Exodus 18:5

Exodus 18:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Jethro, Moses’ father in law, came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped at the mount of God:
• New International Version (NIV)Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, together with Moses’ sons and wife, came to him in the wilderness, where he was camped near the mountain of God.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was encamped at the mountain of God.
• New King James Version (NKJV)and Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness, where he was encamped at the mountain of God.

Context of Exodus 18:5

3Moses' older son was called Gershom. Moses said about him, ‘I have become a stranger in a foreign country.’ 4The other son was called Eliezer. Moses said about him, ‘My ancestors' God gave me help. He saved me from Pharaoh, when Pharaoh wanted to kill me.’ Jethro came to visit Moses in the wilderness. He brought with him Moses' wife and two sons. The Israelites had put up their tents near the mountain of God. 6Jethro had already sent a message to Moses. He said, ‘I am coming with your wife and her two sons to see you.’ 7So Moses went out to meet his wife's father. He bent down and he kissed Jethro. They said ‘hello’ and they spoke together. Then they went into Moses' tent.

Exodus 18:5 word by word

וַיָּבֹ֞א יִתְר֨וֹ חֹתֵ֥ן מֹשֶׁ֛ה וּבָנָ֥יו וְאִשְׁתּ֖וֹ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּ֗ר אֲשֶׁר־ה֛וּא חֹנֶ֥ה שָׁ֖ם הַ֥ר הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Jethroיִתְרוֹyithrô · JethroH3503
• Moses’מֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
• father in lawחֹתֵןchâthan · relativeH2859
• cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• with his sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• and his wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
• into the wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
• where he encampedחָנָהchânâh · to campH2583
• at the mountהַרhar · mountain: mountH2022
• of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430

Cross-references for Exodus 18:5

• Exodus 3:1Moses worked as a shepherd and he took care of Jethro's sheep. Jethro was his wife's father and he was the priest of Midian. Moses led the sheep to the far side of the desert. He came to Sinai, the mountain of God.
• Exodus 19:11They must be ready on the third day. On that day, I will come down on Sinai mountain, so that all the people see me.
• Exodus 24:16The Lord's bright glory appeared on Sinai mountain. The cloud covered the mountain for six days. On the seventh day, the Lord called out to Moses from inside the cloud.
• 1 Kings 19:8So Elijah got up. He ate the food and he drank the water. The meal made him strong enough to travel for 40 days and 40 nights. He travelled to Sinai, the mountain of God.

Commentaries on Exodus 18:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Jethro - came with his sons - There are several reasons to induce us to believe that the fact related here is out of its due chronological order, and that Jethro did not come to Moses till the beginning of the second year of the exodus, (see Numbers 10:11;), some time after the tabernacle had been erected, and the Hebrew commonwealth established, both in things civil and ecclesiastical. This opinion is founded on the following reasons: - On this verse…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5The wilderness - i. e., according to the view which seems on the whole most probable, the plain near the northern summit of Horeb, the mountain of God. The valley which opens upon Er Rahah on the left of Horeh is called “Wady Shueib” by the Arabs, i. e. the vale of Hobab.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 18:5

• Moses
• Zipporah

In the dictionaries

• God
• Jethro
• Moses
• Jethro, Reuel
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Father-in-Law
• Goodness
• Hard
• Heavy
• Hobab

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