Yisro Summary

Moshes' father-in-law Yisro heard all that God had done for the Israelites and brought Moshes' wife Tzipporah and her two sons Gershom ("I have been a stranger here") and Eliezer ("God was my help") to Moshe in the wilderness at Mount Sinai. Yisro rejoiced, blessed God, and offered sacrifices to God. Yisro counseled Moshe to make the law known, then chose capable, trustworthy, God-fearing men to serve as chiefs to judge the people, bringing only the most difficult matters to Moshe. Moshe heeded Yisro's advice. Moshe went up to Mount Sinai, and God told him to tell the Israelites that if they would obey God faithfully and keep God's covenant, they would be God's treasured possession, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. When Moses told the elders, all the people answered: "All that the Lord has spoken we will do!" and Moshe returned the people's words to God. God instructed Moshe to have the people stay pure, wash their clothes, and prepare for the third day when God would come down in the sight of the people on Mount Sinai. God told Moshe to set borders around the mountain, threatening whoever touched the mountain with death. At dawn of the third day, there was thunder, lightning, a dense cloud upon the mountain, and a very loud blast of the Shofar. Moshe led the people to the foot of the hill. Mount Sinai was all in smoke; the earth trembled violently, the blare of the horn grew louder and louder, and God answered Moshe in thunder. God came down on the top of Mount Sinai and called Moshe up. God again commanded Moshe to warn the people not to break through. Moshe received God's Holy Commandments, and God spoke the Ten Commandments, and the entire nation witnessed this divine revelation. Seeing the thunder, lightning, and the mountain smoking, the people fell back and asked Moshe to talk to them instead of God. God told Moshe to tell the people not to make any gods of silver or gold but an altar of earth for sacrifices. God prohibited hewing the stones to make a stone altar. And God prohibited ascending the altar by steps so as not to expose the priests' nakedness.