Exodus 18:27

And Moses let his father in law depart; and he went his way into his own land.

And Moses {H4872} let his father in law {H2859} depart {H7971}; and he went {H3212} his way into his own land {H776}.

Then Moshe let his father-in-law leave, and he went off to his own country.

Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro returned to his own land.

And Moses let his father-in-law depart; and he went his way into his own land.

Commentary

This verse concludes the significant interaction between Moses and his father-in-law, Jethro, recorded in Exodus chapter 18. After witnessing Moses' overwhelming workload and offering wise counsel on establishing a judicial system, Jethro prepares to return to his home.

Context

Exodus 18 finds Moses leading the Israelites in the wilderness after their miraculous departure from Egypt. Jethro, a priest of Midian and Moses' father-in-law, hears of all that God has done for Israel and comes to visit Moses, bringing Moses' wife Zipporah and his two sons (Exodus 18:5). Jethro offers sacrifices to God and shares a meal with the elders of Israel, acknowledging the Lord's greatness (Exodus 18:12). Seeing Moses burdened by judging every small matter for the people, Jethro provides crucial advice to delegate authority by appointing rulers over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens (Exodus 18:21). Moses heeds this counsel (Exodus 18:24), and this verse marks Jethro's peaceful departure after his impactful visit.

Key Themes

  • Respect and Relationship: The verse highlights the respectful relationship between Moses and Jethro. Moses allows his father-in-law to depart, signifying mutual respect and the completion of Jethro's purpose in visiting.
  • Acceptance of Counsel: Jethro's visit was marked by his valuable, unsolicited advice, which Moses humbly accepted and implemented. This departure follows the successful integration of that wisdom.
  • Returning Home: Jethro returns to his "own land," Midian, concluding his time with Moses and the Israelites in the wilderness.
  • Temporary Assistance: Jethro's role was specific and temporary – to offer support, witness God's work, and provide crucial organizational counsel. Once his task was complete, he returned home.

Reflection

Exodus 18:27 is a simple yet meaningful conclusion to Jethro's visit. It shows the proper ending to a helpful, temporary relationship – one where counsel was given, received, and acted upon, and the visitor returned home in peace. It underscores the value of seeking and accepting wise advice, even from family members, and the importance of respecting one another's paths and homes. The narrative moves forward with Moses now better equipped to handle the administrative tasks of leading the vast Israelite population.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Numbers 10:29 (5 votes)

    ¶ And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Raguel the Midianite, Moses' father in law, We are journeying unto the place of which the LORD said, I will give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good: for the LORD hath spoken good concerning Israel.

  • Numbers 10:30 (5 votes)

    And he said unto him, I will not go; but I will depart to mine own land, and to my kindred.

  • Judges 19:9 (3 votes)

    And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father in law, the damsel's father, said unto him, Behold, now the day draweth toward evening, I pray you tarry all night: behold, the day groweth to an end, lodge here, that thine heart may be merry; and to morrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go home.

  • Genesis 24:59 (2 votes)

    And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his men.

  • Genesis 31:55 (2 votes)

    And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto his place.