Exodus 18 · Verse 7

Exodus 18:7

And Moses went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent.
Exodus 18:7, King James Version

Exodus 18:7 in other translations

BSBSo Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and went into the tent.
WEBMoses went out to meet his father-in-law, and bowed and kissed him. They asked each other of their welfare, and they came into the tent.
ASVAnd Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and did obeisance, and kissed him: and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent.
YLTAnd Moses goeth out to meet his father-in-law, and boweth himself, and kisseth him, and they ask one at another of welfare, and come into the tent;
DARBYAnd Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other after their welfare, and went into the tent.
BBEAnd Moses went out to his father-in-law, and went down on his face before him and gave him a kiss; and they said to one another, Are you well? and they came into the tent.
WebsterAnd Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and did obeisance, and kissed him: and they asked each other of their welfare: and they came into the tent.

What does Exodus 18:7 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
7. Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, &c.--Their salutations would be marked by all the warm and social greetings of Oriental friends (see on Ex 4:27)--the one going out to "meet" the other, the "obeisance," the "kiss" on each side of the head, the silent entrance into the tent for consultation; and their conversation ran in the strain that might have been expected of two pious men, rehearsing and listening to a narrative of the wonderful works and providence of God.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 7 And did obeisance - וישתחו vaiyishtachu, he bowed himself down, (See Clarke's note on Gen 17:3, and See Clarke's note on Exo 4:31); this was the general token of respect. And kissed him; the token of friendship. And they asked each other of their welfare; literally, and they inquired, each man of his neighbor, concerning peace or prosperity; the proof of affectionate intercourse. These three things constitute good breeding and politeness, accompanied with sincerity. And they came into the tent - Some think that the tabernacle is meant, which it is likely had been erected before this time; see Clarke's note on Exo 18:5. Moses might have thought proper to take his relative first to the house of God, before he brought him to his own tent.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Exodus 18:7-12
Conversation concerning God's wondrous works is good, and edifies. Jethro not only rejoiced in the honour done to his son-in-law, but in all the goodness done to Israel. Standers-by were more affected with the favours God had showed to Israel, than many were who received them. Jethro gave the glory to Israel's God. Whatever we have the joy of, God must have the praise. They joined in a sacrifice of thanksgiving. Mutual friendship is sanctified by joint worship. It is very good for relations and friends to join in the spiritual sacrifice of prayer and praise, as those that meet in Christ. This was a temperate feast; they did eat bread, manna. Jethro must see and taste that bread from heaven, and though a gentile, is welcome: the gentiles are welcomed to Christ the Bread of life.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Exodus 18:7 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֵּצֵ֨אvai.ye.Tze'and he went outH3318
מֹשֶׁ֜הmo.ShehMosesH4872
לִקְרַ֣אתlik.Ratto meetH7122
חֹֽתְנ֗וֹcho.te.Nofather-in-law hisH2859
וַיִּשְׁתַּ֙חוּ֙vai.yish.Ta.chuand he bowed downH7812
וַיִּשַּׁק\־vai.yi.shak-and he kissedH5401
ל֔וֹlo<to> him
וַיִּשְׁאֲל֥וּvai.yish.'a.Luand they askedH7592
אִישׁ\־'ish-eachH376
לְרֵעֵ֖הוּle.re.'E.huof neighbor hisH7453
לְשָׁל֑וֹםle.sha.Lomto welfareH7965
וַיָּבֹ֖אוּvai.ya.Vo.'uand they wentH935
הָאֹֽהֱלָה\׃ha.'O.he.lahthe tent towardsH168

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Exodus 18:7

  • Genesis 29:13

    And 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.

  • 2 Samuel 11:7

    And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered.

  • Genesis 19:1

    And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;

  • Genesis 14:17

    And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king’s dale.

  • 1 Kings 2:19

    Bath–sheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king’s mother; and she sat on his right hand.

  • Genesis 18:2

    And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,

  • Numbers 22:36

    And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast.

  • Genesis 46:29

    And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.

  • Luke 7:45

    Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.

  • Psalms 2:12

    Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

  • Genesis 31:28

    And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing.

  • Genesis 45:15

    Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
went.
Ge 14:17; 46:29; Nu 22:36; Jud 11:34; 1Ki 2:19; Ac 28:15
did obeisance.
Ge 18:2; 19:1; 33:3-7
kissed.
Ge 29:13; 31:28; 33:4; 45:15; Ps 2:12; Lu 7:45; Ac 20:37
welfare. Heb. peace.
Ge 43:27; 2Sa 11:7

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Exodus 18:6

    And he said unto Moses, I thy father in law Jethro am come unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.

  • Exodus 18:7

    And Moses went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent.

  • Exodus 18:8

    And Moses told his father in law all that the Lord had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, and all the travail that had come upon them by the way, and how the Lord delivered them.

Read all of Exodus 18

Exodus 18:7 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y Moisés salió á recibir á su suegro, é inclinóse, y besólo: y preguntáronse el uno al otro cómo estaban, y vinieron á la tienda.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et Moïse sortit à la rencontre de son beau-père, et se prosterna et l’embrassa; et ils s’enquirent l’un de l’autre touchant leur bien-être, et entrèrent dans la tente.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Da ging Mose hinaus, seinem Schwiegervater entgegen, und beugte sich nieder und küßte ihn; und sie fragten einer den anderen nach ihrem Wohlergehen und gingen ins Zelt.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Qui egressus in occursum cognati sui, adoravit, et osculatus est eum: salutaveruntque se mutuo verbis pacificis. Cumque intrasset tabernaculum,