Exodus - 18:3



3 and her two sons. The name of one son was Gershom, for Moses said, "I have lived as a foreigner in a foreign land".

Verse In-Depth

Explanation and meaning of Exodus 18:3.

Differing Translations

Compare verses for better understanding.
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:
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:
And her two sons, of whom one was called Gersam, his father saying: I have been a stranger in a foreign country.
and her two sons; of which the name of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been a sojourner in a strange land:
and her two sons, of whom the name of the one is Gershom, for he said, 'a sojourner I have been in a strange land:'
And her two sons, one of whom was named Gershom, for he said, I have been living in a strange land:
and her two sons; of whom the name of the one was Gershom; for he said: 'I have been a stranger in a strange land';
and her two sons, of whom one was called Gershom, (for his father said, "I have been a newcomer in a foreign land,")
Duos quoque filios ejus: quorum nomen unius erat Gerson: quia dixerat, Peregrinus fui in terra aliena.

*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.


Historical Commentaries

Scholarly Analysis and Interpretation.

And her two sons. It was remarked in its proper place, how distinguished a proof not only of faith, but of magnanimity and firmness Moses had manifested in giving these names to his sons. For we cannot doubt, but that he brought on himself the ill-will of his connections, as if he despised the country of his wife, by calling the one (Gershom) "a strange land;" and the name of his son continually cried out, that though he inhabited Midian, yet was he an alien in his heart, and though sojourning for a time, would afterwards seek another habitation. Whence also we may conjecture that he took them with him into Egypt, rather than banish from him these two pledges of his piety on account of the sudden anger and reproaches of his wife; since by their names he was daily reminded that God's covenant was to be, preferred to all earthly advantages.

The name of the one was Gershom - See Clarke's note on Exodus 2:22.

And her two sons,.... Those also Jethro took along with him and his daughter:
of which the name of the one was Gershom; which seems to be his firstborn, Exodus 2:22, his name signifies a desolate stranger, as some, or, "there I was a stranger": the reason of which name follows agreeably thereunto:
for he said, I have been an alien in a strange land; meaning, not the land of Egypt, where he was born, and had lived forty years; but in the land of Midian, where he was when this son of his was born; and which name was given him partly to keep up the memory of his flight to Midian, and partly to instruct his son, that Midian, though his native place, was not his proper country where he was to dwell, but another, even the land of Canaan.

The name of one was Gershom - A stranger, designing thereby not only a memorial of his own condition, but a memorandum to this son of his, for we are all strangers upon earth.

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