A son-in-law bows to his father-in-law

What does it take for a man who is a great leader to bow down in order to show respect?

“Now Jethro, the priest of Midian and father-in-law of Moses, heard of everything God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, and how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. ² After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro received her ³ and her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses said, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land”; ⁴ and the other was named Eliezer, for he said, “My father’s God was my helper; he saved me from the sword of Pharaoh.” ⁵ Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, together with Moses’ sons and wife, came to him in the wilderness, where he was camped near the mountain of God. ⁶ Jethro had sent word to him, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.” ⁷ So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and then went into the tent. ⁸ Moses told his father-in-law about everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake and about all the hardships they had met along the way and how the Lord had saved them.” (Exodus 18 v 1-8)

This is an interesting part of Moses’ story. A little of the behind the scenes of this amazing leader and his wife. The phrase “Moses had sent away” has led to all kinds of thoughts from people far more academic than I. Did Moses issue divorce papers because the words ‘sent away’ could indicate this in the Torah? Those who believe this cite the episode in chapter 4 when Moses failed to circumcise his son, and Zipporah had to step in and challenge him. I choose to believe it is simply that Zipporah and the children are absent from the plagues, the Passover and the crossing of the sea because Moses had already sent them back to her father in Midian, the desert, before all of these events.

Let’s go back to the text: When Jethro arrives, Moses goes out to meet him and bows down. This is cultural. Moses is showing respect to his father-in-law, who is also a priest. Jethro had looked after his family (I choose that opinion), and so Moses is now showing real gratitude.

The man who has stood face to face with Pharaoh. The man through whom the sea split in two. The man leading masses of people through the wilderness on the strength of a burning bush and a promise is bowing to a Midianite priest and shepherd, kissing him like a son greeting his father.

Moses’ authority in public never stopped him from honouring the people who’d shaped him in private.

Sometimes the truest measure of how far God has taken us is whether we still know how to bow to the people who knew us before we got there.