Selden in the fore-named Book, p. 633, &c.
But every ſmall matter they ſhall judge.] Hitherto Moſes but heard all Cauſes promiſcuouſly, great and ſmall: but Jethro well adviſes him to delegate the labour of judging all Cauſes liquidi juris, (as the Lawyers ſpeak) where the Right was clear: and to reſerve no part of the Judicature to himſelf, but where the Law it ſelf was either defective or obſcure.
So ſhall it be caſier for thy ſelf, &c.] Thou wilt eaſe thy ſelf of a great burden, by appointing others to take their ſhare of it.
Ver. 23. If thou wilt do this thing, and God command thee ſo.] If thou wilt follow this advice, by God's approbation; who was to be conſulted whether he allowed it.
Then thou ſhalt be able to endure.] Thy days will be prolonged; which otherwiſe will be ſhortned with this intolerable labour.
And the People go to their place in peace.] Go home very much ſatisfied, with ſuch quick diſpatch, and happy compoſure of their Differences.
Ver. 24. So Moſes hearkened to the voice of his Father-in-law, &c.] Followed his Counſel, by God's approbation, with whom no doubt he adviſed, v. 23. Here the Samaritan Copy inſerts thoſe words of Moſes, I Deut. 9, &c. I am not able to bear you my ſelf alone, the LORD your God hath multiplied you, &c. Which he ſpake indeed when he made this Conſtitution, but did not ſet it down in this Book; where he intended only a ſhort account of theſe Tranſactions.
Ver. 25. And Moſes choſe able men, &c.] Out of thoſe who were preſented to him by the People. See v. 20.
Ver. 26. And they judged the People at all Seaſons.] Whenſoever they reſorted to them: For ſome Court or other ſate every day, that was not appointed by God for other Buſineſs, i. e. for Religion.
The hard Cauſes they brought to Moſes, &c.] It is plain by this that the Judges, not the People, brought the hard Cauſes unto Moſes. For the People could not know, whether they might not have a Remedy nearer hand (than by going to him on all occaſions) till they had tried.
Ver. 27. And Moſes let his Father-in-law depart.] After he had ſtaid ſome time with him, and could not prevail with him to ſtay longer, (which he earneſtly deſired) and go with them to ſee the Accompliſhment of God's Promiſes to them; as thoſe words X Numb. 29, &c. are thought to ſignifie. But perhaps that Hobab there mentioned, was not Jethro himſelf, but his Son; whom Moſes alſo perſwaded not to return to his own Country: for he makes no reply, much leſs denies to ſtay with Moſes, when he preſſed him the ſecond time; though he refuſed at firſt, v. 32. But this I ſhall conſider in that place.
And he went his way into his own Land.] To make his Children, or the People of the Land Proſelytes, ſaith the Chaldee Paraphraſe. Which it's probable he indeavoured (i. e. to bring them to true Religion) and affected in ſome meaſure: ſo that Piety was propagated in ſome Families among them to future Generations. For the Rechabites came out of this Country, 1 Chron. II. 55. whoſe vertue Jeremiah Praiſes in the latter end of the Jewiſh Church, Chap. XXXV.