What Does Exodus 3:1 Mean?

“Now Moses”

mosheh, the israelite lawgiver

“kept”

to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)

to tend a flock; i.e., pasture it; intransitively, to graze (literally or figuratively); generally to rule; by extension, to associate with (as a frie

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

“the flock”

a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats); also figuratively (of men)

“of Jethro”

jethro, moses' father-in-law

“his father in law”

to give (a daughter) away in marriage; hence (generally) to contract affinity by marriage

“the priest”

literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman)

“of Midian”

midjan, a son of abraham; also his country and (collectively) his descendants

“and he led”

to drive forth (a person, an animal or chariot), also (from the panting induced by effort), to sigh

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

“the flock”

a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats); also figuratively (of men)

“to the backside”

properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses)

“of the desert”

a pasture (i.e., open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert

“and came”

to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)

near, with or among; often in general, to

“to the mountain”

a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively)

“of God”

gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of

“even to Horeb”

choreb, a (generic) name for the sinaitic mountains