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Wednesday, July 9th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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The NET Bible®

Exodus 18:7

Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him; they each asked about the other's welfare, and then they went into the tent.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Children;   Kiss;   Moses;   Tent;   Thompson Chain Reference - Bowing;   Obeisance;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Kenites, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Jethro;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Wife;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Kiss;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Salutation;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Exodus, Book of;   Kiss;   Obeisance, Do;   Tabernacle;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Judges;   Moses;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Blessing (2);   Gestures;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Jethro ;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Adoration;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Rephidim;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - On to Sinai;   On to Canaan;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Gesture;   Greeting;   Jethro;   Kiss;   Moses;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Moshe 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.
King James Version
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.
Lexham English Bible
And Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and he bowed, and he kissed him, and they each asked about the other's welfare, and they came into the tent.
New Century Version
So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. After the two men asked about each other's health, they went into Moses' tent.
Amplified Bible
So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and he bowed down [in respect] and kissed him. They asked each other about their well-being and went into the tent.
New American Standard Bible
Then Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and he bowed down and kissed him; and they asked each other about their welfare, and went into the tent.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And Moses went out to meete his father in law, and did obeisance and kissed him, and eche asked other of his welfare: and they came into the tent.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and he bowed down and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare and went into the tent.
Contemporary English Version
When they arrived, Moses went out and bowed down in front of Jethro, then kissed him. After they had greeted each other, they went into the tent,
Complete Jewish Bible
Moshe went out to meet his father-in-law, prostrated himself and kissed him. Then, after inquiring of each other's welfare, they entered the tent.
Darby Translation
And 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.
Easy-to-Read Version
So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law. Moses bowed down before him and kissed him. The two men asked about each other's health. Then they went into Moses' tent to talk more.
English Standard Version
Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. And they asked each other of their welfare and went into the tent.
George Lamsa Translation
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 went into the tent.
Good News Translation
so Moses went out to meet him, bowed before him, and kissed him. They asked about each other's health and then went into Moses' tent.
Christian Standard Bible®
So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down, and then kissed him. They asked each other how they had been and went into the tent.
Literal Translation
And Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and bowed, and kissed him. And they asked each to his neighbor, as to their welfare. And they came into the tent.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then wente Moses forth to mete him, and dyd obeysauce vnto him, and kyssed him. And whan they had saluted ech other, they wente in to the tente.
American Standard Version
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.
Bible in Basic English
And 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.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Moyses went out to meete his father in lawe, and did obeysaunce, and kyssed hym: and eche asked other of his health, and they came into the tent.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and bowed down and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent.
King James Version (1611)
And Moses went out to meete his father in law, and did obeysance, and kissed him: and they asked each other of their welfare, and they came into the tent.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Moses went forth to meet his father-in-law, and did him reverence, and kissed him, and they embraced each other, and he brought them into the tent.
English Revised Version
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.
Berean Standard Bible
So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and went into the tent.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Moises yede out into the comyng of his alie, and worschipide, and kiste hym, and thei gretten hem silf to gidere with pesible wordis.
Young's Literal Translation
And 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;
Update Bible Version
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.
Webster's Bible Translation
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.
World English Bible
Moses 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.
New King James Version
So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down, and kissed him. And they asked each other about their well-being, and they went into the tent.
New Living Translation
So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law. He bowed low and kissed him. They asked about each other's welfare and then went into Moses' tent.
New Life Bible
Then Moses went to meet his father-in-law. He bowed down and kissed him. They asked each other if all was well, and went into the tent.
New Revised Standard
Moses went out to meet his father-in-law; he bowed down and kissed him; each asked after the other's welfare, and they went into the tent.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So Moses went forth to meet his father-in-law, and bowed himself down to him and kissed him, and they asked each other of their welfare, - and came into the tent.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he went out to meet his kinsman, and worshipped and kissed him: and they saluted one another with words of peace. And when he was come into the tent,
Revised Standard Version
Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and did obeisance and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare, and went into the tent.
THE MESSAGE
Moses went out to welcome his father-in-law. He bowed to him and kissed him. Each asked the other how things had been with him. Then they went into the tent. Moses told his father-in-law the story of all that God had done to Pharaoh and Egypt in helping Israel, all the trouble they had experienced on the journey, and how God had delivered them.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and he bowed down and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare and went into the tent.

Contextual Overview

7 Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him; they each asked about the other's welfare, and then they went into the tent. 8 Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to Egypt for Israel's sake, and all the hardship that had come on them along the way, and how the Lord had delivered them. 9 Jethro rejoiced because of all the good that the Lord had done for Israel, whom he had delivered from the hand of Egypt. 10 Jethro said, "Blessed be the Lord who has delivered you from the hand of Egypt, and from the hand of Pharaoh, who has delivered the people from the Egyptians' control! 11 Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods, for in the thing in which they dealt proudly against them he has destroyed them." 12 Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices for God, and Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat food with the father-in-law of Moses before God.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

went: Genesis 14:17, Genesis 46:29, Numbers 22:36, Judges 11:34, 1 Kings 2:19, Acts 28:15

did obeisance: Genesis 18:2, Genesis 19:1, Genesis 33:3-7

kissed: Genesis 29:13, Genesis 31:28, Genesis 33:4, Genesis 45:15, Psalms 2:12, Luke 7:45, Acts 20:37

welfare: Heb. peace, Genesis 43:27, 2 Samuel 11:7

Reciprocal: Genesis 29:6 - Is he well Genesis 29:11 - kissed Genesis 43:28 - made obeisance Judges 1:16 - Moses' Jeremiah 15:5 - how thou doest

Cross-References

Genesis 18:15
Then Sarah lied, saying, "I did not laugh," because she was afraid. But the Lord said, "No! You did laugh."
Genesis 18:16
When the men got up to leave, they looked out over Sodom. (Now Abraham was walking with them to see them on their way.)
Genesis 19:3
But he urged them persistently, so they turned aside with him and entered his house. He prepared a feast for them, including bread baked without yeast, and they ate.
Amos 6:4
They lie around on beds decorated with ivory, and sprawl out on their couches. They eat lambs from the flock, and calves from the middle of the pen.
Malachi 1:14
"There will be harsh condemnation for the hypocrite who has a valuable male animal in his flock but vows and sacrifices something inferior to the Lord. For I am a great king," says the Lord who rules over all, "and my name is awesome among the nations."
Matthew 22:4
Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, "Look! The feast I have prepared for you is ready. My oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet."'
Luke 15:23
Bring the fattened calf and kill it! Let us eat and celebrate,
Luke 15:27
The slave replied, ‘Your brother has returned, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he got his son back safe and sound.'
Luke 15:30
But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!'

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Moses went out to meet his father in law,.... Out of the camp, at least out of his tent: the Targum of Jonathan says, from under the cloud of glory; how far he went is not certain, nor material to know: this was an instance of his great humility and modesty, and was doing Jethro a great deal of honour; that one who was in such great dignity, at the head of such a vast body of people, and superior to him both in natural and spiritual abilities, yet condescended to go forth in person to meet him, when he might have sent a guard of his men to escort him to his camp, which would have been honour sufficient; and it is not said he went out to meet his wife and children; for Aben Ezra says it was not usual for honourable men so to do:

and did obeisance: to Jethro, bowed unto him and worshipped him in a civil way, after the manner of the eastern nations, who used to make very low bows to whom they paid civil respect:

and kissed him; not to make him a proselyte, as the above Targum, nor in token of subjection, but of affection and friendship; it being usual for relations and friends to kiss each other at meeting or parting:

and they asked each other of their welfare; or "peace" n; of their prosperity and happiness, temporal and spiritual, of their peace, inward and outward, and of the bodily health of them and their families:

and they came into the tent; the Targum of Jonathan says,

"into the tabernacle of the house of doctrine,''

or school room; which is not likely, since Jethro was a man well instructed in divine things, and needed not to be put to school; and if he did, it can hardly be thought that as soon as Moses met him he should set about the instruction of him; but into his tent where he dwelt; that, as Aben Ezra says, which was the known tent of Moses, though it is not expressly said his tent.

n לשלום "ad pacem", Montanus; "de pace", Munster, Fagius, Drusius, Piscator; so Ainsworth.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Asked each other of their welfare - Addressed each other with the customary salutation, “Peace be unto you.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Exodus 18:7. And did obeisance — וישתחו vaiyishtachu, he bowed himself down, (Genesis 17:3; and "Exodus 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 neighbour, 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; Exodus 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.


 
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