What is the meaning of Exodus 18:3? Along with her two sons “Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, had received word that God had brought Israel out of Egypt. So he came to Moses in the wilderness, bringing Zipporah, Moses’ wife, along with her two sons” (Exodus 18:2-3a). • This little narrative note reminds us that family relationships matter to God, even while the covenant community is on the move (cf. Deuteronomy 6:6-7). • Moses had earlier sent Zipporah and the boys back to Midian, likely for their safety during the plagues and the Exodus (compare Exodus 4:24-26 with 18:2). Their reunion now underscores God’s faithfulness in protecting not only the nation but also the prophet’s household (see Psalm 91:9-10). One son was named Gershom “Gershom” sounds like “sojourner there,” pointing to Moses’ exile years in Midian (Exodus 2:22). • Naming in Scripture often captures a testimony. Just as Samuel’s mother said, “Because I asked the LORD for him” (1 Samuel 1:20), Moses’ choice of name proclaims his personal history with God. • This naming also links Moses to the patriarchs, who likewise gave significant names—Isaac (“he laughs,” Genesis 21:3) and Judah (“praise,” Genesis 29:35)—anchoring family memory in God’s acts. For Moses had said The verse deliberately looks back: Moses’ telling of the name predates the events of chapter 18. • It signals continuity: the same man who once fled Egypt as a fugitive (Exodus 2:15) is now leading a redeemed nation. • It highlights the reliability of Moses’ testimony. What he “had said” then still speaks now, mirroring the enduring truth of God’s word (Isaiah 55:11). I have been a foreigner in a foreign land This confession captures Moses’ sense of exile: • Physically—living in Midian, away from birth-culture Egypt and covenant-land Canaan (Acts 7:29). • Spiritually—feeling displaced until God’s call at the burning bush (Exodus 3:1-10). • The statement foreshadows Israel’s own wilderness journey; they too are “foreigners” looking ahead to a promised home (Hebrews 11:13-16). • It echoes God’s heart for sojourners, later embedded in the law: “You shall not oppress a foreigner, for you know how it feels to be foreigners in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 23:9). summary Exodus 18:3 uses Gershom’s name to memorialize Moses’ years of exile and God’s preserving grace. By reuniting the prophet with his family, Scripture spotlights God’s care for personal households even while executing grand redemptive plans. The verse invites believers to remember past alienation, celebrate present deliverance, and trust the Lord who brings His people—and their families—safely home. |
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