King James Version

Exodus 18:15

And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God:

Study

Hebrew

Tap a word to see its meaning. Words run left to right in English reading order.

וַיֹּ֥אמֶרvayomerand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and say”, the next action in the storyH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…מֹשֶׁ֖הmoshehMosesמֹשֶׁהnoun, proper name — “Moses”H4872Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiverMoses.לְחֹתְנ֑וֹlechotenvoto join in affinityחָתַןpreposition, verb, qal, participle, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “to join in affinity”, a verb used as a describing wordH2859to give (a daughter) away in marriage; hence (generally) to contract affinity by marriagejoin in affinity, father in law, make marriages, mother in law, son in law.כִּֽיkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…יָבֹ֥אyavoto comeבּוֹאverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “to come”, an unfinished actionH935to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat,…אֵלַ֛יelayamongאֵלpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).הָעָ֖םhaamthe peopleעַםdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the people”, the ordinary formH5971a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flockfolk, men, nation, people.לִדְרֹ֥שׁlidroshto askדָּרַשׁpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to ask”, the to-form of the verbH1875properly, to tread or frequent; usually to follow (for pursuit or search); by implication, to seek or ask; specifically to worshipask, [idiom] at all, care for, [idiom] diligently, inquire, make inquisition, (necro-) mancer, question, require, search, seek (for, out), [idiom] surely.אֱלֹהִֽיםelohimGodאֱלֹהִיםnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “God”, the ordinary formH430gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlativeangels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And Moses said unto his father-in-law: 'Because the people come unto me to inquire of God;

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

And Moses said unto his father-in-law, Because the people come unto me to inquire of God:

Young’s Literal Translation

And Moses saith to his father-in-law, 'Because the people come unto me to seek God;

World English Bible

Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God.

Darby Translation

And Moses said to his father-in-law, Because the people come to me to enquire of God.

Douay-Rheims

And Moses answered him: The people come to me to seek the judgment of God.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

And Moses said unto his father-in-law: 'Because the people come unto me to inquire of God;

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And Moses says to his father-in-law, Because the people come to me to seek judgment from God.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ λέγει Μωυσῆς τῷ γαμβρῶ, Ὅτι παραγίνεται πρός με ὁ λαὸς ἐκζητῆσαι κρίσιν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ.