“Then where is he?” their father asked. “Why did you leave him there? Invite him to come and eat with us.”
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.”
- KJV 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.
- 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.”
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 31:54Jacob offered a sacrifice in the mountain, and called his relatives to eat bread. They ate bread, and stayed all night in the mountain.
- Gen 43:25They prepared the present for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there.
- Gen 19:2–3and he said, “See now, my lords, please turn aside into your servant’s house, stay all night, wash your feet, and you can rise up early, and go on your way.” They said, “No, but we will stay in the street all night.”
- Job 42:11Then came there to him all his brothers, and all his sisters, and all those who had been of his acquaintance before, and ate bread with him in his house. They comforted him, and consoled him concerning all the evil that Yahweh had brought on him. Everyone also gave him a piece of money, and everyone a ring of gold.
- 1 Tim 5:10being approved by good works, if she has brought up children, if she has been hospitable to strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, and if she has diligently followed every good work.
- Job 31:32(the foreigner has not camped in the street, but I have opened my doors to the traveler);
- Heb 13:2Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for in doing so, some have entertained angels without knowing it.
- Gen 18:5I will get a morsel of bread so you can refresh your heart. After that you may go your way, now that you have come to your servant.” They said, “Very well, do as you have said.”
- Gen 24:31–33He said, “Come in, you blessed of Yahweh. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.”
- 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.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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.