And Jethro may be understood as “Then Jethro” (Good News Translation), since his action follows naturally from his confession in verses 10-11. Moses’ father-in-law is omitted by Good News Translation as unnecessary, but here it is good to include it once again (see the comment at verse 1). This is because verse 12 not only describes a union of families in worshiping God, but also suggests a kind of reunion of tribes, since the Midianites and Israelites were all descended from one ancestor, Abraham (see Gen 25.1-2). Offered is the word used in some ancient versions, but this is not what the Hebrew says. (See the Revised Standard Version footnote.) The Hebrew word is “took,” which allows for the interpretation that Jethro may only have provided the animal, which Moses then offered as a burnt offering. (Hebrew Old Testament Text Project gives the Hebrew an {A} rating.) Good News Translation and others have interpreted “took” as “brought.” So it is better to follow Good News Translation and New Revised Standard Version. The text therefore does not indicate who actually offered the sacrifice, and it still could have been Jethro himself.

The burnt offering was an animal completely burned on an altar. In some languages one will need to say “Then Jethro brought an animal to have it burned whole on the altar” or “… to have them burn it whole on the altar.” (Leviticus 1 describes such offerings.) Since Jethro had sheep and goats (according to 2.16 and 3.1), it may have been either. The sacrifices were probably other animals partly burned on the altar and partly eaten by the worshipers. The text says that they were offered to God (ʾelohim), and this is how it should be translated.

And Aaron came with all the elders of Israel indicates that these men were representing all the Israelites in the ceremony. (See the comment on elders of Israel at 17.5.) To eat bread refers to the entire “sacred meal” (Good News Translation) that would have included the meat from the sacrifices. With Moses’ father-in-law means, of course, that they “shared the meal with Jethro” (Revised English Bible).

Moses is not mentioned as a participant, but we should assume that he was included. It is possible that this meal was the ritual celebration of the reunion of the Israelites with the Midianites. (See the introduction to this chapter.) Before God is literally “to the face of ʾelohim,” a clear indication that this was indeed a sacred meal. In some languages this will be expressed as “before the face of God.”

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .