Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro returned to his own land.
Parallel translations
- WEB Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way into his own land.
- KJV And Moses let his father in law depart; and he went his way into his own land.
- NKJV Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way to his own land.
- NASB Then Moses said goodbye to his father-in-law, and Jethro went his way to his own land.
- NLT Soon after this, Moses said good-bye to his father-in-law, who returned to his own land.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Moses sent Jethro home, and he returned to his own land. The visit ends warmly, marking a peaceful parting between Israel and a friendly Midianite.
Overview
Jethro departs after blessing Israel with counsel and worship (ch. 18). The brief notice closes this episode before the great events at Sinai. The respectful farewell shows that God's covenant people can honor and bless those outside the covenant, anticipating the gospel's reach to the nations.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- Num 10:29–30Then Moses said to Hobab, the son of Moses’ father-in-law Reuel the Midianite, “We are setting out for the place of which the LORD said: ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will treat you well, for the LORD has promised good things to Israel.”
- Judg 19:9When the man got up to depart with his concubine and his servant, his father-in-law, the girl’s father, said to him, “Look, the day is drawing to a close. Please spend the night. See, the day is almost over. Spend the night here, that your heart may be merry. Then you can get up early tomorrow for your journey home.”
- Gen 31:55Early the next morning, Laban got up and kissed his grandchildren and daughters and blessed them. Then he left to return home.
- Gen 24:59So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, along with her nurse and Abraham’s servant and his men.
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Christ at the center
The Passover lamb whose blood turns away death, the exodus through the sea, the manna, the rock, and the tabernacle where God dwells with his people all foreshadow Jesus — our Passover, our redemption, the bread from heaven, and God-with-us in the flesh.
How Exodus 18:27 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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