Exodus 18:3

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

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:

Complete Jewish Bible:

The name of the one son was Gershom [a foreigner there], for Moshe had said, "I have been a foreigner in a foreign land."

Berean Standard Bible:

along with her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses had said, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land.”

American Standard Version:

and her two sons; of whom the name of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been a sojourner in a foreign land:

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And her two{H8147} sons{H1121}; of which the name{H8034} of the one{H259} was Gershom{H1647}; for he said{H559}, I have been an alien{H1616} in a strange{H5237} land{H776}:

Cross-References (KJV):

Exodus 2:22

  • And she bare [him] a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land.

Acts 7:29

  • Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons.

Exodus 4:20

  • And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.

Psalms 39:12

  • Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I [am] a stranger with thee, [and] a sojourner, as all my fathers [were].

Hebrews 11:13

  • These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of [them], and embraced [them], and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

1 Peter 2:11

  • Dearly beloved, I beseech [you] as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

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Commentary for Exodus 18:3

**Exodus 18:3** is a verse that captures a moment in the life of Moses as he is reunited with his family after a significant period of time. The verse reads: "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:" Here are the themes and historical context:

**Themes:**
1. **Family Reunion:** The verse reflects a moment of reconnection between Moses and his family, highlighting the importance of familial bonds in the midst of larger historical events.
2. **Identity and Alienation:** The naming of Moses' son Gershom (which means "a stranger there") reflects the theme of identity and alienation. Moses, having fled Egypt and lived in Midian, feels like a foreigner, which is a common experience for those who live away from their homeland.
3. **Divine Providence:** The reunion also suggests that God's hand is at work, bringing Moses' family back to him at a pivotal moment in his life, just before he embarks on the mission to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.

**Historical Context:**
1. **Moses' Flight to Midian:** Prior to this event, Moses had killed an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew slave and, fearing for his life, fled to Midian. There, he married Zipporah, the daughter of Jethro (also known as Reuel), a Midianite priest, and settled down.
2. **Moses' Call:** The reunion occurs after Moses' encounter with God at the burning bush, where he was called to return to Egypt and lead the Israelites to freedom.
3. **Jethro's Role:** Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, plays a significant role in the narrative as a spiritual advisor to Moses. This verse is part of the larger narrative where Jethro brings Moses' family to him after hearing about his mission.

In summary, Exodus 18:3 is situated within the broader narrative of Moses' life, capturing a personal moment amidst his preparation to lead the Israelites out of slavery. It underscores themes of family, the experience of living in a foreign land, and the unfolding of God's plan through Moses' life.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

  1. Strong's Number: H8147
    There are 647 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: שְׁנַיִם
    Transliteration: shᵉnayim
    Pronunciation: shen-ah'-yim
    Description: dual of שֵׁנִי; feminine שְׁתַּיִם; two; also (as ordinal) twofold; both, couple, double, second, twain, [phrase] twelfth, [phrase] twelve, [phrase] twenty (sixscore) thousand, twice, two.
  2. Strong's Number: H1121
    There are 3654 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: בֵּן
    Transliteration: bên
    Pronunciation: bane
    Description: from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.); [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.
  3. Strong's Number: H8034
    There are 771 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: שֵׁם
    Transliteration: shêm
    Pronunciation: shame
    Description: a primitive word (perhaps rather from through the idea of definite and conspicuous position; compare שָׁמַיִם); an appellation, as amark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character; [phrase] base, (in-) fame(-ous), named(-d), renown, report.
  4. Strong's Number: H259
    There are 801 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אֶחָד
    Transliteration: ʼechâd
    Pronunciation: ekh-awd'
    Description: a numeral from אָחַד; properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first; a, alike, alone, altogether, and, any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-) ly, each (one), [phrase] eleven, every, few, first, [phrase] highway, a man, once, one, only, other, some, together,
  5. Strong's Number: H1647
    There are 14 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: גֵּרְשֹׁם
    Transliteration: Gêrᵉshôm
    Pronunciation: gay-resh-ome'
    Description: for גֵּרְשׁוֹן; Gereshom, the name of four Israelites; Gershom.
  6. Strong's Number: H559
    There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אָמַר
    Transliteration: ʼâmar
    Pronunciation: aw-mar'
    Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet.
  7. Strong's Number: H1616
    There are 83 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: גֵּר
    Transliteration: gêr
    Pronunciation: gare
    Description: or (fully) geyr (gare); from גּוּר; properly, a guest; by implication, a foreigner; alien, sojourner, stranger.
  8. Strong's Number: H5237
    There are 45 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: נׇכְרִי
    Transliteration: nokrîy
    Pronunciation: nok-ree'
    Description: from נֶכֶר (second form); strange, in a variety of degrees and applications (foreign, non-relative, adulterous, different, wonderful); alien, foreigner, outlandish, strange(-r, woman).
  9. Strong's Number: H776
    There are 2739 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אֶרֶץ
    Transliteration: ʼerets
    Pronunciation: eh'-rets
    Description: from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land); [idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.