And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon to day?
Parallel translations
- WEB When they came to Reuel, their father, he said, “How is it that you have returned so early today?”
- BSB When the daughters returned to their father Reuel, he asked them, “Why have you returned so early today?”
- NKJV When they came to Reuel their father, he said, “How is it that you have come so soon today?”
- NASB When they came to their father Reuel, he said, “Why have you come back so soon today?”
- NLT When the girls returned to Reuel, their father, he asked, “Why are you back so soon today?”
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
The daughters return early to their father Reuel, who is surprised at their speed. His question opens the way for Moses to be welcomed.
Overview
Reuel, also called Jethro, is the priest of Midian and will become Moses' father-in-law and counselor. His curiosity at their early return leads to recognition of the stranger's kindness. God uses this household to give the exiled Moses a home, a family, and years of preparation.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Exod 3:1Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.
- Exod 4:18And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace.
- Num 10:29And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Raguel the Midianite, Moses’ father in law, We are journeying unto the place of which the LORD said, I will give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good: for the LORD hath spoken good concerning Israel.
- Exod 18:1–12When Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father in law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, and that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt;
- Num 19:20But the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation, because he hath defiled the sanctuary of the LORD: the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him; he is unclean.
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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 2:18 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.