(15) When Pharaoh learned of the matter, he sought to kill Moses; but Moses fled from Pharaoh. He arrived in the land of Midian, and sat down beside a well. (16) Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came to draw water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock; (17) but shepherds came and drove them off. Moses rose to their defense, and he watered their flock. (18) When they returned to their father Reu'el, he said, “How is it that you have come back so soon today?” (19) They answered, “An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds; he even drew water for us and watered the flock.” (20) He said to his daughters, “Where is he then? Why did you leave the man? Ask him in to break bread.” (21) Moses consented to stay with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter Tzipporah as wife.
(א) וַיִּשְׁמַ֞ע יִתְר֨וֹ כֹהֵ֤ן מִדְיָן֙ חֹתֵ֣ן מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֵת֩ כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֤ה אֱלֹקִים֙ לְמֹשֶׁ֔ה וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עַמּ֑וֹ כִּֽי־הוֹצִ֧יא ה' אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃ (ב) וַיִּקַּ֗ח יִתְרוֹ֙ חֹתֵ֣ן מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֶת־צִפֹּרָ֖ה אֵ֣שֶׁת מֹשֶׁ֑ה אַחַ֖ר שִׁלּוּחֶֽיהָ׃ (ג) וְאֵ֖ת שְׁנֵ֣י בָנֶ֑יהָ אֲשֶׁ֨ר שֵׁ֤ם הָֽאֶחָד֙ גֵּֽרְשֹׁ֔ם כִּ֣י אָמַ֔ר גֵּ֣ר הָיִ֔יתִי בְּאֶ֖רֶץ נָכְרִיָּֽה׃ (ד) וְשֵׁ֥ם הָאֶחָ֖ד אֱלִיעֶ֑זֶר כִּֽי־אֱלֹקֵ֤י אָבִי֙ בְּעֶזְרִ֔י וַיַּצִּלֵ֖נִי מֵחֶ֥רֶב פַּרְעֹֽה׃ (ה) וַיָּבֹ֞א יִתְר֨וֹ חֹתֵ֥ן מֹשֶׁ֛ה וּבָנָ֥יו וְאִשְׁתּ֖וֹ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּ֗ר אֲשֶׁר־ה֛וּא חֹנֶ֥ה שָׁ֖ם הַ֥ר הָאֱלֹקִֽים׃ (ו) וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֲנִ֛י חֹתֶנְךָ֥ יִתְר֖וֹ בָּ֣א אֵלֶ֑יךָ וְאִ֨שְׁתְּךָ֔ וּשְׁנֵ֥י בָנֶ֖יהָ עִמָּֽהּ׃ (ז) וַיֵּצֵ֨א מֹשֶׁ֜ה לִקְרַ֣את חֹֽתְנ֗וֹ וַיִּשְׁתַּ֙חוּ֙ וַיִּשַּׁק־ל֔וֹ וַיִּשְׁאֲל֥וּ אִישׁ־לְרֵעֵ֖הוּ לְשָׁל֑וֹם וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ הָאֹֽהֱלָה׃ (ח) וַיְסַפֵּ֤ר מֹשֶׁה֙ לְחֹ֣תְנ֔וֹ אֵת֩ כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֤ה ה' לְפַרְעֹ֣ה וּלְמִצְרַ֔יִם עַ֖ל אוֹדֹ֣ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אֵ֤ת כָּל־הַתְּלָאָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר מְצָאָ֣תַם בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ וַיַּצִּלֵ֖ם ה'׃ (ט) וַיִּ֣חַדְּ יִתְר֔וֹ עַ֚ל כָּל־הַטּוֹבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֥ה ה' לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר הִצִּיל֖וֹ מִיַּ֥ד מִצְרָֽיִם׃ (י) וַיֹּאמֶר֮ יִתְרוֹ֒ בָּר֣וּךְ ה' אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִצִּ֥יל אֶתְכֶ֛ם מִיַּ֥ד מִצְרַ֖יִם וּמִיַּ֣ד פַּרְעֹ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר הִצִּיל֙ אֶת־הָעָ֔ם מִתַּ֖חַת יַד־מִצְרָֽיִם׃ (יא) עַתָּ֣ה יָדַ֔עְתִּי כִּֽי־גָד֥וֹל ה' מִכָּל־הָאֱלֹקִ֑ים כִּ֣י בַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר זָד֖וּ עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ (יב) וַיִּקַּ֞ח יִתְר֨וֹ חֹתֵ֥ן מֹשֶׁ֛ה עֹלָ֥ה וּזְבָחִ֖ים לֵֽאלֹקִ֑ים וַיָּבֹ֨א אַהֲרֹ֜ן וְכֹ֣ל ׀ זִקְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לֶאֱכָל־לֶ֛חֶם עִם־חֹתֵ֥ן מֹשֶׁ֖ה לִפְנֵ֥י הָאֱלֹקִֽים׃
(1) Yitro priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people, how the LORD had brought Israel out from Egypt. (2) So Yitro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Tzipporah, Moses’ wife, after she had been sent home, (3) and her two sons... (5) Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought Moses’ sons and wife to him in the wilderness, where he was encamped at the mountain of God. (6) He sent word to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you, with your wife and her two sons.” (7) Moses went out to meet his father-in-law; he bowed low and kissed him; each asked after the other’s welfare, and they went into the tent. (8) Moses then recounted to his father-in-law everything that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardships that had befallen them on the way, and how the LORD had delivered them. (9) And Jethro rejoiced over all the kindness that the LORD had shown Israel when He delivered them from the Egyptians. (10) “Blessed be the LORD,” Jethro said, “who delivered you from the Egyptians and from Pharaoh, and who delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. (11) Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods, yes, by the result of their very schemes against [the people].” (12) And Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices for God; and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to partake of the meal before God with Moses’ father-in-law.
(16) The descendants of the Kenite, the father-in-law of Moses, went up with the Judites from the City of Palms to the wilderness of Judah; and they went and settled among the people in the Negeb of Arad.
(11) Now Hever the Kenite had separated from the other Kenites, descendants of Hobab, father-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent at Elon-bezaanannim, which is near Kedesh.
(6) Saul said to the Kenites, “Come, withdraw at once from among the Amalekites, that I may not destroy you along with them; for you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they left Egypt.” So the Kenites withdrew from among the Amalekites.
§ It is stated with regard to Balaam: “And he looked at the Kenite and he took up his parable and said: Though firm is your dwelling place, and though your nest be set in rock” (Numbers 24:21). Balaam said to Yitro: Kenite, were you not in Egypt with us in that counsel to drown the newborn males of Israel? Who placed you alongside the mighty of the world? The Gemara comments: And that is what Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba says that Rabbi Simai says: Three were associates in that counsel, and they are: Balaam, Job, and Yitro. Balaam, who advised to drown the newborn males, was killed. Job, who was silent and was reluctant to express his opinion, was sentenced to suffer afflictions. And Yitro, who fled after he disagreed with that counsel and Pharaoh sought to kill him, his descendants were privileged to sit as scribes in session with the Sanhedrin in the Chamber of Hewn Stone, as it is stated: “And the families of the scribes who dwelt in Jabez; the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, the Sucathites. These were the Kenites who came of Hammath the father of the house of Rekhab” (I Chronicles 2:55). And it is written there with regard to the identity of the Kenites: “And the children of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, went up from the city of the palm trees” (Judges 1:16).
Another interpretation: And Yitro heard - a verse that is written [about this]: "The wise shall obtain honor [but dullards get disgrace as their portion]" (Proverbs 3:35) this is Yitro. At the moment when he came to Moshe, what honor did he obtain? "He said to Moshe: I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you" (Exodus 18:6). Rabbi Yehoshua says: he sent it through a messenger. Rabbi Eliezer says: he sent him a letter and said - do this for my sake, and if not for my sake, for the sake of your wife, and if not for the sake of your wife, for the sake of your sons. Rabbi Eliezer says: the Holy One of Blessing said to him [Moshe] go! And the Holy One of Blessing said to Moshe: "I am the One who spoke and the world came into being, as it is said: "E-l, E-lohim, Ad-nai spoke and called the earth into existence"(Psalms 50:1), I am the One who brings close and the One who sends away, as it is said: "Am I only a God near, says Ad-nai" (Jeremiah 23:23) I am the One who brought Yitro close, and did not send him away, this man that came to Me only came because of the sake of Heaven, and he only came to convert, so you too bring him close and do not send away!" Immediately "and Moshe went out to meet his father-in-law" (Exodus 18:7). They said: Moshe went out, and Aharon, Nadav and Avihu, and 70 of the elders of Israel. And there are those who say that even the Holy Ark went out with them, as it is said "The wise shall obtain honor."
Another interpretation of "And Yitro heard". Look how many goodness and blessings came to Yitro from the moment that he became family with Moshe. What is it written? "And Aharon and all the elders of Israel" (Exodus 18:12), and so too you find in the moment that Bilam came to curse Israel, it was not possible for him to curse, only bless, and not only that when he saw Amalek he began cursing that people, as it is written "a leading nation is Amalek; but its fate is to perish forever" (Numbers 24:20), but regarding Yitro what he says? "your abode is secure, and set your nest among cliffs" (Numbers 24:21) [meaning] that he [Bilam] said: you, Kenite, were with us in our counsel, how did you make your abode secure? A parable: a bird escaped from a trap and fell in the hand of a statue, when the statue saw the trap, it began to praise the bird and said: "what a beautiful escape you did!" - so too Bilam was praising Yitro, and said: your abode is secure.
(1) Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim, saying, “Go, reconnoiter the region of Jericho.” So they set out, and they came to the house of a harlot named Rahab and lodged there. (2) The king of Jericho was told, “Some men have come here tonight, Israelites, to spy out the country.” (3) The king of Jericho thereupon sent orders to Rahab: “Produce the men who came to you and entered your house, for they have come to spy out the whole country.” (4) The woman, however, had taken the two men and hidden them. “It is true,” she said, “the men did come to me, but I didn’t know where they were from. (5) And at dark, when the gate was about to be closed, the men left; and I don’t know where the men went. Quick, go after them, for you can overtake them.”— (6) Now she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under some stalks of flax which she had lying on the roof.— (7) So the men pursued them in the direction of the Jordan down to the fords; and no sooner had the pursuers gone out than the gate was shut behind them. (8) The spies had not yet gone to sleep when she came up to them on the roof. (9) She said to the men, “I know that the LORD has given the country to you, because dread of you has fallen upon us, and all the inhabitants of the land are quaking before you. (10) For we have heard how the LORD dried up the waters of the Sea of Reeds for you when you left Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings across the Jordan, whom you doomed. (11) When we heard about it, we lost heart, and no man had any more spirit left because of you; for the LORD your God is the only God in heaven above and on earth below. (12) Now, since I have shown kindness to you, swear to me by the LORD that you in turn will show kindness to my family. Provide me with a reliable sign (13) that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and save us from death.” (14) The men answered her, “Our persons are pledged for yours, even to death! If you do not disclose this mission of ours, we will show you true kindness when the LORD gives us the land.” (15) She let them down by a rope through the window—for her dwelling was at the outer side of the city wall and she lived in the actual wall.
... דבר אחר בחדש השביעי פתח והוא ישפוט תבל בצדק ידין לאומים במישרים (תהלים ט' ט') מהו במישרים אמר ר' אלכסנדרי דן את האומות במישרים שלהם ברחב ביתרו ברות כיצד אומר לאומות העולם למה לא קרבת אצלי והוא אומר שהייתי רשע מוחלט והייתי מתבייש והוא אומר לו וכי יותר היית מרחב שהיה ביתה בקיר החומה והייתה מקבלת את הליסטים ומזנה מבפנים וכשנתקרבה אצלי לא קיבלתיה והעמדתי ממנה נביאים וצדיקים אלא יתרו כומר היה לע"ז כשבא אצלי לא קבלתי אותו והעמדתי ממנו נביאים וצדיקים אלא רות המואביה כשבאת אצלי לא קבלתי אותה והעמדתי ממנה מלכים.
Rabbi Alexandri said: Judge the nations according to their best, namely Rahab, Jethro and Ruth. How is this? Say to the nations of the world: “Why have you not come close to me?” And they will answer: “Because I was entirely wicked and was embarrassed.” And He says: “Could you be worse than Rahab, whose home was in the city wall and she would accept brigands and whore with them inside [the city]?! And when she came close to me, did I not accept her and even cause prophets and righteous people to descend from her? And Jethro was an idolatrous priest, and when he came close to me, did I not accept him and cause prophets and righteous people to descend from him? And Ruth the Moabite, when she came to me, did I not accept her and cause kings to descend from her?”