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Commentary Critical and Explanatory

Exodus 4:18

And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace. Moses ... returned to Jethro. Being in his service, it was right to obtain his consent; but Moses evinced piety, humility, and prudence, in not divulging the special object of his journey.

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See also Exodus 4:18 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Exodus 4:18. _LET ME GO, I PRAY THEE, AND RETURN UNTO MY BRETHREN_] Moses, having received his commission from God, and directions how to execute it, returned to his father-in-law, and asked pe...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 4:1-28 MOSES' OBJECTIONS, JEHOVAH'S ANSWER AND THE RETURN TO EGYPT _ 1. The first objection (Exodus 4:1)_ 2. The two signs and Jehovah's assurance (Exodus 4:2) 3. The second objection (Exod...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    AND MOSES WENT, AND RETURNED, &C.— Thus commissioned by the Almighty, Moses determines immediately to enter upon his office: and, therefore, without informing Jethro of his main design, as that, perha...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    THE TEXT OF EXODUS TRANSLATION 4 And Mo-ses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice; for they will say, Je-ho-vah hath not appeared unto thee. (2) And Je-ho...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    4:18 Jethro (a-7) Here, in Hebrew, 'Jether.'...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    SIGNS ATTESTING THE COMMISSION OF MOSES. HIS RETURN TO EGYPT Moses still hesitates, and now objects that the péople will not believe him when he tells them that Jehovah has sent him. He is granted th...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    EXODUS: ISRAEL BECOMES A NATION THE *ISRAELITES LEAVE EGYPT EXODUS CHAPTER S 1 TO 18 _HILDA BRIGHT AND KITTY PRIDE_ CHAPTER 4 THE *LORD GIVES GREAT POWER TO MOSES – VERSES 1-9 God shows his po...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    MOSES... RETURNED TO JETHRO. — Heb., _to Jether._ When Moses married Zipporah, he was probably adopted into the tribe, of which Reuel, and after him Jethro, was the head. The tribal tie was close, and...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יֵּ֨לֶךְ מֹשֶׁ֜ה וַ יָּ֣שָׁב ׀ אֶל ־יֶ֣תֶר

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    MOSES OBEYS _._ Exodus 4:18. Moses is now commissioned: he is to go to Egypt, and Aaron is coming thence to meet him. Yet he first returns to Midian, to Jethro, who is both his employer and the head...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    MOSES AND AARON ANNOUNCE GOD'S PURPOSE TO ISRAEL Exodus 4:18 So often the keenest tests of a man's fitness for his life-work are furnished by his behavior in his home. It may be that Zipporah had res...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    A further difficulty was now declared. The man who first doubted himself and then doubted because of his ignorance of God now doubted because of the people to whom he was to be sent. God had told him...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Will not the Reader recollect in this place concerning a greater than Moses? Matthew 2:20....

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    There is hardly a book of the Old Testament that stands out in more decided contrast with the book of Genesis than the one which follows it most closely. And this is the more striking, because God emp...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    18._And Moses went. _It is surprising that Moses should have suppressed the vision whereby the mind of his father-in-law might have been most inclined to let him go; for he speaks merely of human feel...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Moses still raises difficulties, and God gives him again signs, remarkable signs. The two first seem to me in their character-types, the first, of sin and of its healing; the second, of power, which,...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND MOSES WENT AND RETURNED TO JETHRO HIS FATHER IN LAW,.... With his flock of sheep he kept, Exodus 3:1: and said unto him, LET ME GO, I PRAY THEE, AND RETURN TO MY BRETHREN WHICH ARE IN EGYPT; the...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which [are] in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Moses returned to Jethro_ Justice and decency required Moses to acquaint his father-in-law with his intention of going into Egypt; but he thought fit to conceal from him the errand upon which God sen...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Moses rod is turned into a Serpent. 6 His hand is leprous. 10 He is loath to bee sent. 14 Aaron is appointed to assist him. 18 Moses departeth from Iethro. 21 Gods message to Pharaoh. 24 Zippo...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    MOSES DISMISSED BY JETHRO...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And Moses went and returned to Jethro, his father-in-law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. The faithfulness...

  • Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures

    Exodus 4:1 And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice; for they will say, Jehovah hath not appeared unto 2thee. And Jehovah said unto him, What _is_...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    God's message to Moses has been so clear that it cannot be mistaken. He has made no secret of the opposition of Pharaoh, but has declared positively that He would enable Israel to triumph over this an...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    18-23 After God had appeared in the bush, he often spake to Moses. Pharaoh had hardened his own heart against the groans and cries of the oppressed Israelites; and now God, in the way of righteous ju...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    He pretends only a visit, and so indeed it was, and that no very long one neither: he knew that he should certainly return to this place, and there meet with his father-in-law. So that he did not dece...

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    We are still called to linger at the foot of Mount Horeb, at "the backside of the desert;" and, truly, the air of this place is most healthful for the spiritual constitution. Man's unbelief and God's...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Exodus 4:18 Moses H4872 went H3212 (H8799) returned H7725 (H8799) Jethro H3500 father-in-law H2859 (H8802) said...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    MOSES LEAVES MIDIAN FOR EGYPT (EXODUS 4:18). This is a section of powerful contrasts. On the one hand Jethro is Moses' tribal leader with acknowledged rights (Exodus 4:18 a), on the other Yahweh deman...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Moses' objections. Unbelief of the people and Moses' lack of eloquence. Return to Egypt. Message delivered to elders. CHARACTERS: God, Moses, Aaron, Jethro, Zipporah, elders. CONCLUSION: U...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Exodus 4:1. _They will not believe me._ Then the Lord directed him to work a miracle, the most convincing evidence of divine authority, for the removal of unbelief. Exodus 4:2. _A rod._ Milton has dis...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Let me go, I pray thee._ A TRUE RECOGNITION OF FILIAL DUTY I. It consists in a true recognition of parental authority. 1. Moses was animated by honesty. 2. Moses was related by marriage. 3. Mose...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    EXODUS—NOTE ON EXODUS 4:18 These verses are a transition from Moses’ exile in Midian to his return to Egypt. ⇐ ⇔

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Exodus 4:18_ A TRUE RECOGNITION OF FILIAL DUTY I. IT CONSISTS IN A TRUE RECOGNITION OF PARENTAL AUTHORITY. “And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION EXODUS 4:18-2 If Moses had, as we have supposed, been accepted into the Midianitish nation, he would need permission to withdraw himself from the tribal head. This head was now Jether, or...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me (Exodus 4:1), Now he's not convinced. They're gonna say, "Who sent you?" "All right", God said, "Tell them Jehovah God, the God of y...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Jethro. Heb. Jether. Exodus 3:1 let me go. 1 Timothy 6:1 and see. Genesis 45:3 Acts 16:36...

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