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.
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.
- BSB 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.
- 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 of Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet Jacob, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things.
- 1 Kgs 2:19Bathsheba therefore went to king Solomon, to speak to him for Adonijah. The king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself to her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a throne to be set for the king’s mother; and she sat on his right hand.
- 2 Sam 11:7When Uriah had come to him, David asked him how Joab did, and how the people fared, and how the war prospered.
- Gen 18:2He lifted up his eyes and looked, and saw that three men stood opposite him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to the earth,
- Gen 14:17The king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, at the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley).
- Gen 19:1The two angels came to Sodom at evening. Lot sat in the gate of Sodom. Lot saw them, and rose up to meet them. He bowed himself with his face to the earth,
- Luke 7:45You gave me no kiss, but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet.
- Acts 20:37They all wept a lot, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him,
- Ps 2:12Give sincere homage to the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish on the way, for his wrath will soon be kindled. Blessed are all those who take refuge in him.
- Gen 33:3–7He himself passed over in front of them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
- Gen 45:15He kissed all his brothers, and wept on them. After that his brothers talked with him.
- Gen 43:27–28He asked them of their welfare, and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he yet alive?”
- Judg 11:34Jephthah came to Mizpah to his house; and behold, his daughter came out to meet him with tambourines and with dances. She was his only child. Besides her he had neither son nor daughter.
- Acts 28:15From there the brothers, when they heard of us, came to meet us as far as The Market of Appius and The Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God, and took courage.
- Gen 31:28and didn’t allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now have you done foolishly.
- Num 22:36When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him to the City of Moab, which is on the border of the Arnon, which is in the utmost part of the border.
- Gen 46:29Joseph prepared his chariot, and went up to meet Israel, his father, in Goshen. He presented himself to him, and fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.
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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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