Chapter 18

Jethro, again referred to as the priest of Midian, comes for a visit, and brings Zipporah, Gershom, and Eliezer with him.  Moses receives him warmly.

This verse:

11 Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods, because in this affair they dealt arrogantly with the people." [Exo 18:11 ESV]

Jethro was a priest of Midian, and would therefore have been worshiping other gods, false gods, idols and such.  But after hearing about all that God has done for Israel, Jethro converts, and gives God first place.

2026 - Vs 11 has no comments in the MSB.  When it says "they" dealt arrogantly, does they mean Egypt or does it mean other gods?  In KJV, it clearly means other gods:

11 Now I know that the LORD [is] greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly [he was] above them. [Exo 18:11 KJV].

This might be better, though I hate to admit it:

11 Now I know that the LORD is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly." [Exo 18:11 NIV].  Looking at the NIV, it seems that those who worshiped other gods, in this case the many gods of Egypt, were overcome by the God if Israel.  Therefore, the gods of Egypt were less than the God of Israel.  Were this not the case, the gods of Egypt would have prevailed and the Hebrews would still be in Egypt. 

So not really very clearly translated in either the LSB or the ESV.

I do think Jethro still believed there were many gods, and one God.  He worshiped God withe the elders and Aaron, but I see no indication that he eschewed belief in other, though lesser, gods.

2026 - This verse:

16 when they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between one person and another, and I make them know the statutes of God and his laws." [Exo 18:16 ESV].

Is this the application of precedent or the direct application of existing law to each case?  There is no indication that a record is kept of decisions.  There was no written law at this time either.  I would say judgment is coming direct from God in each case through Moses, or that Moses is relying on memory for what God has previously told him. 

Note that this method was not going to work long term.  When the add'l judges are appointed, then application of the law became distributed.  We would assume that over time this evolved into the use of recorded decisions and the application of precedent.  We will see later with Joshua that precedent in regard to inheritance was modified for the daughers of ...somebody, who had no sons.  A new precedent was set.  I don't know how things were done prior to this, or in other nations at that time, but this is clearly the implementation of a judicial systems for the nation of Israel.

Jethro advises Moses on administrative matters, and as a result, Moses appoints judges over 10's, 50's, hundreds, and thousands.