Jethro Hears and Declares the Lord Greater Than All Gods

(Exodus 18:1) "And Jethro the priest of Midian heard." He was a priest of idolatry. (Exodus 18:9) "And Jethro rejoiced (va-yiḥad)" — that he professed as one (yiḥed) the name of the Holy One, blessed be He. Another interpretation: "And Jethro rejoiced (va-yiḥad)" — that he became a Jew. (Exodus 18:10) "And Jethro said: Blessed be the Lord." Jethro said: I did not leave any god whom I did not serve, and I found no god like the God of Israel. (Exodus 18:11) "Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods." Four people said four things; had another person said them, they would have laughed at them. And who are they? Moses, Jethro, Solomon, and Nebuchadnezzar. Moses said (Deuteronomy 32:4): "The Rock, His work is perfect, [for all His ways are justice]." [Had another person said it, they would have laughed at him, saying: How does this one know the ways of the Holy One, blessed be He? Rather,] because it is written (Psalms 103:7): "He made known His ways to Moses," therefore it is said: "The Rock, His work is perfect, for all His ways are justice." And Solomon said (Ecclesiastes 3:11): "He has made everything beautiful in its time." Had another person said it, they would have laughed at him, saying: Who informed this one as to what is beautiful and what is not beautiful? Rather, Solomon, whose table lacked nothing, he knew what was beautiful. Rabbi Yose bar Ḥanina said: Even bitter herbs in Tammuz, and radish and lettuce in Tishri — Solomon's table did not lack them. Nebuchadnezzar said (Daniel 4:32): "And all the inhabitants of the earth are reckoned as nothing." Had another said it, they would have laughed at him: Over what does this man rule? He does not even rule over a gnat. But concerning Nebuchadnezzar it is fitting to say so, for it is said of him (Daniel 2:38): "And wherever the children of men dwell, [the beasts of the field and the birds of heaven He has given into your hand and made you ruler over them all]." Jethro said (Exodus 18:11): "Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods," because among all his gods he did not see one as great as the Lord. "For in the very matter in which they acted presumptuously against them" (ibid.). Rabbi Eleazar said: By the very thing with which the Egyptians thought to destroy Israel — by water — by it they were destroyed and sank in the midst of the sea.