And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? why is it that ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread.
Parallel translations
- WEB He said to his daughters, “Where is he? Why is it that you have left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread.”
- BSB “So where is he?” their father asked. “Why did you leave the man behind? Invite him to have something to eat.”
- NKJV So he said to his daughters, “And where is he? Why is it that you have left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread.”
- NASB So he said to his daughters, “Where is he then? Why is it that you have left the man behind? Invite him to have something to eat.”
- NLT “Then where is he?” their father asked. “Why did you leave him there? Invite him to come and eat with us.”
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
Reuel rebukes his daughters for leaving their helper outside and invites Moses to a meal. Hospitality opens the door to Moses' new life.
Overview
Reuel's insistence on welcoming the stranger reflects the ancient virtue of hospitality and God's provision for His servant. The shared meal leads to Moses settling among them. Through this kindness, God grants the fugitive refuge and a future.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Gen 31:54Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount.
- Gen 43:25And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there.
- Gen 19:2–3And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant’s house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.
- Job 42:11Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.
- 1 Tim 5:10Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints’ feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work.
- Job 31:32The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors to the traveller.
- Heb 13:2Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
- Gen 18:5And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.
- Gen 24:31–33And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the LORD; wherefore standest thou without? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.
- Gen 29:13And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister’s son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things.
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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 2:20 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.