Exodus 2:22
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Exodus 2:22
22 And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land.
Chapter Context
Exodus 2 is a narrative with legal sections chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of truth, wisdom, judgment. Written during the Egyptian bondage and wilderness wandering (c. 1446-1406 BCE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Egypt was the dominant superpower with a complex polytheistic religion and a god-king pharaoh.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings
- Verses 21-25: Conclusion and application
This chapter is significant because it foreshadows Christ's work through typology and prophetic elements. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Exodus and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Exodus 2:22
22 And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land.
Analysis
And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land (וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן וַיִּקְרָא אֶת־שְׁמוֹ גֵּרְשֹׁם כִּי אָמַר גֵּר הָיִיתִי בְּאֶרֶץ נָכְרִיָּה, vateled ben vayikra et-shemo Gereshom ki amar ger hayiti be'erets nokhriyah)—Gershom (גֵּרְשֹׁם, from גֵּר, ger, "stranger/sojourner") memorializes Moses' exile and alienation. Stranger in a strange land (גֵּר הָיִיתִי בְּאֶרֶץ נָכְרִיָּה) reflects Moses' identity crisis: Hebrew by birth, Egyptian by upbringing, now Midianite by marriage, yet belonging fully nowhere. This lifelong sense of exile prepared Moses to lead Israel—a nation of sojourners (Genesis 15:13, Leviticus 25:23, Hebrews 11:13-16). Gershom's name is testimony to humble dependence rather than triumphant confidence.
Historical Context
The motif of exile and sojourning runs throughout Moses' life and Israel's history. Abraham was called to be a sojourner (Genesis 12:1); Israel would sojourn in Egypt, wilderness, and ultimately long for the eternal homeland. Moses' personal exile equipped him with empathy for displaced people and trust in God rather than earthly security.
Reflection
- How does Moses' naming of Gershom reflect his embrace of exile as identity, and how does this prepare him to lead a nation of sojourners?
- In what ways does your experience of being a 'stranger' or outsider shape your dependence on God and sympathy for others?
Cross-References
- Parallel theme: Exodus 22:21, 1 Chronicles 16:20, 29:15, Psalms 39:12, 119:19, Acts 7:29