18
When they cameוַתָּבֹאנָהto Reuelאֶל רְעוּאֵלtheir father,אֲבִיהֶןhe said,וַיֹּאמֶר“Whyמַדּוּעַhave you comeבֹּאso quicklyמִהַרְתֶּןtoday?”הַיּוֹם
Exodus 2:18
Study it in the app“When they came to Reuel their father, he said, “Why have you come so quickly today?””
With the Hebrew beneath
Exodus 2:18, word by word
- When they cameתָּבֹאנָהtavona
come
To come, arrive: "days are coming".
Where else “tavona” appears- to Reuelרְעוּאֵלreuel
Reuel
Reuel, the name of a son of Esau and Basemath, of Moses' father-in-law (also called Jethro), and of others. It means "friend of God".
Where else “reuel” appears- their fatherאֲבִיavi
father
The man who begets a child and heads his household.
Where else “avi” appears- he saidיֹּאמֶרyomer
say
To say with the mouth to someone what one thinks or wants, or to answer him.
Where else “yomer” appears- “Whyמַדּוּעַmadua
why?
Why? For what reason?
Where else “madua” appears- so quicklyמִהַרְתֶּןmiharten
hurry
To act without delay, with haste and energy.
Where else “miharten” appears- todayיּוֹםyom
today
This very day in which one speaks, the present moment.
Where else “yom” appears
Translation note
Moses’ father-in-law is called Reuel here and later Jethro (3:1; 18:1). The text does not explain the difference. Other people in the Bible have more than one name (Jacob and Israel, Genesis 32:28).
The context
17But the shepherds came and drove them away. Then Moses stood up and saved them and watered their flock.
18 · This verse (above)
19They said, “An Egyptian man rescued us from the hand of the shepherds, and he even drew water for us and watered the flock.”