Exodus 2:18
New International Version
When the girls returned to Reuel their father, he asked them, “Why have you returned so early today?”

New Living Translation
When the girls returned to Reuel, their father, he asked, “Why are you back so soon today?”

English Standard Version
When they came home to their father Reuel, he said, “How is it that you have come home so soon today?”

Berean Standard Bible
When the daughters returned to their father Reuel, he asked them, “Why have you returned so early today?”

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

New King James Version
When they came to Reuel their father, he said, “How is it that you have come so soon today?”

New American Standard Bible
When they came to their father Reuel, he said, “Why have you come back so soon today?”

NASB 1995
When they came to Reuel their father, he said, “Why have you come back so soon today?”

NASB 1977
When they came to Reuel their father, he said, “Why have you come back so soon today?”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then they came to Reuel their father, and he said, “Why have you come back so soon today?”

Amplified Bible
When they came to Reuel (Jethro) their father, he said, “How is it that you have come back so soon today?”

Christian Standard Bible
When they returned to their father Reuel, he asked, “Why have you come back so quickly today? ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When they returned to their father Reuel he asked, “Why have you come back so quickly today?”

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

Contemporary English Version
When Jethro's daughters returned home, their father asked, "Why have you come back so early today?"

English Revised Version
And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon today?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When they came back to their father Reuel, he asked them, "Why have you come home so early today?"

Good News Translation
When they returned to their father, he asked, "Why have you come back so early today?"

International Standard Version
When they returned to their father Reuel, he asked, "Why have you returned so quickly today?"

Majority Standard Bible
When the daughters returned to their father Reuel, he asked them, “Why have you returned so early today?”

NET Bible
So when they came home to their father Reuel, he asked, "Why have you come home so early today?"

New Heart English Bible
When they came to Reuel, their father, he said, "How is it that you have returned so early today?"

Webster's Bible Translation
And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that you are come so soon to day?

World English Bible
When they came to Reuel, their father, he said, “How is it that you have returned so early today?”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And they come to their father Reuel, and he says, “Why have you hurried to come in today?”

Young's Literal Translation
And they come in to Reuel their father, and he saith, 'Wherefore have ye hastened to come in to-day?'

Smith's Literal Translation
And they will come to Reuel their father, and he will say, Wherefore hastened ye to come this day?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And when they returned to Raguel their father, he said to them: Why are ye come sooner than usual?

Catholic Public Domain Version
And when they had returned to their father, Reuel, he said to them, “Why have you arrived sooner than usual?”

New American Bible
When they returned to their father Reuel, he said to them, “How is it you have returned so soon today?”

New Revised Standard Version
When they returned to their father Reuel, he said, “How is it that you have come back so soon today?”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And when they came to Reuel their father, he said to them, How is it that you have watered the flock so soon today?

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they came to Ruil their father, and he asked and said to them, “How did you water so quickly today?”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And when they came to Reuel their father, he said: 'How is it that ye are come so soon to-day?'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And they came to Raguel their father; and he said to them, Why have ye come so quickly to-day?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Moses Flees to Midian
17And when some shepherds came along and drove them away, Moses rose up to help them and watered their flock. 18When the daughters returned to their father Reuel, he asked them, “Why have you returned so early today?” 19“An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds,” they replied. “He even drew water for us and watered the flock.”…

Cross References
Genesis 24:29-31
Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he rushed out to the man at the spring. / As soon as he saw the ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and heard Rebekah’s words, “The man said this to me,” he went and found the man standing by the camels near the spring. / “Come, you who are blessed by the LORD,” said Laban. “Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.”

Genesis 29:9-12
While he was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. / As soon as Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his mother’s brother Laban, with Laban’s sheep, he went up and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle’s sheep. / Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud. ...

Judges 18:19-20
“Be quiet,” they told him. “Put your hand over your mouth and come with us and be a father and a priest to us. Is it better for you to be a priest for the house of one person or a priest for a tribe and family in Israel?” / So the priest was glad and took the ephod, the household idols, and the graven image, and went with the people.

Ruth 2:19-20
Then her mother-in-law asked her, “Where did you glean today, and where did you work? Blessed be the man who noticed you.” So she told her mother-in-law where she had worked. “The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz,” she said. / Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be blessed by the LORD, who has not withdrawn His kindness from the living or the dead.” Naomi continued, “The man is a close relative. He is one of our kinsman-redeemers.”

1 Samuel 9:11-13
And as they were climbing the hill to the city, they met some young women coming out to draw water and asked, “Is the seer here?” / “Yes, he is ahead of you,” they answered. “Hurry now, for today he has come to the city because the people have a sacrifice on the high place. / As soon as you enter the city, you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not eat until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; after that, the guests will eat. Go up at once; you will find him.”

1 Samuel 25:5-8
So David sent ten young men and instructed them, “Go up to Nabal at Carmel. Greet him in my name / and say to him, ‘Long life to you, and peace to you and to your house and to all that belongs to you. / Now I hear that it is time for shearing. When your shepherds were with us, we did not harass them, and nothing of theirs was missing the whole time they were in Carmel. ...

2 Samuel 17:27-29
When David came to Mahanaim, he was met by Shobi son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, Machir son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim. / They brought beds, basins, and earthen vessels, as well as wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils, / honey, curds, sheep, and cheese from the herd for David and his people to eat. For they said, “The people have become hungry, exhausted, and thirsty in the wilderness.”

1 Kings 17:10-11
So Elijah got up and went to Zarephath. When he arrived at the city gate, there was a widow gathering sticks. Elijah called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup, so that I may drink.” / And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a piece of bread.”

2 Kings 4:8-10
One day Elisha went to Shunem, and a prominent woman who lived there persuaded him to have a meal. So whenever he would pass by, he would stop there to eat. / Then the woman said to her husband, “Behold, now I know that the one who often comes our way is a holy man of God. / Please let us make a small room upstairs and put in it a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp for him. Then when he comes to us, he can stay there.”

Job 29:11-16
For those who heard me called me blessed, and those who saw me commended me, / because I rescued the poor who cried out and the fatherless who had no helper. / The dying man blessed me, and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy. ...

Proverbs 31:10-31
A wife of noble character, who can find? She is far more precious than rubies. / The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he lacks nothing of value. / She brings him good and not harm all the days of her life. ...

Isaiah 32:8
But a noble man makes honorable plans; he stands up for worthy causes.

Matthew 10:40-42
He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives the One who sent Me. / Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. / And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is My disciple, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.”

Matthew 25:35-40
For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in, / I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you visited Me.’ / Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? ...

Luke 10:38-42
As they traveled along, Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. / She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to His message. / But Martha was distracted by all the preparations to be made. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me!” ...


Treasury of Scripture

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

Exodus 3:1
Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.

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.

Exodus 18:1-12
When Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father in law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, and that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt; …

Jethro.

Numbers 19:20
But the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation, because he hath defiled the sanctuary of the LORD: the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him; he is unclean.

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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.














When his father-in-law Reuel
The name "Reuel" is of Hebrew origin, meaning "friend of God." This name reflects a significant aspect of his character and his relationship with God. Reuel, also known as Jethro in other parts of the Bible, was a priest of Midian. The Midianites were descendants of Abraham through Keturah, which places Reuel within a broader narrative of God's covenant people. His role as a priest suggests he was a man of spiritual insight and wisdom, which is later confirmed in his interactions with Moses. The term "father-in-law" indicates a familial bond that would have been significant in the ancient Near Eastern context, where family ties were crucial for social and economic stability.

asked
The act of asking here is more than a simple inquiry; it reflects a relationship of care and authority. In the Hebrew culture, questions were often used as a teaching tool or a way to express concern. Reuel's question indicates his role as a protector and guide for his daughters, showing his responsibility and interest in their well-being. This interaction sets the stage for Moses' integration into Reuel's family and the unfolding of God's plan for Moses' life.

Why have you returned so early today?
This question implies an expectation of a longer absence, suggesting that the daughters' early return was unusual. In the historical context, shepherding was a time-consuming task, often requiring long hours. The early return would have been unexpected and warranted an explanation. This phrase highlights the providential timing of events, as Moses' intervention at the well led to the daughters' early return. It underscores the theme of divine orchestration in the lives of individuals, a recurring motif in the Exodus narrative. The question also opens the door for the daughters to recount Moses' actions, setting in motion the events that would lead to Moses' integration into Reuel's family and his eventual calling by God.

Verse 18. - Reuel their father. Reuel is called "Raguel" in Numbers 10:29, but the Hebrew spelling is the same in both places. The word means "friend of God," and implies monotheisim. Compare Exodus 18:9-12.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
When [the daughters] returned
וַתָּבֹ֕אנָה (wat·tā·ḇō·nāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine plural
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

their father
אֲבִיהֶ֑ן (’ă·ḇî·hen)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine plural
Strong's 1: Father

Reuel,
רְעוּאֵ֖ל (rə·‘ū·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 7467: Reuel -- 'friend of God', Moses' father-in-law, also an Edomite, a Gadite, and a Benjamite

he asked them,
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Why
מַדּ֛וּעַ (mad·dū·a‘)
Interrogative
Strong's 4069: Why? for what reason?

have you returned
בֹּ֖א (bō)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

so early
מִהַרְתֶּ֥ן (mi·har·ten)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person feminine plural
Strong's 4116: To be liquid, flow easily, to hurry, promptly

today?”
הַיּֽוֹם׃ (hay·yō·wm)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3117: A day


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OT Law: Exodus 2:18 When they came to Reuel their father (Exo. Ex)
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