Exodus 2 · Verse 22

Exodus 2:22

And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land.
Exodus 2:22, King James Version

Exodus 2:22 in other translations

BSBAnd she gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom, saying, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land.”
WEBShe bore a son, and he named him Gershom, for he said, “I have lived as a foreigner in a foreign land.”
ASVAnd she bare a son, and he called his name Gershom; for he said, I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.
YLTand she beareth a son, and he calleth his name Gershom, for he said, ‘A sojourner I have been in a strange land.'
DARBYAnd she bore a son, and he called his name Gershom; for he said, I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.
BBEAnd she gave birth to a son, to whom he gave the name Gershom: for he said, I have been living in a strange land.
WebsterAnd she bore him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land.

What does Exodus 2:22 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Exodus 2:16-22

16-22. the priest of Midian--or, "prince of Midian." As the officers were usually conjoined, he was the ruler also of the people called Cushites or Ethiopians, and like many other chiefs of pastoral people in that early age, he still retained the faith and worship of the true God. seven daughters--were shepherdesses to whom Moses was favorably introduced by an act of courtesy and courage in protecting them from the…

Read the full comment on Exodus 2:16-22 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 22 Called his name Gershom - Literally, a stranger; the reason of which Moses immediately adds, for I have been an Alien in a strange land. The Vulgate, the Septuagint, as it stands in the Complutensian Polyglot, and in several MSS., the Syriac, the Coptic, and the Arabic, add the following words to this verse: And the name of the second he called Eliezer, for the God of my father has been my help, and delivered me from the hand of Pharaoh. These words are found in Exo 18:4, but they are certainly necessary here, for it is very likely that these two sons were born within a short space of each other; for in Exo 4:20, it is said, Moses took his wife and his Sons, by which it is plain that he had both Gershom and Eliezer at that time. Houbigant introduces this addition in his Latin version, and contends that this is its most proper place. Notwithstanding the authority of the above versions, the clause is found in no copy, printed or MS., of the Hebrew text.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Exodus 2:16-22

Moses found shelter in Midian. He was ready to help Reuel's daughters to water their flocks, although bred in learning and at court. Moses loved to be doing justice, and to act in defence of such as he saw injured, which every man ought to do, as far as it is in his power. He loved to be doing good; wherever the providence of God casts us, we should desire and try to be useful; and when we cannot do the good we…

Read the full comment on Exodus 2:16-22 →

Exodus 2:22 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.

וַתֵּ֣לֶדva.Te.ledand she boreH3205
בֵּ֔ןBena sonH1121
וַיִּקְרָ֥אvai.yik.Ra'and he calledH7121
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
שְׁמ֖וֹshe.Moname hisH8034
גֵּרְשֹׁ֑םge.re.ShomGershomH1647
כִּ֣יkiforH3588
אָמַ֔ר'a.Marhe saidH559
גֵּ֣רgera sojournerH1616
הָיִ֔יתִיha.Yi.tiI have becomeH1961
בְּאֶ֖רֶץbe.'E.retzin a landH776
נָכְרִיָּֽה\׃\ \פna.khe.ri.YahforeignH5237

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

Cross references for Exodus 2:22

  • Hebrews 11:13-14

    These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

  • Acts 7:29

    Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons.

  • Exodus 22:21

    Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

  • Psalms 119:19

    I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.

  • Psalms 39:12

    Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.

  • 1 Chronicles 16:20

    And when they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people;

  • 1 Chronicles 29:15

    For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.

  • Exodus 18:3-4

    And her two sons; of which the name of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been an alien in a strange land: And the name of the other was Eliezer; for the God of my father, said he, was mine help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh:

  • 1 Chronicles 23:14-17

    Now concerning Moses the man of God, his sons were named of the tribe of Levi. The sons of Moses were, Gershom, and Eliezer. Of the sons of Gershom, Shebuel was the chief. And the sons of Eliezer were, Rehabiah the chief. And Eliezer had none other sons; but the sons of Rehabiah were very many.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Gershom. i.e., a stranger here.
1Ch 23:14-17
for he said.
10; 18:3; 22:21; 1Ch 16:20; 29:15; Ps 39:12; 119:19; Ac 7:29
Heb 11:13,14

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

Context

  • Exodus 2:21

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

  • Exodus 2:22

    And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land.

  • Exodus 2:23

    And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.

Read all of Exodus 2

Exodus 2:22 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		La cual le parió un hijo, y él le puso por nombre Gersom: porque dijo: Peregrino soy en tierra ajena.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et elle enfanta un fils, et il appela son nom Guershom; car, dit-il, j’ai séjourné dans un pays étranger.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und sie gebar einen Sohn, und er gab ihm den Namen Gersom, denn er sprach: Ein Fremdling bin ich geworden in fremdem Lande.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		quæ peperit ei filium, quem vocavit Gersam, dicens: Advena fui in terra aliena. Alterum vero peperit, quem vocavit Eliezer, dicens: Deus enim patris mei adjutor meus eripuit me de manu Pharaonis.