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Exodus 2:21 — Word Study

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WLCוַיּ֥וֹאֶל מֹשֶׁ֖ה לָשֶׁ֣בֶת אֶת־ הָאִ֑ישׁ וַיִּתֵּ֛ן אֶת־ צִפֹּרָ֥ה בִתּ֖וֹ לְמֹשֶֽׁה׃

BSAMosesMôsheh [was willing, consented] agreedyâʼal to stayyâshab [dwell, remain] withʼêth the manʼîysh [Jethro, his father-in-law] and he gavenâthan [presented, bestowed] his daughterbath [child, offspring] ZipporahTsippôrâh [bird] to Moses in marriageMôsheh [the Israelite leader, prophet, as his wife, to be his companion]

Word
Listen & take awayExodus 2
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 21 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (le.mo.Sheh) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Exodus 2:21quick helps
In a sentenceMoses agrees to stay with Jethro, who gives him his daughter Zipporah as a wife.
Who is speakingMoses, the Israelite leader, is the central figure in this narrative.
Where we areThis verse occurs after Moses has fled Egypt and is living with Jethro in Midian.
The hard wordיָאַל
Take awayMoses willingly commits to a new life in Midian, marrying Zipporah.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectמֹשֶׁה verbיָאַל The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Exodus 2:21

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — Moses in Midiangenerated

20“So where is he?” their father asked. “Why did you leave the man behind? Invite him to have something to eat.”
21Moses agreed to stay with the man, and he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage.
22And she gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom, saying, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land.”
23After a long time, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned and cried out under their burden of slavery, and their cry for deliverance from bondage ascended to God.

Exodus 2:21 describes Moses' transition to Midian, where he agrees to stay with Jethro, his father-in-law. This marks a significant moment in Moses' life as he begins a new chapter, marrying Zipporah and starting a family. This context sets the stage for his later role as the leader of the Israelites during the Exodus.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Exodus 2:10When the child had grown older, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses and explained, “I drew him out of the water.”
2Genesis 31:38–40I have been with you for twenty years now. Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten the rams of your flock.
3Philippians 4:11–12I am not saying this out of need, for I have learned to be content regardless of my circumstances.
41 Timothy 6:6Of course, godliness with contentment is great gain.
5Hebrews 11:25He chose to suffer oppression with God’s people rather than to experience the fleeting enjoyment of sin.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 10 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word יָאַל, vai.Yo.'elgenerated

יָאַל (ya'al) is a Hebrew verb primarily found in the Hiphil form, meaning to show willingness or to undertake something. It conveys a sense of agreement and determination, indicating that Moses is not being compelled but is choosing to commit to this new relationship and life.

The parsing as a sequential imperfect third person masculine singular indicates that this willingness is an ongoing action in the narrative, highlighting Moses' active choice rather than a passive acceptance.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb יָאַל governs the main clause, indicating Moses' willingness. This is followed by a prepositional phrase that specifies with whom he is staying, and another clause that details the action of giving Zipporah to Moses.

The structure emphasizes Moses' active role in the decision-making process, as he is both the subject of the verb and the recipient of the action described in the subsequent clause.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates יָאַל with a term that indicates a similar sense of willingness, though the exact Greek word is not provided. This choice reflects the translators' understanding of Moses' voluntary commitment to stay with Jethro.

The translation choices show a consistent interpretation of Moses' actions, aligning with the Hebrew text's emphasis on his willingness.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Exodus 2:21 tells us that Moses agreed to stay with Jethro, who gave him his daughter Zipporah in marriage. This marks a pivotal moment in Moses' life as he begins a family in Midian, setting the stage for his future leadership.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Moses' willingness to stay with Jethro signify?

Moses' willingness indicates his acceptance of a new life and responsibilities in Midian, marking a significant transition from his past in Egypt.

Who is Zipporah?

Zipporah is the daughter of Jethro and becomes Moses' wife, playing an important role in his life and leadership.

What is the significance of marriage in this context?

Moses' marriage to Zipporah signifies his integration into Midianite society and establishes familial ties that will influence his future.

How does this verse connect to Moses' later life?

This verse sets the foundation for Moses' life in Midian before he returns to Egypt to lead the Israelites, highlighting the importance of his early experiences.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does it mean to willingly commit to something important in my life?
  2. How can I recognize the significance of relationships in my own journey?
  3. In what ways can I show willingness to embrace new opportunities?
  4. How do the choices I make today shape my future, just as Moses' choices shaped his?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Exodus 2:21 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And Moses was content to dwell with the man,.... After he had been called and brought into the house, and had had some refreshment, and after some conversation had passed between them, and perhaps

Read John Gill on Exodus 2 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock.

Read Robert Jamieson on Exodus 2 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Moses was content; or, consented to this desire or offer. And so his present and temporary repose there is turned into a settled habitation. Moses married Zipporah not instantly, but after some years of acquaintance with the family, as may probably be gathered from the youngness and uncircumcisedness of one of his sons forty years after this, . In which time, as Moses would not fail to instruct them in the knowledge of the true God, which he was able excellently to do, so it is likely he had succeeded therein in some measure, and therefore married Zipporah.

Read Matthew Poole on Exodus 2 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Exodus 2:21 And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter.Ver. 21. Zipporah his daughter.] A peevish piece; a cold armful. He had better, haply, have been married to a quartan ague. Sulla felix si non hobuisset uxorem, &c. It is not ill to marry, but good to be wary, lest we make shipwreck in the haven. ψυχρονπαρατκαλισμα. - Lycophron.

Read John Trapp on Exodus 2 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(21) Moses was content to dwell with the man.—Reuel must have been so pleased with the manner and appearance of Moses that he invited him to take service with him—perhaps to share his tent. Moses consented, and in course of time took to wife Zipporah, one of Reuel’s daughters. Marriage with the Midianites was allowed, even under the Law. It has been conjectured that Reuel might have communicated to Moses traditions, or even documents concerning their common ancestor, Abraham, and his family. But there is nothing to indicate the use of letters at this early date by the Midianites.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Exodus 2 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 21. Zipporah his daughter.] Abul Farajius calls her "Saphura the black, daughter of Rewel the Midianite, the son of Dedan, the son of Abraham by his wife Keturah." The Targum calls her the granddaughter of Reuel. It appears that Moses obtained Zipporah something in the same way that Jacob obtained Rachel; namely, for the performance of certain services, probably keeping of sheep: see Exodus 3:1.

Read AdamClarke on Exodus 2 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

21. was content] or agreed; cf. Judges 17:11; Judges 19:6.

Read Cambridge on Exodus 2 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Moses tells us nothing of what he may have learned from his father-in-law, but he must have found in him a man conversant with the traditions of the family of Abraham; nor is there any improbability

Read Albert Barnes on Exodus 2 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

Moses agreed to stay with the man, and he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Moses was content to dwell with the man. He gave Moses Zipporah, his daughter.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Moses agreed to stay with the man, and he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Moses agreed to stay with the man, and he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And Moses agreed to dwell with the man: who gaue vnto Moses Zipporah his daughter:

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And Moses consented to remain with the man; and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And Moses is willing to dwell with the man, and he giveth Zipporah his daughter to Moses,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And Moses is willing to dwell with the man, and he gives his daughter Zipporah to Moses,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And Moses was content to dwell with the man; and he gave Zipporah his daughter to Moses.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Moses agreed to stay with the man, who also gave him his daughter Zipporah in marriage.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And Moses swore that he would dwell with him. And he took Sephora his daughter to wife:

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Moses agreed to stay with the man, who arranged for his daughter Zipporah to marry Moses.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And Moses was happy to go on living with the man; and he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

וַandclauseverbיּ֥וֹאֶלhe.was.willingsubjectמֹשֶׁ֖הMosesprepositional phrase · prepositionalלָtoclauseverbשֶׁ֣בֶתdwellprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֶתwithnoun phraseהָtheאִ֑ישׁmanוַandclauseverbיִּתֵּ֛ןhe.gavenoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phraseצִפֹּרָ֥הZipporahnoun phraseבִתּ֖daughterוֹhisprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְtoמֹשֶֽׁהMoses

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text is supported by the Septuagint, which matches 7 of the 10 words in this verse. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs in three words, using יאל for 'willing,' צפורה for 'Zipporah,' and אשה for 'woman,' which indicates a slight variation in the narrative but retains the core meaning.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

וַיּ֥וֹאֶל מֹשֶׁ֖ה לָשֶׁ֣בֶת אֶת־ הָאִ֑ישׁ וַיִּתֵּ֛ן אֶת־ צִפֹּרָ֥ה בִתּ֖וֹ לְמֹשֶֽׁה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיּ֥וֹאֶל^לָשֶׁ֣בֶתκατῳκίσθηהָאִ֑ישׁἀνθρώπῳוַיִּתֵּ֛ןἐχέδοτοצִפֹּרָ֥הσεπφωρανבִתּ֖וֹαὐτοῦלְמֹשֶֽׁה׃μωυσῇ

7 of the 10 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

ויאל משׁה לשׁבת את האישׁ ויתן את צפורה בתו למשׁה לאשׁה

3 words differ from the Masoretic Text: יאל (begin), צפורה (Zipporah), אשׁה (woman)

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Exodus 2:21יָאַלand he was and he was willיָאַלמֹשֶׁהMosesMosesמֹשֶׁהיָשַׁבto dwellto dwellיָשַׁבאֵתwithwithאֵתאִישׁthe manthe manאִישׁנָתַןand he gaveand he gaveנָתַןאֵתthe object the object markאֵתצִפֹּרָהZipporahZipporahצִפֹּרָהבַּתdaughter hidaughter hisבַּתמֹשֶׁהto Mosesto Mosesמֹשֶׁהמָשָׁהto drawto drawמָשָׁהאָנָהto meetto meetאָנָהאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהיָאַלbe foolishbe foolishיָאַלאֱנוֹשׁhumanhumanאֱנוֹשׁאִשָּׁהwomanwomanאִשָּׁהצִפּוֹרbirdbirdצִפּוֹרכְּנַעֲנִיCanaanitesCanaanitessכְּנַעֲנִיאַהֲרֹןAaronAaronאַהֲרֹןצָוָהto commandto commandצָוָהאֱמֹרִיAmoriteAmoriteאֱמֹרִיבֶּ֫טַחsecuritysecurityבֶּ֫טַחרִיבto contendto contendרִיבבְּרִיתcovenantcovenantבְּרִיתרֵעַneighborneighborרֵעַנַחֲלָהinheritancinheritanceנַחֲלָהזֶ֫רַעseedseedזֶ֫רַע
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Exodus 2:21

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

and he was willing Moses to dwell with the man and he gave the object marker Zipporah daughter his to Moses
וַיּ֥וֹאֶלvai.Yo.'el and he was willing H2974 Verb · Hiphil · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
19× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To be willing or undertake something is the meaning of this word. It involves agreeing to or showing willingness to do something, like accepting an invitation or resolving to take action.
Tyndale gloss
be willing
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָאַל (ya'al) is a Hebrew verb primarily found in the Hiphil form, meaning to show willingness or to undertake something. It conveys a sense of agreement, determination, and the act of beginning or accepting an invitation. The entries suggest a focus on voluntary action and mental assent, but do not provide specific verse references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[יָאַל] vb. only Hiph. shew willingness, be pleased, determine, undertake to do anything (and do it)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2974 יָאַל only Hiph. shew willingness, be pleased, determine, undertake to do anything (and do it)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2974 ya'al yaw-al'

a primitive root (probably rather the same as 2973 through

the idea of mental weakness); properly, to yield, especially

assent; hence (pos.) to undertake as an act of

volition:--assay, begin, be content, please, take upon, X

willingly, would.

see HEBREW for 02973

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָאַל (ya.al) — be willing.

1) to begin, make a beginning, show willingness, undertake to do, be pleased, be determined

1a) (Hiphil)

1a1) to agree to, show willingness, acquiesce, accept an invitation, be willing

1a2) to undertake

1a3) to resolve, be pleased, be determined

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Hiphil · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vhw3ms
and he was willing Moses to dwell with the man and he gave the object marker Zipporah daughter his to Moses
מֹשֶׁ֖הmo.Sheh Moses H4872 Noun proper masculine
766× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Moses, the Israelite leader, was born to Amram and Jochebed and led the Exodus from Egypt. He received the law from God and is considered a key figure in the Bible. Moses means 'drawn' in Hebrew.
Amplified meaning
was willing, consented
Tyndale gloss
Moses
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מֹשֶׁה (Mosheh) refers to Moses, the prominent Hebrew leader, prophet, and lawgiver. The name is derived from the root meaning 'drawing out,' indicating his rescue from water. He is a key figure in the Old Testament, first mentioned in Exodus 2:10, and is known for leading the Israelites during the Exodus.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מֹשֶׁה 767 n.pr.m. Moses, the great Hebrew leader, prophet and lawgiver

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4872 מֹשֶׁה Moses, the great Hebrew leader, prophet and lawgiver

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4872 Mosheh mo-sheh'

from 4871; drawing out (of the water), i.e. rescued; Mosheh,

the Israelite lawgiver:--Moses.

see HEBREW for 04871

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מֹשֶׁה (mo.sheh) — Moses.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Exo.2.10;

son of: Amram (H6019) and Jochebed (H3115);

brother of: Aaron (H0175) and Miriam (H4813); married to Zipporah (H6855);

father of: Gershom (H1647) and Eliezer (H0461H); also called Manasseh at Jdg.18.30(?)

§ Moses = "drawn"

the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

mo'-zez, mo'-ziz (mosheh; Egyptian mes, "drawn out," "born"; Septuagint Mouse(s)). The great Hebrew national hero, leader, author, law-giver and prophet.

I. LIFE

1. Son of Levi

2. Foundling Prince

3. Friend of the People

4. Refuge in Midian

5. Leader of Israel

II. WORK AND CHARACTER

1. The Author

2. The Lawgiver

3. The Prophet

LITERATURE

The traditional view of the Jewish church and of the Christian church, that Moses was a person and that the narrative with which his life-story is interwoven is real history, is in the main sustained by commentators and critics of all classes.

It is needless to mention the old writers among whom these questions were hardly under discussion. Among the advocates of the current radical criticism may be mentioned Stade and Renan, who minimize the historicity of the Bible narrative at this point. Renan thinks the narrative "may be very probable." Ewald, Wellhausen…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Moses

Drawn (or Egypt. mesu, “son;” hence Rameses, royal son). On the invitation of Pharaoh (Gen. 45:17-25), Jacob and his sons went down into Egypt. This immigration took place probably about 350 years before the birth of Moses. Some centuries before Joseph, Egypt had been conquered by a pastoral Semitic race from Asia, the Hyksos, who brought into cruel subjection the native Egyptians, who were an African race. Jacob and his retinue were accustomed to a shepherd’s life, and on their arrival in Egypt were received with favour by the king, who assigned them the “best of the land”, the land of Goshen, to dwell in. The Hyksos or “shepherd” king who thus showed favour to Joseph and his family was in all probability the Pharaoh Apopi (or Apopis).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(Heb. Mosheh , "drawn," i.e. from the water; in the Coptic it means "saved from the water"), the legislator of the Jewish people, and in a certain sense the founder of the Jewish religion. The immediate pedigree of Moses is as follows: Levi was the father of: Gershon -- Kohath -- Merari Kohath was the father of: Amram = Jochebed Amram = Jochebed was the father of: Hur = Miriam -- Aaron = Elisheba -- Moses = Zipporah Aaron = Elisheba was the father of: Nadab -- Abihu -- Eleazar -- Ithamar Eleazar was the father of: Phineas Moses = Zipporah was the father of: Gershom -- Eliezer Gershom was the father of: Jonathan The history of Moses naturally divides itself into three periods of 40 years each. Moses was born at Goshen, In Egypt, B.C. 1571. The story of his birth is thoroughly Egyptian in its scene. His mother made extraordinary efforts for his preservation from the general destruction of…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The name of the illustrious prophet and legislator of the Hebrews, who led them from Egypt to the Promised Land. Having been originally imposed by a native Egyptian princess, the word is no doubt Egyptian in its origin, and Josephus gives its true derivation—from the two Egyptian words, MO, water, and USE, saved. With this accords the Septuagint form, MOUSES. The Hebrews by a slight change accommodated it to their own language, as they did also in the case of some other foreign words; calling it MOSHIE, from the verb MASHA, to draw. See Ex 2:10. Moses was born about 15.71 B. C., the son of Amram and Jochebed, of the tribe of Levi, and the younger brother of Miriam and Aaron. His history is too extensive to permit insertion here, and in general too well known to need it. It is enough simply to remark, that it is divided into three…

and he was willing Moses to dwell with the man and he gave the object marker Zipporah daughter his to Moses
לָשֶׁ֣בֶתla.She.vet to dwell H3427 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
1,079× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to sit or dwell, and can also mean to remain or abide. It's used in the Bible to describe people living in a place or staying with someone, like in the book of Genesis.
Amplified meaning
dwell, remain
Tyndale gloss
to dwell
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָשַׁב (yashab) is a Hebrew verb meaning to sit, remain, or dwell. It encompasses a range of actions from simply sitting down to more complex ideas like establishing a home or causing a place to be inhabited. The entries indicate various forms, including Qal (to sit), Niphal (to be inhabited), and Hiphil (to cause to dwell). There is an Aramaic equivalent, יְתִב (ye.tiv), meaning 'to dwell'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָשַׁב 1090 vb. sit, remain, dwell

Qal

sit

sit, sit down

sit down

sit = be set (as a jewel)

remain, stay, tarry

with special emphasis of qualifying phr.

dwell, have one’s abode

of a land or city, sit, abide, seated in its place, fig. for be inhabited

Niph. be inhabited, of land

Pi. and they shall set their encampments in thee

Hiph.

cause to sit

cause to abide

cause to dwell

cause cities to be inhabited

marry (prop. give a dwelling to)

Hoph. and ye be made to dwell alone in the midst of the land

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3427 יָשַׁב sit, remain, dwell

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3427 yashab yaw-shab'

a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as

judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to

remain; causatively, to settle, to marry:--(make to)

abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease

self, endure, establish, X fail, habitation, haunt, (make to)

inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, X marry(-ing),

(bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(- tle),

(down-)sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate),

take, tarry.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָשַׁב (ya.shav) — to dwell.

1) to dwell, remain, sit, abide

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to sit, sit down

1a2) to be set

1a3) to remain, stay

1a4) to dwell, have one's abode

1b) (Niphal) to be inhabited

1c) (Piel) to set, place

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to sit

1d2) to cause to abide, set

1d3) to cause to dwell

1d4) to cause (cities) to be inhabited

1d5) to marry (give an dwelling to)

1e) (Hophal)

1e1) to be inhabited

1e2) to make to dwell

Aramaic equivalent: ye.tiv (יְתִב "to dwell" H3488)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
HR/Vqcc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

dwel:

(1) In the Old Testament "dwell" is a translation of 9 words, of which by far the most frequent is yashabh, "to sit down," translated "dwell" over 400 times (Ge 4:20; Jos 20:4; 1Ch 17:1,4,5, etc.); also very frequently "sit," and sometimes "abide," "inhabit," "remain." Another word often rendered "dwell" is shakhan or shakhen ("to settle down"), from which is derived the rabbinic word shekhinah (literally, "that which dwells"), the light on the mercy-seat which symbolized the Divine presence (Ex 25:8, etc.). In order to avoid appearing to localize the Divine Being, wherever God is said to "dwell" in a place, the Targum renders that He "causes His Shekinah to dwell"…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Dwell

Tents were in primitive times the common dwellings of men. Houses were afterwards built, the walls of which were frequently of mud (Job 24:16; Matt. 6:19, 20) or of sun-dried bricks.

God “dwells in light” (1 Tim. 6:16; 1 John 1:7), in heaven (Ps. 123:1), in his church (Ps. 9:11; 1 John 4:12). Christ dwelt on earth in the days of his humiliation (John 1:14). He now dwells in the hearts of his people (Eph.…

and he was willing Moses to dwell with the man and he gave the object marker Zipporah daughter his to Moses
אֶת־'et- with H854 Preposition
929× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew preposition means 'with' or 'near', indicating a close relationship or physical proximity. It's used in Genesis 1:26 to describe God's relationship with humanity, and in many other places to show connection or closeness.
Tyndale gloss
with
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֵת (eth) is a preposition indicating nearness or proximity, often translated as 'with' or 'near.' It conveys a sense of companionship or association, distinguishing itself from similar terms by expressing closer relationships. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, including possession and memory, but do not provide specific verse references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת, prep. with—prep. denoting proximity

Of companionship, together with

Of localities

אֵת פּ׳ denotes specially

in one's possession or keeping

in one's knowledge or memory

מֵאֵת from proximity with

Note. אֵת expresses closer association than עִם: hence while מֵעִם sts. denotes hardly more than from the surroundings or belongings of, מֵאֵת expresses from close proximity to.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H854 אֵת with—prep. denoting proximity . Of companionship, together with

. Of localities

. אֵת פּ׳ denotes specially . in one's possession or keeping

. in one's knowledge or memory

. מֵאֵת from proximity with

Note. אֵת expresses closer association than עִם: hence while מֵעִם sts. denotes hardly more than from the surroundings or belongings of, מֵאֵת expresses from close proximity to.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

854 'eth ayth

probably from 579; properly, nearness (used only as a

preposition or an adverb), near; hence, generally, with, by,

at, among, etc.:--against, among, before, by, for, from,

in(-to), (out) of, with. Often with another prepositional

prefix.

see HEBREW for 0579

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — with.

1) with, near, together with

1a) with, together with

1b) with (of relationship)

1c) near (of place)

1d) with (poss.)

1e) from...with, from (with other prep)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
and he was willing Moses to dwell with the man and he gave the object marker Zipporah daughter his to Moses
הָאִ֑ישׁha.'Ish the man H376 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
1,664× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for man, referring to a male person or individual, is used in the Bible to describe humans in contrast to God or animals, as seen in Genesis and Psalms. It can also mean husband or servant. In the KJV, it is translated as man or male.
Amplified meaning
Jethro, his father-in-law
Tyndale gloss
man
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אִישׁ (iysh) means 'man' and can refer to an individual male, a husband, or a human being in general. It encompasses various meanings, including champion and great man, and can also imply 'whosoever' or 'each.' The word is built from a root suggesting existence and is used throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אִישׁ 2166 n.m. man (= vir)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H376 אִישׁ man (= vir)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

376 'iysh eesh

contracted for 582 (or perhaps rather from an unused root

meaning to be extant); a man as an individual or a male

person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and

in such cases frequently not expressed in

translation):--also, another, any (man), a certain, +

champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-,

husband-)man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree),

him (that is), husband, man(-kind), + none, one, people,

person, + steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy.

Compare 802.

see HEBREW for 0582

see HEBREW for 0802

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אִישׁ (ish) — man.

: man

1) man

1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)

1b) husband

1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)

1d) servant

1e) mankind

1f) champion

1g) great man

2) whosoever

3) each (adjective)

אִישׁ (ish) — man: husband.

: husband

1) man

1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)

1b) husband

1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)

1d) servant

1e) mankind

1f) champion

1g) great man

2) whosoever

3) each (adjective)

אִישׁ (ish) — man: anyone.

: anyone/someone

1) man

1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)

1b) husband

1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)

1d) servant

1e) mankind

1f) champion

1g) great man

2) whosoever

3) each (adjective)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

See ANTHROPOLOGY.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Man

(1.) Heb. ‘Adam, used as the proper name of the first man. The name is derived from a word meaning “to be red,” and thus the first man was called Adam because he was formed from the red earth. It is also the generic name of the human race (Gen. 1:26, 27; 5:2; 8:21; Deut. 8:3). Its equivalents are the Latin homo and the Greek anthropos (Matt. 5:13, 16). It denotes also man in opposition to woman (Gen. 3:12; Matt. 19:10).

(2.) Heb. ‘ish, like the Latin vir and Greek aner, denotes properly a man in opposition to a woman (1 Sam. 17:33;

→ CREATED Ge 1:26,27; 2:7; 5:1,2; De 4:32; Job 4:17; 10:2,3,8,9; 31:15; 33:4; 35:10; Ps 8:5; 100:3; 119:73; 138:8; 139:14; Ec 7:29; Isa 17:7; 42:5; 43:7; 45:12; 64:8; Jer 27:5; Zec 12:1; Mal 2:10; Mr 10:6; Heb 2:7

See CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD, below

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he was willing Moses to dwell with the man and he gave the object marker Zipporah daughter his to Moses
וַיִּתֵּ֛ןvai.yi.Ten and he gave H5414 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
2,011× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to give, put, or set something, with a wide range of applications. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, describing God's actions and human interactions. The word is used to convey giving, selling, or exchanging something.
Amplified meaning
presented, bestowed
Tyndale gloss
to give: give
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word נָתַן (natan) means 'to give' and encompasses a wide range of applications such as putting, setting, and making. It can also indicate actions like bestowing, delivering, and assigning. The entries describe its use in various forms, including Qal, Niphal, and Hophal, but do not present any significant disagreements among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָתַן 2007 vb. give, put, set

Qal 1917

give

Put, set

Make, constitute

Niph.

82be given

Be put, set

Hoph.

be given, bestowed

= be given to one for wife

be put upon

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5414 נָתַן give, put, set .. give

. Put, set

. Make, constitute

. . be given

. Be put, set

. . . be given, bestowed

. = be given to one for wife

. be put upon

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5414 nathan naw-than'

a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of

application (put, make, etc.):--add, apply, appoint, ascribe,

assign, X avenge, X be ((healed)), bestow, bring (forth,

hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, +

cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, X doubtless, X

without fail, fasten, frame, X get, give (forth, over, up),

grant, hang (up), X have, X indeed, lay (unto charge, up),

(give) leave, lend, let (out), + lie, lift up, make, + O that,

occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, X

pull , put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send

(out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), + sing, + slander,

strike, (sub-)mit, suffer, X surely, X take, thrust, trade,

turn, utter, + weep, + willingly, + withdraw, + would (to)

God, yield.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָתַן (na.tan) — to give: give.

: give/deliver/send/produce

1) to give, put, set

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to give, bestow, grant, permit, ascribe, employ, devote, consecrate, dedicate, pay wages, sell, exchange, lend, commit, entrust, give over, deliver up, yield produce, occasion, produce, requite to, report, mention, utter, stretch out, extend

1a2) to put, set, put on, put upon, set, appoint, assign, designate

1a3) to make, constitute

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be given, be bestowed, be provided, be entrusted to, be granted to, be permitted, be issued, be published, be uttered, be assigned

1b2) to be set, be put, be made, be inflicted

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be given, be bestowed, be given up, be delivered up

1c2) to be put upon

נָתַן (na.tan) — to give: put.

: put/set/apppoint

1) to give, put, set

1a) (Qal)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he was willing Moses to dwell with the man and he gave the object marker Zipporah daughter his to Moses
אֶת־'et- the object marker H853 Particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTo — Particle
HTo
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he was willing Moses to dwell with the man and he gave the object marker Zipporah daughter his to Moses
צִפֹּרָ֥הtzi.po.Rah Zipporah H6855 Noun proper feminine
3× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Zipporah was the wife of Moses and the daughter of Jethro, a priest in Midian. Her name means bird in Hebrew, and she played an important role in Moses' life. She is mentioned in Exodus 2:21 and 4:25 as the wife of Moses.
Amplified meaning
bird
Tyndale gloss
Zipporah
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

צִפֹּרָה (Tsipporah) refers to the wife of Moses and is derived from a word meaning 'bird.' She is identified as the daughter of Jethro and the mother of Gershom and Eliezer. The entries consistently highlight her familial connections and her significance in the biblical narrative, first mentioned in Exodus 2:21.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

צִפֹּרָה n.pr.f. wife of Moses (bird)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6855 צִפֹּרָה wife of Moses (bird)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6855 Tsipporah tsip-po-raw'

feminine of 6833; bird; Tsipporah, Moses' wife:--Zipporah.

see HEBREW for 06833

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צִפֹּרָה (tsip.po.rah) — Zipporah.

A woman living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Exo.2.21;

daughter of: Jethro (H3503);

sister of: Eliasaph (H0460) and Hobab (H2246); married to Moses (H4872);

mother of: Gershom (H1647) and Eliezer (H0461H)

§ Zipporah = "bird"

daughter of Reuel or Jethro, wife of Moses, and mother of Gershom and Eliezer

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper feminine
HNpf
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

zi-po'-ra, zip'-o-ra (tsipporah; Sepphora): The Midianite wife of Moses, daughter of Jethro, also called Hobab, and probably grand-daughter of Reuel, a priest of Midian at the time Moses fled from Egypt, later succeeded at his death by Jethro, or Hobab (Ex 2:21,22; 4:25,26; 18:2-6).

Whether or not Zipporah was the "Cushite woman" (Nu 12:1) is a much-mooted question. There is little ground for anything more than speculation on the subject. The use of the words, "Cushite woman" in the mouth of Aaron and Miriam may have been merely a description of Zipporah and intended to be opprobrious, or they may have been ethnic in character and intended to denote another woman whom Moses had married, as suggested by Ewald (Gesch. des Volkes Israel, II, 252). The former view seems the more…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Zipporah

A female bird. Reuel’s daughter, who became the wife of Moses (Ex. 2:21). In consequence of the event recorded in Ex. 4:24-26, she and her two sons, Gershom and Eliezer, when so far on the way with Moses toward Egypt, were sent back by him to her own kinsfolk, the Midianites, with whom they sojourned till Moses afterwards joined them (18:2-6).

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Daughter of Jethro, wife of Moses, and mother of Eliezer and Gershom. When Moses fled from Egypt into Midian, and there stood up in defense of the daughters of Jethro, priest or prince of Midian, against shepherds who would have hindered them form watering their flocks, Jethro took him into his house, and gave him his daughter Zipporah in marriage, Ex 2:15-22; 4:25; 18:2-4.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

beauty; trumpet; mourning

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he was willing Moses to dwell with the man and he gave the object marker Zipporah daughter his to Moses
בִתּ֖וֹvi.To daughter his H1323 Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
588× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for daughter is used to describe a female child or a woman, and can also be used figuratively. In the Bible, it is used to describe women like Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah and later of King David.
Amplified meaning
child, offspring
Tyndale gloss
Bath (Shua)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בַּת (bat) means 'daughter' and encompasses a range of meanings including female child, young women, and even personifications of cities or inhabitants. It can also refer to villages in certain contexts. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and is used in various figurative senses, such as 'branch' or 'apple of the eye.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בַּת 587 n.f. daughter

daughter, female child

young women, women

with name of city, land, or people, poet. personif. of that city or inhabitants

pl. = villages, after name of city

in phrases denoting character, quality, etc.

ostrich

fig.

of vine = branch

as n. relat.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1323 בַּת daughter . daughter, female child

. young women, women

. with name of city, land, or people, poet. personif. of that city or inhabitants

. pl. = villages, after name of city

. in phrases denoting character, quality, etc.

. ostrich

. fig.

. of vine = branch

. as n. relat.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1323 bath bath

from 1129 (as feminine of 1121); a daughter (used in the same

wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and

figuratively):--apple (of the eye), branch, company, daughter,

X first, X old, + owl, town, village.

see HEBREW for 01129

see HEBREW for 01121

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בַּת (bat) — daughter.

: daughter

1) daughter

1a) daughter, girl, adopted daughter, daughter-in-law, sister, granddaughters, female child, cousin

1a1) as polite address

1a2) as designation of women of a particular place

2) young women, women

1a3) as personification

1a4) daughter-villages

1a5) description of character

Also means: bat (בַּת ": village" H1323H)

בַּת (bat) — daughter: village.

: village

1) daughter

1a) daughter, girl, adopted daughter, daughter-in-law, sister, granddaughters, female child, cousin

1a1) as polite address

1a2) as designation of women of a particular place

2) young women, women

1a3) as personification

1a4) daughter-villages

1a5) description of character

בַּת (bat) — Bath (Shua).

A woman living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.38.2;

daughter of: Shua (H7770); married to Judah (H3063);

mother of: Er (H6147), Onan (H0209) and Shelah (H7956)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HNcfsc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

and he was willing Moses to dwell with the man and he gave the object marker Zipporah daughter his to Moses
לְמֹשֶֽׁה׃le.mo.Sheh to Moses H4872 Preposition · noun proper masculine
766× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Moses, the Israelite leader, was born to Amram and Jochebed and led the Exodus from Egypt. He received the law from God and is considered a key figure in the Bible. Moses means 'drawn' in Hebrew.
Amplified meaning
the Israelite leader, prophet, as his wife, to be his companion
Tyndale gloss
Moses
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מֹשֶׁה (Mosheh) refers to Moses, the prominent Hebrew leader, prophet, and lawgiver. The name is derived from the root meaning 'drawing out,' indicating his rescue from water. He is a key figure in the Old Testament, first mentioned in Exodus 2:10, and is known for leading the Israelites during the Exodus.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מֹשֶׁה 767 n.pr.m. Moses, the great Hebrew leader, prophet and lawgiver

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4872 מֹשֶׁה Moses, the great Hebrew leader, prophet and lawgiver

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4872 Mosheh mo-sheh'

from 4871; drawing out (of the water), i.e. rescued; Mosheh,

the Israelite lawgiver:--Moses.

see HEBREW for 04871

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מֹשֶׁה (mo.sheh) — Moses.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Exo.2.10;

son of: Amram (H6019) and Jochebed (H3115);

brother of: Aaron (H0175) and Miriam (H4813); married to Zipporah (H6855);

father of: Gershom (H1647) and Eliezer (H0461H); also called Manasseh at Jdg.18.30(?)

§ Moses = "drawn"

the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper masculine
HR/Npm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

mo'-zez, mo'-ziz (mosheh; Egyptian mes, "drawn out," "born"; Septuagint Mouse(s)). The great Hebrew national hero, leader, author, law-giver and prophet.

I. LIFE

1. Son of Levi

2. Foundling Prince

3. Friend of the People

4. Refuge in Midian

5. Leader of Israel

II. WORK AND CHARACTER

1. The Author

2. The Lawgiver

3. The Prophet

LITERATURE

The traditional view of the Jewish church and of the Christian church, that Moses was a person and that the narrative with which his life-story is interwoven is real history, is in the main sustained by commentators and critics of all classes.

It is needless to mention the old writers among whom these questions were hardly under discussion. Among the advocates of the current radical criticism may be mentioned Stade and Renan, who minimize the historicity of the Bible narrative at this point. Renan thinks the narrative "may be very probable." Ewald, Wellhausen…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Moses

Drawn (or Egypt. mesu, “son;” hence Rameses, royal son). On the invitation of Pharaoh (Gen. 45:17-25), Jacob and his sons went down into Egypt. This immigration took place probably about 350 years before the birth of Moses. Some centuries before Joseph, Egypt had been conquered by a pastoral Semitic race from Asia, the Hyksos, who brought into cruel subjection the native Egyptians, who were an African race. Jacob and his retinue were accustomed to a shepherd’s life, and on their arrival in Egypt were received with favour by the king, who assigned them the “best of the land”, the land of Goshen, to dwell in. The Hyksos or “shepherd” king who thus showed favour to Joseph and his family was in all probability the Pharaoh Apopi (or Apopis).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(Heb. Mosheh , "drawn," i.e. from the water; in the Coptic it means "saved from the water"), the legislator of the Jewish people, and in a certain sense the founder of the Jewish religion. The immediate pedigree of Moses is as follows: Levi was the father of: Gershon -- Kohath -- Merari Kohath was the father of: Amram = Jochebed Amram = Jochebed was the father of: Hur = Miriam -- Aaron = Elisheba -- Moses = Zipporah Aaron = Elisheba was the father of: Nadab -- Abihu -- Eleazar -- Ithamar Eleazar was the father of: Phineas Moses = Zipporah was the father of: Gershom -- Eliezer Gershom was the father of: Jonathan The history of Moses naturally divides itself into three periods of 40 years each. Moses was born at Goshen, In Egypt, B.C. 1571. The story of his birth is thoroughly Egyptian in its scene. His mother made extraordinary efforts for his preservation from the general destruction of…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The name of the illustrious prophet and legislator of the Hebrews, who led them from Egypt to the Promised Land. Having been originally imposed by a native Egyptian princess, the word is no doubt Egyptian in its origin, and Josephus gives its true derivation—from the two Egyptian words, MO, water, and USE, saved. With this accords the Septuagint form, MOUSES. The Hebrews by a slight change accommodated it to their own language, as they did also in the case of some other foreign words; calling it MOSHIE, from the verb MASHA, to draw. See Ex 2:10. Moses was born about 15.71 B. C., the son of Amram and Jochebed, of the tribe of Levi, and the younger brother of Miriam and Aaron. His history is too extensive to permit insertion here, and in general too well known to need it. It is enough simply to remark, that it is divided into three…

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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