Holly Bible - KJV with Concise Commentaries by Z Selam - HTML preview
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conscience of giving honour to whom honour is due, and never look with disdain upon our poor relations. Those that stand high in the favour of God are not thereby discharged from the duty they owe to men, nor will that justify them in a stately haughty carriage. Moses went out to meet Jethro, did homage to him, and kissed him. Religion does not destroy good manners. They asked each other of their welfare. Even the kind How-do-you-do's that pass between them are taken notice of, as the expressions and improvements of mutual love and friendship.
8 And Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done unto
Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, and all the travail that had come upon them by the way, and how the Lord delivered them.
The narrative that Moses gave his father-in-law of the great things God had done for Israel, Ex 18:8. This was one thing Jethro came for, to know more fully and particularly what he had heard the general report of. Note, Conversation concerning God's wondrous works is profitable conversation; it is good, and to the use of edifying, Ps 105:2. Compare Ps 145:11,12. Asking and telling news, and discoursing of it, are not only an allowable entertainment of conversation, but are capable of being tuned to a very good account, by taking notice of God's providence, and the operations and tendencies of that providence, in all occurrences.
9 And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the Lord had done
to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.
The impressions this narrative made upon Jethro.
1. He congratulated God's Israel: Jethro rejoiced, Ex 18:9. He not only rejoiced in the honour done to his son-in-law, but in all the goodness done to Israel, Ex 18:9. Note, Public blessings are the joy of public spirits. While the Israelites were themselves murmuring, notwithstanding all God's goodness to them, here was a Midianite rejoicing. This was not the only time that the faith of the Gentiles shamed the unbelief of the Jews; see Mt 8:10. Standers-by were more