Wesley Corpus

Jethro his father - in - law brings him his wife and children, ver. 1 - 6. Moses entertains his father - in - law with great respect, ver. 7. with good discourse, ver. 8 - 11. with a sacrifice and a feast, ver. 12. Jethro adviseth him about the management of his business as a judge in Israel, to take other judges in to his assistance, ver. 13 - 23. and Moses after some time takes his counsel, ver. 24 - 26. They part, ver. 27. Jethro to congratulate the happiness of Israel, and particularly the honour of Moses his son - in - law; comes to rejoice with them, as one that had a true respect both for them and for their God. And also to bring Moses's wife and children to him. It seems he had sent them back, probably from the inn where his wife's lothness to have her son circumcised had like to have cost him his life, Ex 4:25. The name of one was Gershom - A stranger, designing thereby not only a memorial of his own condition, but a memorandum to this son of his, for we are all strangers upon earth. The name of the other was Eliezer - My God a help: it looks back to his deliverance from Pharaoh, when he made his escape after the slaying of the Egyptian; but if this were the son that was circumcised in the inn, I would rather translate it, The Lord is mine help, and will deliver me from the sword of Pharaoh, which he had reason to expect would be drawn against him, when he was going to fetch Israel out of bondage. Now know I that JEHOVAH is greater than all gods - That the God of Israel is greater than all pretenders; all deities, that usurp divine honours: he silenceth them, subdues them all, and is himself the only living and true God. He is also higher than all princes and potentates, who also are called gods, and has both an incontestable authority over them, and an irresistible power to control them; he manages them all as he pleaseth, and gets honour upon them how great soever they are.