Exodus 18:3

Exodus 18:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And her two sons; of which the name of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been an alien in a strange land:
• New International Version (NIV)and her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses said, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land”;
• English Standard Version (ESV)along with her two sons. The name of the one was Gershom (for he said, "I have been a sojourner in a foreign land"),
• New King James Version (NKJV)with her two sons, of whom the name of one was Gershom (for he said, “I have been a stranger in a foreign land”)

Context of Exodus 18:3

1Moses’s father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard about everything that God had done for Moses and for God’s people Israel when the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt. 2Now Jethro, Moses’s father-in-law, had taken in Zipporah, Moses’s wife, after he had sent her back, along with her two sons, one of whom was named Gershom (because Moses had said, “I have been a resident alien in a foreign land”) 4and the other Eliezer (because he had said, “The God of my father was my helper and rescued me from Pharaoh’s sword”). 5Moses’s father-in-law, Jethro, along with Moses’s wife and sons, came to him in the wilderness where he was camped at the mountain of God.

Exodus 18:3 word by word

וְאֵ֖ת שְׁנֵ֣י בָנֶ֑יהָ אֲשֶׁ֨ר שֵׁ֤ם הָֽאֶחָד֙ גֵּֽרְשֹׁ֔ם כִּ֣י אָמַ֔ר גֵּ֣ר הָיִ֔יתִי בְּאֶ֖רֶץ נָכְרִיָּֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And her twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
• sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of which the nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
• of the oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• Gershomגֵּרְשֹׁםgêreshôm · GershomH1647
• for he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• I have been an alienגֵּרgêr gêyr · sojournerH1616
• in a strangeנׇכְרִיnokrîy · foreignH5237
• landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776

Cross-references for Exodus 18:3

• Acts 7:29“When he heard this, Moses fled and became an exile in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.
• Exodus 2:22She gave birth to a son whom he named Gershom, for he said, “I have been a resident alien in a foreign land.”
• Psalms 39:12“Hear my prayer, Lord, and listen to my cry for help; do not be silent at my tears. For I am here with you as an alien, a temporary resident like all my ancestors.
• Hebrews 11:13These all died in faith, although they had not received the things that were promised. But they saw them from a distance, greeted them, and confessed that they were foreigners and temporary residents on the earth.
• 1 Peter 2:11Dear friends, I urge you as strangers and exiles to abstain from sinful desires that wage war against the soul.

Commentaries on Exodus 18:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3The name of the one was Gershom - See Clarke's note on Exodus 2:22.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-12Moses had sent his wife and children back to stay with his father-in-law at some point. During the intense confrontation with Pharaoh, Moses might have feared for their lives. Jethro now came to meet Moses and the Israelites, bringing the family of Moses with him (18:2–6). During the visit, Moses gave him a report. Jethro came to trust in the Lord through the testimony of the Lord's work.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-271-5. Jethro ... came ... unto Moses, &c.--It is thought by many eminent commentators that this episode is inserted out of its chronological order, for it is described as occurring when the Israelites were "encamped at the mount of God." And yet they did not reach it till the third month after their departure from Egypt (Ex 19:1, 2; compare De 1:6, 9-15).Read the comment

Topics related to Exodus 18:3

• Gershom
• Moses
• Zipporah

In the dictionaries

• Gershom
• Goodness
• Hard
• Heavy
• Jethro
• Matter
• Wear
• Alien
• Blindness, Judicial
• Courts, Judicial

Commentaries on Exodus 18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings