Exodus 2:18

Verse

Berean Standard Bible

When the daughters returned to their father Reuel, he asked them, “Why have you returned so early today?”

American Standard Version (1901)

And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon to-day?

Bible in Basic English

And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that you have come back so quickly today?

Douay-Rheims 1899

And when they returned to Raguel their father, he said to them: Why are ye come sooner than usual?

Free Bible Version

When they got home, their father Reuel asked them, “How did you get back so quickly today?”

Geneva Bible 1599

And whe they came to Reuel their father, he said, Howe are ye come so soone to day?

King James (Authorized) Version

And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon to day?

One Unity Resource Bible

When they came to Reuel, their father, he said, “How is it that you have returned so early today?”

Translation for Translators

When the girls returned to their father Jethro, whose other name is Reuel, he asked them, “How is it that you were able to give water to the sheep and come home so quickly today?”

Unlocked Literal Bible

When the girls went to Reuel their father, he said, “Why are you home so early today?”

Noah Webster Bible

And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that you are come so soon to day?

World English Bible

When they came to Reuel, their father, he said, “How is it that you have returned so early today?”

Young's Literal Translation

And they come in to Reuel their father, and he saith, 'Wherefore have ye hastened to come in to-day?'

Context

The Rejection and Flight of Moses

¹⁷And when some shepherds came along and drove them away, Moses rose up to help them and watered their flock. ¹⁸When the daughters returned to their father Reuel, he asked them, “Why have you returned so early today?”

Summary

In Exodus 2:18, we see Jethro's daughters returning home early from drawing water at the well, which prompts Moses to inquire about their swift return. This interaction leads to Moses helping the women water their flock and eventually meeting Jethro, who offers him hospitality and eventually gives him his daughter Zipporah in marriage. This passage highlights the providence of God in orchestrating divine encounters and relationships, ultimately leading Moses to his destiny as the deliverer of the Israelites from Egypt.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Reuel, their father - In Num 10:29 this person is called Raguel, but the Hebrew is the same in both places. The reason of this difference is that the ע ain in רעואל is sometimes used merely as vowel, sometimes as g, ng, and gn, and this is occasioned by the difficulty of the sound, which scarcely any European organs can enunciate. As pronounced by the Arabs it strongly resembles the first effort made by the throat in gargling, or as Meninski says, Est vox vituli matrem vocantis, "It is like the sound made by a calf in seeking its dam." Raguel is the worst method of pronouncing it; Re-u-el, the first syllable strongly accented, is nearer to the true sound. A proper uniformity in pronouncing the same word wherever it may occur, either in the Old or New Testament, is greatly to be desired. The person in question appears to have several names. Here he is called Reuel; in Num 10:29, Raguel; in Exo 3:1, Jethor; in Jdg 4:11, Hobab; and in Jdg 1:16 he is called קיני Keyni, which in Exodus 4 we translate Kenite. Some suppose that Re-u-el was father to Hobab, who was also called Jethro. This is the most likely; see Clarke's note on Exo 3:1.

Exodus 2:18

The Rejection and Flight of Moses

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

When the daughters returned to their father Reuel, he asked them, “Why have you returned so early today?”

American Standard Version (1901)

And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon to-day?

Bible in Basic English

And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that you have come back so quickly today?

Douay-Rheims 1899

And when they returned to Raguel their father, he said to them: Why are ye come sooner than usual?

Free Bible Version

When they got home, their father Reuel asked them, “How did you get back so quickly today?”

Geneva Bible 1599

And whe they came to Reuel their father, he said, Howe are ye come so soone to day?

King James (Authorized) Version

And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon to day?

One Unity Resource Bible

When they came to Reuel, their father, he said, “How is it that you have returned so early today?”

Translation for Translators

When the girls returned to their father Jethro, whose other name is Reuel, he asked them, “How is it that you were able to give water to the sheep and come home so quickly today?”

Unlocked Literal Bible

When the girls went to Reuel their father, he said, “Why are you home so early today?”

Noah Webster Bible

And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that you are come so soon to day?

World English Bible

When they came to Reuel, their father, he said, “How is it that you have returned so early today?”

Young's Literal Translation

And they come in to Reuel their father, and he saith, 'Wherefore have ye hastened to come in to-day?'

Adam Clarke
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Exodus 2:18

Verse

Context

The Rejection and Flight of Moses

Summary

Commentary

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes

Exodus 2:18

The Rejection and Flight of Moses

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes