Exodus 18:5-7

"And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses into the wilderness where he was encamped, at the mount of God: and he said unto Moses, I, thy father-in-law Jethro, am come unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her. And Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and did obeisance, and kissed him, and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent."

"In the mount of God ..." This has no reference whatever to some ancient pagan shrine located there, but it is merely the designation that Moses gave to the entire area in the vicinity of Horeb-Sinai where God, through Moses, had wrought such wonders and made such world-shaking revelations. Johnson noted the critical objection that questions the sequence of this chapter on the grounds that they did not reach Sinai until the beginning of the next chapter, saying, "Since even at Rephidim they could have been said to be at the mountain of God, there seems to be no real problem in the order of the narrative."[11]

In Exodus 18:5, the translation is somewhat ambiguous, since it does not clarify "his sons and his wife" as belonging to Moses. Newer versions correct this. Also, in Exodus 18:6, it sounds as if Jethro is speaking to Moses, but the next clause states that Moses went to meet him. This is clarified by the fact that Jethro "sent this word" to Moses.[12]

"And kissed him ..." Jethro was received with all due honors, and we need not be surprised that nothing is said of Moses' kissing his sons and his wife. Jewish customs did not permit the mentioning of such intimate things, and besides, the same inhibitions might also have prevented such a demonstration in public. Fields commented on Moses' enthusiastic and cordial greeting of Jethro thus:

"Moses respected Jethro for his wisdom, as well as his age, and for being his father-in-law. Such humility and respect for age is not popular in our times, but it is highly commended in the Scriptures, and needs to be restored."[13]