The Meaning of Exodus 18:4 Explained

Exodus 18:4

KJV: 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:

YLT: and the name of the other is Eliezer, for, 'the God of my father is for my help, and doth deliver me from the sword of Pharaoh.'

Darby: And the name of the other, Eliezer for the God of my father has been my help, And has delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.

ASV: and the name of the other was Eliezer; for he said , The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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: 

What does Exodus 18:4 Mean?

Study Notes

Eliezer
i.e. God is help.

Context Summary

Exodus 18:1-12 - Moses Tells Jethro Of God's Goodness
The names that Moses gave his two sons betray the drift of his thoughts during the forty years of his shepherd life. May we ever remember that we are strangers here, and our only help is in God. How humble Moses was in attributing to God all the glory of the Exodus! This is the sure cure of pride; and what are we but the axe that lies at the tree-foot, or the dry jaw-bone of an ass! Jethro belonged to another type of the religious life. He was not one of the chosen people, nor did he follow the methods of Jewish worship. But holy souls recognize their kinship the world over, and in loving embrace disregard the minor disagreements. "Grace be with all those who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity." [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 18

1  Jethro brings his wife and two sons to Moses
7  Moses entertains him, and relates the goodness of the Lord
9  Jethro rejoices, blesses God, and offers sacrifice
13  He gives good counsel, which is accepted
27  Jethro departs

What do the individual words in Exodus 18:4 mean?

And the name of the [other] one [was] Eliezer for [he said] the God of my father [was] my help and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh
וְשֵׁ֥ם הָאֶחָ֖ד אֱלִיעֶ֑זֶר כִּֽי־ אֱלֹהֵ֤י אָבִי֙ בְּעֶזְרִ֔י וַיַּצִּלֵ֖נִי מֵחֶ֥רֶב פַּרְעֹֽה

וְשֵׁ֥ם  And  the  name 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
הָאֶחָ֖ד  of  the  [other]  one 
Parse: Article, Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
אֱלִיעֶ֑זֶר  [was]  Eliezer 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱלִיעֶזֶר  
Sense: Abraham’s Damascene servant.
כִּֽי־  for  [he  said] 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
אֱלֹהֵ֤י  the  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
אָבִי֙  of  my  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
בְּעֶזְרִ֔י  [was]  my  help 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עֵזֶר  
Sense: help, succour.
וַיַּצִּלֵ֖נִי  and  delivered  me 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: נָצַל  
Sense: to snatch away, deliver, rescue, save, strip, plunder.
מֵחֶ֥רֶב  from  the  sword 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.
פַּרְעֹֽה  of  Pharaoh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּרְעֹה  
Sense: the common title of the king of Egypt.