Exodus 18:5

"The name of the other was Eliezer, for he said, “My father’s God was my help and delivered me from Pharaoh’s sword.”"

Key Reflection

In Exodus 18:5, Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, introduces his second son Eliezer to Moses by sharing a significant name meaning and its origin. The name "Eliezer" translates as "My God is my help," indicating that the name was chosen because of a profound experience where the family's deity provided deliverance from Pharaoh’s oppression and the dangers posed by his army, symbolizing divine protection and intervention in their lives. This cultural context highlights the importance of naming practices in ancient Israel, often reflecting significant life events or divine blessings.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

The wilderness -i. e., according to the view which seems on the whole most probable, the plain near the northern summit of Horeb, the mountain of God. The valley which opens upon Er Rahah on the left of Horeh is called “Wady Shueib” by the Arabs, i. e. the vale of Hobab.

More from Exodus 18

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