English Standard Version
Exodus 2:21
21And Moses was content to dwell with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah.
Exodus 2:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter.
- New International Version (NIV)Moses agreed to stay with the man, who gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Moses was content to live with the man, and he gave Zipporah his daughter to Moses.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Moses accepted the invitation, and he settled there with him. In time, Reuel gave Moses his daughter Zipporah to be his wife.
Context of Exodus 2:21
19They said, "An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds and even drew water for us and watered the flock." 20He said to his daughters, "Then where is he? Why have you left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread." And Moses was content to dwell with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah. 22She gave birth to a son, and he called his name Gershom, for he said, "I have been a sojourner in a foreign land." 23During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God.
Read all of Exodus 2Exodus 2:21 word by word
וַיּ֥וֹאֶל מֹשֶׁ֖ה לָשֶׁ֣בֶת אֶת־הָאִ֑ישׁ וַיִּתֵּ֛ן אֶת־צִפֹּרָ֥ה בִתּ֖וֹ לְמֹשֶֽׁה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Exodus 2:21
- Exodus 2:10When the child grew older, she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, "Because," she said, "I drew him out of the water."
- Genesis 31:38These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, and I have not eaten the rams of your flocks.
- Philippians 4:11Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.
- 1 Timothy 6:6But godliness with contentment is great gain,
- Hebrews 11:25choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.
- Hebrews 13:5Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
- James 1:10and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away.
- Exodus 4:20So Moses took his wife and his sons and had them ride on a donkey, and went back to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the staff of God in his hand.
- Exodus 18:2Now Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, had taken Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her home,
- Numbers 12:1Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman.
Commentaries on Exodus 2:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Zipporah his daughter - Abul Farajius calls her "Saphura the black, daughter of Rewel the Midianite, the son of Dedan, the son of Abraham by his wife Keturah." The Targum calls her the granddaughter of Reuel. It appears that Moses obtained Zipporah something in the same way that Jacob obtained Rachel; namely, for the performance of certain Services, probably keeping of sheep: see Exodus 3:1.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Moses tells us nothing of what he may have learned from his father-in-law, but he must have found in him a man conversant with the traditions of the family of Abraham; nor is there any improbability in the supposition that, as hereditary priest, Reuel may have possessed written documents concerning their common ancestors.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-22Verses 16-22 Moses found shelter in Midian. He was ready to help Reuel's daughters to water their flocks, although bred in learning and at court. Moses loved to be doing justice, and to act in defence of such as he saw injured, which every man ought to do, as far as it is in his power. He loved to be doing good; wherever the providence of God casts us, we should desire and try to be useful; and when we cannot do the good we would, we must be ready to do…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-25This passage shows the concern Moses felt for the oppressed. It describes his move to a new land (2:18–22). He married, had a child, and lived there for 40 years (Acts 7:30). From a human perspective, rescuing the Israelites through Moses seemed impossible. But what God's perspective is what matters. The end of this section tells us that God had not forgotten his people (Exodus 2:23–25). He was only waiting for the right time to act (2:25).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 16-2216-22. the priest of Midian--or, "prince of Midian." As the officers were usually conjoined, he was the ruler also of the people called Cushites or Ethiopians, and like many other chiefs of pastoral people in that early age, he still retained the faith and worship of the true God. seven daughters--were shepherdesses to whom Moses was favorably introduced by an act of courtesy and courage in protecting them from the rude shepherds of some neighboring tribe…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 2:21
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 2
- 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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries