Verses 1-5 And Jethro, the priest of Midian, the father-in-law of Moses, heard all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people, that Jehovah had brought Israel out of Egypt. And Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, took Zipporah, the wife of Moses, after he had sent her away,^a and her two sons, of whom the name of one was Gershom (for he said, I have been a sojourner in a foreign land), and the name of the other was Eliezer (Because the God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh). And Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, and his sons and his wife came to Moses in the wilderness, where he was encamped at the mountain of God.

'And Jethro, the priest of Midian' means Divine Good. 'The father-in-law of Moses' means the source of the good that was joined to God's truth. 'Heard all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people' means a perception of the things which had been done for those who belonged to the Lord's spiritual kingdom. 'That Jehovah had brought Israel out of Egypt' means that they had been delivered by the Lord from molestations. 'And Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, took Zipporah, the wife of Moses' means the good from God which had been joined to God's truth. 'After he had sent her away' means a separation existing up to now in respect of the state of those belonging to the spiritual Church. 'And her two sons' means forms of the good of truth. 'Of whom the name of one was Gershom (for he said, I have been a sojourner in a foreign land)' means the essential nature of the good of truth of those outside the Church. 'And the name of the other was Eliezer' means the essential nature of the good of truth of those within the Church. 'Because the God of my father was my help' means the Lord's mercy and presence in the Church. 'And delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh' means deliverance from the falsity of those who engaged in molestation. 'And Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses' means Divine Good. 'And his sons' means forms of the good of truth. 'And his wife' means the good joined to God's truth. 'Came to Moses in the wilderness' means a joining together in the state before regeneration when temptations take place. 'Where he was encamped at the mountain of God' means near to the good of truth.

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