New Living Translation
Exodus 18:3
3(Moses’ first son was named Gershom, for Moses had said when the boy was born, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land.”
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’ father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard about everything God had done for Moses and his people, the Israelites. He heard especially about how the Lord had rescued them from Egypt. 2Earlier, Moses had sent his wife, Zipporah, and his two sons back to Jethro, who had taken them in. (Moses’ first son was named Gershom, for Moses had said when the boy was born, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land.” 4His second son was named Eliezer, for Moses had said, “The God of my ancestors was my helper; he rescued me from the sword of Pharaoh.”) 5Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, now came to visit Moses in the wilderness. He brought Moses’ wife and two sons with him, and they arrived while Moses and the people were camped near the mountain of God.
Read all of Exodus 18Exodus 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 7:29When Moses heard that, he fled the country and lived as a foreigner in the land of Midian. There his two sons were born.
- Exodus 2:22Later she gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom, for he explained, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land.”
- Psalms 39:12Hear my prayer, O Lord! Listen to my cries for help! Don’t ignore my tears. For I am your guest— a traveler passing through, as my ancestors were before me.
- Hebrews 11:13All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth.
- 1 Peter 2:11Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.
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
In the dictionaries
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
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