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

16Moreover, he shall speak for you to the people; and he will be as a mouth for you and you will be as God to him. 17You shall take in your hand this staff, with which you shall perform the signs.” Then Moses departed and returned to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, “Please, let me go, that I may return to my brethren who are in Egypt, and see if they are still alive.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.” 19Now the Lord said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all the men who were seeking your life are dead.” 20So Moses took his wife and his sons and mounted them on a donkey, and returned to the land of Egypt. Moses also took the staff 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

• Then Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
• departedהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
• and returnedשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• Jethroיֶ֫תֶרyether · JethroH3500
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• to him, “Pleaseנָאnâ' · pleaseH4994
• to my brethrenאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
• whoאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• are in Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
• and seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• if they are stillעוֹד‛ôd ‛ôd · stillH5750
• aliveחַיchay · aliveH2416
• And Jethroיִתְרוֹyithrô · JethroH3503
• in peaceשָׁלוֹםshâlôm shâlôm · peaceH7965

Cross-references for Exodus 4:18

• Exodus 3:1Now Moses was pasturing the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
• 1 Timothy 6:1All who are under the yoke as slaves are to regard their own masters as worthy of all honor so that the name of God and our doctrine will not be spoken against.
• Genesis 45:3Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence.
• Acts 16:36And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The chief magistrates have sent to release you. Therefore come out now and go in peace.”

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