Teach About the Bible

What Does Exodus 18:10 Mean?

Exodus 18:10 describes Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, praising God for delivering Israel from Egyptian slavery. After hearing all that God had done, Jethro rejoices and declares the Lord's greatness over all other gods. This moment marks a powerful recognition of God's power and faithfulness by someone outside Israel.

Exodus 18:10

Jethro said, "Blessed be the Lord, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh and has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.

Recognizing God's power and faithfulness brings profound reverence and awe, transcending human understanding and earthly bonds

Key Facts

Book

Exodus

Author

Moses

Genre

Narrative

Date

circa 1440 BC

Key People

Key Themes

Key Takeaways

God alone delivers; salvation is His work, not ours.
True worship begins with recognizing what God has already done.
God’s mighty acts draw all nations to honor Him.

Context of Exodus 18:10

After the Israelites escape Egypt, Moses reunites with his father-in-law Jethro, who hears firsthand about God’s powerful rescue.

Jethro had heard the news of Israel’s deliverance and came to Moses in the wilderness with Moses’ wife and sons. When Moses told him all that God had done - how the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt and defeated Pharaoh - Jethro rejoiced and praised God.

His response in Exodus 18:10 is a personal blessing: 'Blessed be the Lord, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh and has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.'

Jethro's Praise and the Honor of Yahweh Among the Nations

Recognizing the supreme power and faithfulness of God, and giving honor where it is truly due, as Jethro did when he said 'Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods.'

Jethro’s blessing of the Lord in Exodus 18:10 declares that Yahweh is greater than all other gods, especially regarding honor and shame.

As a priest of Midian, Jethro held a position of spiritual authority among his own people. When he says, 'Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods' (Exodus 18:11), he’s making a bold cultural and religious statement - acknowledging that the God of Israel has proven Himself supreme through His power and faithfulness. In ancient societies, a god’s honor rose or fell based on visible acts, and the Exodus demonstrated Yahweh’s unmatched strength over Pharaoh and Egypt’s deities. Jethro’s confession, then, is a moment of honor being given where it’s truly due.

A foreign priest declares the Lord supreme, showing that God's mighty acts invite all people to honor Him.

This shows how God’s actions draw outsiders to worship Him, as seen in Isaiah 56:6 where foreigners will cling to the Lord and serve Him, indicating that salvation extends beyond Israel to all nations.

God Alone Delivers: A Simple Truth from Jethro's Praise

Jethro’s praise points to a core truth seen throughout the Bible: salvation belongs to the Lord alone.

He acknowledges that Israel was freed by God’s power, not human strength or strategy, and Jeremiah 4:23 reminds us that without God’s work the world is formless, while His word brings deliverance. This moment reflects the heart of the gospel: we are rescued not by what we do, but by what God has done.

Jethro’s worship invites us to trust the One who saves us from physical slavery and all other bonds.

From Jethro’s Praise to the Nations: A Glimpse of Universal Worship

Worshiping the one true God, who draws all people to Himself through His steadfast love and faithfulness, as the nations come together to glorify His name, echoing the words of Revelation 15:3-4, Great and amazing are your deeds, Lord God Almighty, just and true are your ways, King of the nations.

Jethro’s declaration that the Lord surpasses all gods marks the beginning of the worldwide worship God intended.

His praise is echoed in Psalm 117:1-2, which calls all nations and peoples to praise the Lord for His steadfast love and faithfulness, as Jethro, a foreign priest, blesses Israel’s God. And in Revelation 15:3-4, John sees a vision of the redeemed standing before God’s throne, singing, *'Great and amazing are your deeds, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are your ways, King of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.'*

Jethro’s worship points forward to the day when people from every nation will praise the Lord.

This growing chorus of worship - from one Midianite priest to every tribe and tongue - finds its source in Jesus, the ultimate Deliverer, whose death and resurrection draw all people to Himself.

Application

How This Changes Everything: Real Life Impact

Imagine carrying a quiet guilt - not because you’ve done something terribly wrong, but because you feel like you’re never doing enough. You’re stretched thin, trying to fix things, hold things together, be the one people lean on. That was Moses, and that’s often us. But Jethro’s moment of praise reminds us that deliverance isn’t our job - it’s God’s. When we stop trying to save ourselves or others and instead recognize what God has already done, it lifts a weight we weren’t meant to carry. Like Jethro, we can breathe, rejoice, and say, 'This is God’s work,' not ours. That shift doesn’t make us passive - it makes us free to live in trust, not stress, and to point others to the One who truly rescues.

Personal Reflection

When have I tried to 'rescue' a situation on my own strength, forgetting to first acknowledge God’s power to deliver?
In what area of my life do I need to stop striving and start praising God for what He’s already done?
How can I, like Jethro, speak out and honor God in front of others - even when I’m not part of the 'insiders'?

A Challenge For You

This week, identify one situation where you’ve been trying to fix things alone. Pause, thank God for His past faithfulness, and ask Him to show you how to trust His deliverance instead. Then, share one story of how God has helped you with someone who doesn’t yet know Him.

A Prayer of Response

God, thank You that You deliver - without me having to earn it or force it. I confess I often try to carry burdens only You can lift. Forgive me for relying on my own strength. Help me to rejoice in what You’ve done, like Jethro did, and to honor You openly, especially in front of others. Show me where to trust Your power, not my effort. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Continue to Exodus 18:11: Lord Greater Than All Gods