Exodus 4:18

Exodus 4:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace.
• New International Version (NIV)Then Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, “Let me return to my own people in Egypt to see if any of them are still alive.” Jethro said, “Go, and I wish you well.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, "Please let me go back to my brothers in Egypt to see whether they are still alive." And Jethro said to Moses, "Go in peace."
• New King James Version (NKJV)So Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said to him, “Please let me go and return to my brethren who are in Egypt, and see whether they are still alive.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.”

Context of Exodus 4:18

16Aaron will speak to the people on your behalf. He will be like your mouth, to speak your message. And you will be like God to him. You will tell him what to say. 17Take this stick with you and hold it in your hand. You will use it to do the miracles to show that I have sent you.’ Then Moses went back to Jethro, his wife's father. Moses said to him, ‘Please let me return to my family in Egypt. I must see if they are still alive.’ So Jethro said to Moses, ‘Go in peace.’ 19The Lord had said to Moses while he was still in Midian, ‘Go back to Egypt. All the men who tried to kill you are now dead.’ 20So Moses put his wife and his sons on a donkey and they started on the journey back to Egypt. And Moses carried the stick of God in his hand.

Exodus 4:18 word by word

וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ מֹשֶׁ֜ה וַיָּ֣שָׁב׀ אֶל־יֶ֣תֶר חֹֽתְנ֗וֹ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ אֵ֣לְכָה נָּ֗א וְאָשׁ֙וּבָה֙ אֶל־אַחַ֣י אֲשֶׁר־בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם וְאֶרְאֶ֖ה הַעוֹדָ֣ם חַיִּ֑ים וַיֹּ֧אמֶר יִתְר֛וֹ לְמֹשֶׁ֖ה לֵ֥ךְ לְשָׁלֽוֹם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
• wentיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• and returnedשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• to Jethroיֶ֫תֶרyether · JethroH3500
• his father in lawחֹתֵןchâthan · relativeH2859
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto my brethrenאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
• in Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
• and seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• whether they be yetעוֹד‛ôd ‛ôd · stillH5750
• aliveחַיchay · aliveH2416
• And Jethroיִתְרוֹyithrô · JethroH3503
• in peaceשָׁלוֹםshâlôm shâlôm · peaceH7965

Cross-references for Exodus 4:18

• 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.
• 1 Timothy 6:1All slaves should know that it is right to respect their masters. Then other people will not insult God's name or the message that we teach.
• Genesis 45:3Joseph said to his brothers, ‘I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?’ But his brothers could not answer him because they were too frightened. They could see Joseph was there in front of them!
• Acts 16:36The guard went to Paul and he told him, ‘The city officers have sent a message to me. They said, “Let Paul and Silas go free.” So now you can leave the prison. Nobody will hurt you any more.’

Commentaries on Exodus 4:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren - Moses, having received his commission from God, and directions how to execute it, returned to his father-in-law, and asked permission to visit his family and brethren in Egypt, without giving him any intimation of the great errand on which he was going. His keeping this secret has been attributed to his singular modesty: but however true it might be that Moses was a truly humble and modest man, yet his…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-23Verses 18-23 After God had appeared in the bush, he often spake to Moses. Pharaoh had hardened his own heart against the groans and cries of the oppressed Israelites; and now God, in the way of righteous judgment, hardens his heart against the teaching of the miracles, and the terror of the plagues. But whether Pharaoh will hear, or whether he will forbear, Moses must tell him, Thus saith the Lord. He must demand a discharge for Israel, Let my son go; not…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18Moses was now 80 years old (see 7:7). Even so, he was still formally under the authority of his father-in-law.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. Moses ... returned to Jethro--Being in his service, it was right to obtain his consent, but Moses evinced piety, humility, and prudence, in not divulging the special object of his journey.Read the comment

Topics related to Exodus 4:18

• Contracts
• Jethro
• Moses

In the dictionaries

• Egypt
• Jethro
• Moses
• Egypt, Egyptian
• Jethro, Reuel
• Father-in-Law
• Bosom
• Dead
• Jether
• Leprous

Commentaries on Exodus 4

• 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
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings