Another matter, “Yitro…heard.” See how much goodness and blessing came to Yitro from the time that he became associated through marriage with Moses. What is written? “Aaron and all the elders of Israel came” (Exodus 18:12).
Likewise, you find that when Bilam came to curse Israel, not only did he not curse them, but he blessed them. Moreover, when he saw Amalek, he began to curse it, as it is stated: “He looked at Amalek, and took up his parable, and said: Amalek was the first of the nations; but its end will be oblivion” (Numbers 24:20). However, what does he say regarding Yitro? “He saw the Kenite, and took up his parable, and said: Mighty is your dwelling; set your nest in a rock” (Numbers 24:21).
He said to him: ‘Kenite, you participated with us in the counsel;13Pharaoh convened advisers, including both Yitro and Bilam, to counsel him how to deal with the Israelites (see Shemot Rabba 1:9). who seated you with the mighty of the world?’ This is analogous to a bird that fled from the hunter and fell into the hands of a royal statue.14The hunter would be unable to catch it there due to the care one must exhibit with regard to a royal statue.
When the hunter saw it he began lauding it and said to it: ‘What a fine flight that you fled.’ So too, Bilam was praising Yitro and said to him: “Mighty is your dwelling.”