Exodus 18 in the early church

31 passages quote, allude to, or echo Exodus 18, grouped by verse; passages on the same verse are in date order. Verse text from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain). References use the Protestant English Bible's numbering, with a writer's own numbering in brackets where it differs.

Verses: 1 · 2 · 3 · 5 · 7 · 11 · 12 · 13 · 14 · 17 · 19 · 21 · 22 · 24 · 26

Exodus 18:1

Now Moses’ father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard about all that God had done for Moses and His people Israel, and how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Exod 18:1–12	Demonstration 16.6 · Aphrahat	allusion, high confidence	337-345
Exod 18:1–27	Exodus, lines 687–711 · Cyprianus Gallus	allusion, high confidence	early 5th cent.

Exodus 18:2

After Moses had sent back his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro had received her,
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Exod 18:2	Letter 78.13 · Jerome	allusion, high confidence	ca. 370–419

Exodus 18:3

along with her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses had said, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land.”
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Exod 18:3	Refutation of All Heresies 5.8.2 · Hippolytus of Rome	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 222–235
Exod 18:3–4	Homilies on Numbers 22.4 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Exod 18:3–4	Demonstration 18.6 · Aphrahat	allusion, high confidence	337-345
Exod 18:3–4	Exodus, lines 96–119 · Cyprianus Gallus	allusion, medium confidence	early 5th cent.

Exodus 18:5

Moses’ father-in-law Jethro, along with Moses’ wife and sons, came to him in the desert, where he was encamped at the mountain of God.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Exod 18:5	Homilies on Exodus 11.5 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)

Exodus 18:7

So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and went into the tent.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Exod 18:7	Homilies on Exodus 11.5 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)

Exodus 18:11

Now I know that the LORD is greater than all other gods, for He did this when they treated Israel with arrogance.”
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Exod 18:11	PG 12:1647 (Ps 133–135 LXX) · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 220-254

Exodus 18:12

Then Moses’ father-in-law Jethro brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of God.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Exod 18:12	Homilies on Exodus 11.5 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)

Exodus 18:13

The next day Moses took his seat to judge the people, and they stood around him from morning until evening.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Exod 18:13	Homilies on Joshua 1.2 · Origen	allusion, low confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Exod 18:13	Homilies 2.52 · Anonymous	allusion, medium confidence	4th century (reworking earlier material)
Exod 18:13–24	Demonstration 14.42 · Aphrahat	allusion, high confidence	337-345
Exod 18:13–26	On Christian Doctrine 1.0 · Augustine of Hippo	allusion, high confidence	Books 1–3 ca. 396–397; completed 426–427
Exod 18:13–26	Letter 13, chapter 1 · Innocent I, bishop of Rome	allusion, high confidence	401–417

Exodus 18:14

When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he asked, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone as judge, with all the people standing around you from morning till evening?”
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Exod 18:14–15	On Saint Athanasius 1.2 · Lucifer of Cagliari	quotation, high confidence	ca. 356–361

Exodus 18:17

But Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Exod 18:17	Letter 131.9 · Jerome	allusion, high confidence	ca. 370–419
Exod 18:17–24	Apostolic Constitutions 2.44.4 · Anonymous	allusion, high confidence	ca. 380

Exodus 18:19

Now listen to me; I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their causes to Him.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Exod 18:19	Homilies on Exodus 11.6 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Exod 18:19	Letter 78.13 · Jerome	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 370–419
Exod 18:19	Letter 166.9 · Augustine of Hippo	allusion, high confidence	ca. 386–430

Exodus 18:21

Furthermore, select capable men from among the people—God-fearing, trustworthy men who are averse to dishonest gain. Appoint them over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Exod 18:21	Homilies on Exodus 11.6 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Exod 18:21	Preparation for the Gospel 12.16.9 · Eusebius of Caesarea	allusion, high confidence	ca. 313–324
Exod 18:21	The Institutes 4.7 · John Cassian	allusion, high confidence	ca. 419–426
Exod 18:21	The Conferences 7.5 · John Cassian	quotation, high confidence	ca. 426–429

Exodus 18:22

Have these men judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you any major issue, but all minor cases they can judge on their own, so that your load may be lightened as they share it with you.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Exod 18:22	Homilies on Exodus 11.6 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Exod 18:22	On Tobit 38 · Ambrose	allusion, high confidence	ca. 380-390
Exod 18:22	Commentary on Daniel 6, scholion 3 · Polychronius of Apamea	allusion, high confidence	ca. 400-430

Exodus 18:24

Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Exod 18:24	Homilies on Exodus 11.6 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)

Exodus 18:26

And they judged the people at all times; they would bring the difficult cases to Moses, but any minor issue they would judge themselves.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Exod 18:26	On the Duties of the Clergy 2.11 · Ambrose	allusion, high confidence	ca. 386–390