King James Version

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.

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Hebrew

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וּמֹשֶׁ֗הumoshehand Mosesמֹשֶׁהconjunction, noun, proper name — “and Moses”H4872Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiverMoses.הָיָ֥הhayahbeהָיָהverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “be”, a completed actionH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.רֹעֶ֛הroehcompanionרָעָהverb, qal, participle, absolute — “companion”, a verb used as a describing wordH7462to tend a flock; i.e. pasture it; intransitively, to graze (literally or figuratively); generally to rule; by extension, to associate with (as a friend)[idiom] break, companion, keep company with, devour, eat up, evil entreat, feed, use as a friend, make friendship with, herdman, keep (sheep) (-er), pastor, [phrase] shearing house, shepherd, wander, waste.אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).צֹ֛אןtsonflockצֹאןnoun, common, both genders, singular, construct — “flock”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6629a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats); also figuratively (of men)(small) cattle, flock ([phrase] -s), lamb ([phrase] -s), sheep(-cote, -fold, -shearer, -herds).יִתְר֥וֹyitrvoJethro. Compare H3500יִתְרוֹnoun, proper name — “Jethro. Compare H3500”H3503Jethro, Moses' father-in-lawJethro. Compare H3500 (יֶתֶר).חֹתְנ֖וֹchotenvojoin in affinityחָתַןverb, qal, participle, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “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.כֹּהֵ֣ןkohenpriestכֹּהֵןnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “priest”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3548literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman)chief ruler, [idiom] own, priest, prince, principal officer.מִדְיָ֑ןmidyanMidianמִדְיָןnoun, proper name — “Midian”H4080Midjan, a son of Abraham; also his country and (collectively) his descendantsMidian, Midianite.וַיִּנְהַ֤גvayinhagand carry awayנָהַגconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and carry away”, the next action in the storyH5090to drive forth (a person, an animal or chariot), i.e. lead, carry away; reflexively, to proceed (i.e. impel or guide oneself); also (from the panting induced by effort), to sighacquaint, bring (away), carry away, drive (away), lead (away, forth), (be) guide, lead (away, forth).אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).הַצֹּאן֙hatsonthe flockצֹאןdefinite article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “the flock”, the ordinary formH6629a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats); also figuratively (of men)(small) cattle, flock ([phrase] -s), lamb ([phrase] -s), sheep(-cote, -fold, -shearer, -herds).אַחַ֣רacharafterאַחַרpreposition — “after”H310properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses)after (that, -ward), again, at, away from, back (from, -side), behind, beside, by, follow (after, -ing), forasmuch, from, hereafter, hinder end, [phrase] out (over) live, [phrase] persecute, posterity, pursuing, remnant, seeing, since, the…הַמִּדְבָּ֔רhamidbarthe desertמִדְבָּרdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the desert”, the ordinary formH4057a pasture (i.e. open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert; also speech (including its organs)desert, south, speech, wilderness.וַיָּבֹ֛אvayavoand to comeבּוֹאconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and to come”, the next action in the storyH935to 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,…אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “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).הַ֥רharhillהַרnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “hill”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2022a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively)hill (country), mount(-ain), [idiom] promotion.הָאֱלֹהִ֖יםhaelohimthe Godאֱלֹהִיםdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “the 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.חֹרֵֽבָהchorevahHorebחֹרֵבnoun, proper name, directional ending — “Horeb”H2722Choreb, a (generic) name for the Sinaitic mountainsHoreb.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the farthest end of the wilderness, and came to the mountain of God, unto Horeb.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the back of the wilderness, and came to the mountain of God, unto Horeb.

Young’s Literal Translation

And Moses hath been feeding the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, priest of Midian, and he leadeth the flock behind the wilderness, and cometh in unto the mount of God, to Horeb;

World English Bible

Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the back of the wilderness, and came to God’s mountain, to Horeb.

Darby Translation

And Moses tended the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock behind the wilderness, and came to the mountain of God — to Horeb.

Douay-Rheims

Now Moses fed the sheep of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Madian: and he drove the flock to the inner parts of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, Horeb.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the farthest end of the wilderness, and came to the mountain of God, unto Horeb.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And Moses was feeding the flock of Jothor his father-in-law, the priest of Madiam; and he brought the sheep nigh to the wilderness, and came to the mount of Choreb.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ Μωυσῆς ἦν ποιμαίνων τὰ πρόβατα Ἰοθὸρ τοῦ γαμβροῦ αὐτοῦ, τοῦ ἱερέως Μαδιὰμ, καὶ ἤγαγεν τὰ πρόβατα ὑπὸ τὴν ἔρημον, καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς τὸ ὄρος Χωρήβ.