The Meaning of Exodus 2:18 Explained

Exodus 2:18

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

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

Darby: And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, Why are ye come so soon to-day?

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Exodus 2:18 Mean?

Study Notes

Reuel
Called Raguel. Numbers 10:29 .

Context Summary

Exodus 2:11-25 - Moses Slays An Egyptian And Flees To Midian
Amid all the allurements of Pharaoh's court, the heart of Moses beat true to his own people. Neither the treasures of Egypt, nor the pleasures of sin; the attraction of human love, nor the glamour of the world's smile, could turn him aside from his own folk. A light shone for him over the humble huts of Goshen, before which that of Pharaoh's palaces paled. Some glimmering knowledge of the promised Christ appears to have been present to his mind; and he esteemed that hope to be greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. Hebrews 11:26.
He had, however, much to learn. By strength no man can prevail. The battle is not to the strong, nor the race to the swift. The salvation of Israel from their untold miseries must be due, from first to last, to the outstretched hand of their Almighty Protector. Hence the failure of Moses' first attempt. Instead of looking "this way and that," he must look upward. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 2

1  Moses is born, and placed in a basket in the reeds of Nile
5  He is found, and brought up by Pharaoh's daughter;
7  who employs his mother to nurse him
11  He kills an Egyptian
13  He reproves a Hebrew
15  He flees into Midian, and marries Zipporah
22  Gershom is born
23  God respects the Israelites' cry

What do the individual words in Exodus 2:18 mean?

And they came to Reuel their father and he said Why so early have you returned today
וַתָּבֹ֕אנָה אֶל־ רְעוּאֵ֖ל אֲבִיהֶ֑ן וַיֹּ֕אמֶר מַדּ֛וּעַ מִהַרְתֶּ֥ן בֹּ֖א ؟ הַיּֽוֹם

וַתָּבֹ֕אנָה  And  they  came 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
רְעוּאֵ֖ל  Reuel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: רְעוּאֵל  
Sense: a son of Esau by his wife Bashemath, the sister of Ishmael.
אֲבִיהֶ֑ן  their  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine plural
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר  and  he  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
מַדּ֛וּעַ  Why 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: מַדּוּעַ  
Sense: why?, on what account?, wherefore?.
מִהַרְתֶּ֥ן  so  early 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, second person feminine plural
Root: מָהַר  
Sense: (Qal) to hasten.
בֹּ֖א  have  you  returned 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
؟ הַיּֽוֹם  today 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.

What are the major concepts related to Exodus 2:18?

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