King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And he said unto Moses, I thy father in law Jethro am come unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.
Complete Jewish Bible:
He sent word to Moshe, "I, your father-in-law Yitro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons."
Berean Standard Bible:
He sent word to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.”
American Standard Version:
and he said unto Moses, I, thy father-in-law Jethro, am come unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And he said{H559} unto Moses{H4872}, I thy father in law{H2859} Jethro{H3503} am come{H935} unto thee, and thy wife{H802}, and her two{H8147} sons{H1121} with her.
Cross-References (KJV):
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Commentary for Exodus 18:6
Exodus 18:6 is a verse that captures a moment of family reunion within the broader narrative of the Israelites' journey from slavery in Egypt to the Promised Land. The speaker is Jethro, also known as Reuel, who is Moses' father-in-law and a Midianite priest. Historically, this verse reflects the nomadic and tribal nature of ancient Near Eastern societies, where family ties extended beyond immediate households and were crucial for survival and political alliances.
In this verse, Jethro announces his arrival to Moses, bringing with him Moses' wife Zipporah and their two sons, Gershom and Eliezer. The significance of this event is multifaceted. It highlights the theme of family and the importance of maintaining kinship bonds, even amidst monumental historical events like the Exodus. The verse also underscores the personal and relational aspects of Moses' life, offering a glimpse into his role as a husband and father in addition to his role as a leader and prophet.
Furthermore, Jethro's visit is pivotal as it sets the stage for the subsequent verses where Jethro advises Moses on governance and leadership, suggesting a more efficient judicial system to alleviate the burden on Moses (Exodus 18:13-27). This advice is not only instrumental in the organizational development of the Israelite community but also exemplifies the theme of wisdom transcending tribal boundaries, as Moses accepts counsel from his non-Israelite relative.
In summary, Exodus 18:6 is a verse that encapsulates themes of family, leadership, and cross-cultural wisdom within the historical context of the Israelites' journey in the wilderness. It provides insight into the personal life of Moses and the broader societal structures that were emerging among the Israelites during their formative years as a nation.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- 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. - Strong's Number: H4872
There are 704 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מֹשֶׁה
Transliteration: Môsheh
Pronunciation: mo-sheh'
Description: from מָשָׁה; drawing out (of the water), i.e. rescued; Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver; Moses. - Strong's Number: H2859
There are 32 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חָתַן
Transliteration: châthan
Pronunciation: khaw-than'
Description: a primitive root; to give (a daughter) away in marriage; hence (generally) to contract affinity by marriage; join in affinity, father in law, make marriages, mother in law, son in law. - Strong's Number: H3503
There are 9 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יִתְרוֹ
Transliteration: Yithrôw
Pronunciation: yith-ro'
Description: from יֶתֶר with pron. suffix; his excellence; Jethro, Moses' father-in-law; Jethro. Compare יֶתֶר. - Strong's Number: H935
There are 2307 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בּוֹא
Transliteration: bôwʼ
Pronunciation: bo
Description: a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of applications); abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat, [phrase] employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, [phrase] follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, [phrase] have, [idiom] indeed, (in-) vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, [idiom] (well) stricken (in age), [idiom] surely, take (in), way. - Strong's Number: H802
There are 729 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אִשָּׁה
Transliteration: ʼishshâh
Pronunciation: ish-shaw'
Description: feminine of אִישׁ or אֱנוֹשׁ; irregular plural, נָשִׁים;(used in the same wide sense as אֱנוֹשׁ); a woman; (adulter) ess, each, every, female, [idiom] many, [phrase] none, one, [phrase] together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English. - 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. - 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.