Bible Strands
Exodus 18:12
Then Moses’ father-in-law Jethro brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of God.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Moses’ father-in-law Jethro presents a ritual offering while Aaron and Israel’s elders join him for a shared meal. This event occurs immediately after Jethro declares Yahweh’s supremacy over all other gods and directly precedes Moses resuming his judicial duties.
The words — The text features עֹלָה ('o.Lah), literally “a burnt offering,” paired with וּ/זְבָחִים (u./ze.va.Chim), meaning “and sacrifices.” These terms specify the ritual Jethro brings to God before the fellowship meal.
The thread — This sequence of sacrifice followed by a communal meal mirrors Jacob’s mountain offering and fellowship in Genesis 31:54 and the peace offerings recorded in Exodus 24:5. The shared meal in God’s presence also aligns with the household rejoicing commanded in Deuteronomy 12:7.
Why it lands — The text establishes that worship and communal fellowship occur in God’s presence, linking ritual action with relational gathering. It requires readers to acknowledge that covenant participation can extend to allied outsiders without immediate assimilation.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And Jethro, Moses’ father in law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses’ father in law before God.
Cross-references
- Genesis 31:54 Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain and invited his relatives to eat a meal. And after they had eaten, they spent the night on the mountain.
- Deuteronomy 12:7 There, in the presence of the LORD your God, you and your households shall eat and rejoice in all you do, because the LORD your God has blessed you.
- Exodus 24:5 Then he sent out some young men of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as peace offerings to the LORD.
- Exodus 24:11 But God did not lay His hand on the nobles of Israel; they saw Him, and they ate and drank.
- Genesis 4:4 while Abel brought the best portions of the firstborn of his flock. And the LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,
- Genesis 8:20 Then Noah built an altar to the LORD. And taking from every kind of clean animal and clean bird, he offered burnt offerings on the altar.
- Genesis 12:7 Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your offspring.” So Abram built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
- Genesis 26:25 So Isaac built an altar there and called on the name of the LORD, and he pitched his tent there. His servants also dug a well there.
- Genesis 43:25 Since the brothers had been told that they were going to eat a meal there, they prepared their gift for Joseph’s arrival at noon.
- Exodus 2:20 “So where is he?” their father asked. “Why did you leave the man behind? Invite him to have something to eat.”