So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and went into the tent.
Parallel translations
- WEB Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and bowed and kissed him. They asked each other of their welfare, and they came into the tent.
- KJV And Moses went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent.
- NKJV So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down, and kissed him. And they asked each other about their well-being, and they went into the tent.
- NASB Then Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and he bowed down and kissed him; and they asked each other about their welfare, and went into the tent.
- NLT So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law. He bowed low and kissed him. They asked about each other’s welfare and then went into Moses’ tent.
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 went out, bowed, and kissed Jethro; they greeted one another and entered the tent. The reunion was marked by warmth and mutual respect.
Overview
Moses honors his father-in-law with humility and affection, modeling respect for family and elders. Their inquiry after each other's welfare reflects genuine relationship and peace. This gracious meeting sets a tone of fellowship that opens the way for shared worship and counsel.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- Gen 29:13When Laban heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob, he ran out to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his home, where Jacob told him all that had happened.
- 1 Kgs 2:19So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah. The king stood up to greet her, bowed to her, and sat down on his throne. Then the king had a throne brought for his mother, who sat down at his right hand.
- 2 Sam 11:7When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab and the troops were doing with the war.
- Gen 18:2And Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
- Gen 14:17After Abram returned from defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley).
- Gen 19:1Now the two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When Lot saw them, he got up to meet them, bowed facedown,
- Luke 7:45You did not greet Me with a kiss, but she has not stopped kissing My feet since I arrived.
- Acts 20:37They all wept openly as they embraced Paul and kissed him.
- Ps 2:12Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and you perish in your rebellion, when His wrath ignites in an instant. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.
- Gen 33:3–7But Jacob himself went on ahead and bowed to the ground seven times as he approached his brother.
- Gen 45:15Joseph kissed each of his brothers as he wept over them. And afterward his brothers talked with him.
- Gen 43:27–28He asked if they were well, and then he asked, “How is your elderly father you told me about? Is he still alive?”
- Judg 11:34And when Jephthah returned home to Mizpah, there was his daughter coming out to meet him with tambourines and dancing! She was his only child; he had no son or daughter besides her.
- Acts 28:15The brothers there had heard about us and traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. When Paul saw them, he was encouraged and gave thanks to God.
- Gen 31:28But you did not even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye. Now you have done a foolish thing.
- Num 22:36When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite city on the Arnon border, at the edge of his territory.
- Gen 46:29Joseph prepared his chariot and went there to meet his father Israel. Joseph presented himself to him, embraced him, and wept profusely.
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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 18:7 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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