Exodus 18:5

5. Where he encamped at the mount of God This most naturally means that Jethro’s visit occurred after the Israelites had reached Sinai and encamped before the mountain . No other view, probably, would have been entertained were it not for the statement of Exodus 19:2, which seems to place the arrival at Sinai chronologically subsequent to this visit of Jethro . The mount of God means, in this verse, the same as in Exodus 3:1; but there appears no insuperable objection to understanding by it the whole Sinaitic range or mass of mountains known as Horeb. So far, therefore, as the words here used determine the question, we may admit that Jethro’s visit might have occurred either at the encampment of Rephidim or of Sinai. But the account of what was done during this visit especially the laborious work of Moses in Exodus 18:13, and the appointment of judges recommended by Jethro, Exodus 18:14-26, implies more time than the halt at Rephidim supposes. A comparison of Exodus 16:1; Exodus 19:1, appears to put all the journeys and events between the arrival at the wilderness of Sin and the arrival at Sinai within about fifteen days . This perhaps was time enough for all that is here recorded, including the visit of Jethro; and yet it is certainly more natural to understand that the adoption of Jethro’s counsel and the appointment of judges occupied more time than such a crowding of events assumes . The adoption of Jethro’s counsel, however, and the choosing of judges described in Exodus 18:24-26 need not be supposed to have occurred until a later time . The writer might have introduced the statement at this point to show that the valuable advice of the aged Midianite priest was observed, without meaning to say that all this occurred during Jethro’s stay . But, on the other hand, it is not probable that such a sitting to judge the people as is described in Exodus 18:13-16 would occur at Rephidim; but, after the more permanent encampment “before the mount,” (Exodus 19:2,) such appointed seasons of judgment became a necessity . We incline, therefore, to the opinion that the events of this chapter belong to a period subsequent to the arrival at Sinai, and are designedly introduced out of their strict chronological order for the purpose of separating them from the more sacred revelation and legislation which proceeded from Jehovah, and which the writer wished to place by themselves. The friendly Midianite, as we have observed, is brought to our attention in immediate contrast with the hostile Amalekite, and such associations and contrasts are made more prominent by the sacred writer than mere chronological order.