Ἐξῆλθεν δὲ Μωυσῆς εἰς συνάντησιν τῷ γαμβρῷ αὐτοῦ καὶ προσεκύνησεν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐφίλησεν αὐτόν καὶ ἠσπάσαντο ἀλλήλους καὶ εἰσήγαγεν αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν σκηνήν (Exodus 18:7 LXX)
And Moshe went out to meet his father-in-law, and he bowed to him, and he kissed him, and they greeted one another, and he brought him into the tent.
Hospitality in Five Movements
This verse records a warm meeting between Moshe and his father-in-law. The narrative is driven by a chain of aorist verbs, each presenting a distinct and complete action. The result is a step-by-step portrayal of Middle Eastern greeting customs, where movement, gesture, and speech follow a time-honored sequence.
The Aorist Narrative Chain
The verse’s backbone is a series of coordinated aorist indicatives joined by καί (“and”):
- ἐξῆλθεν — he went out
- προσεκύνησεν — he bowed
- ἐφίλησεν — he kissed
- ἠσπάσαντο — they greeted each other
- εἰσήγαγεν — he brought in
Each aorist is perfective in aspect: it presents the action as a whole, without focusing on its process. The coordination with καί gives a rapid, almost cinematic progression.
Step One: ἐξῆλθεν εἰς συνάντησιν
ἐξῆλθεν is the aorist active indicative of ἐξέρχομαι, here marking the decisive moment Moshe leaves his position to meet the arriving guest. The idiom εἰς συνάντησιν (“into meeting”) uses εἰς with the accusative to express purpose or result—he went out in order to meet him.
Step Two: προσεκύνησεν
The aorist active indicative of προσκυνέω (“to bow down, to prostrate”) reflects a culturally appropriate sign of honor. The dative αὐτῷ marks the one to whom the gesture is directed.
Step Three: ἐφίλησεν
From φιλέω (“to kiss”), this aorist active indicative depicts the gesture of familial affection. The accusative αὐτόν again marks the recipient.
Step Four: ἠσπάσαντο ἀλλήλους
This is the aorist middle indicative of ἀσπάζομαι (“to greet, to embrace”), with ἀλλήλους (“one another”) showing mutuality. The middle voice emphasizes personal participation in the exchange.
Step Five: εἰσήγαγεν
Aorist active indicative of εἰσάγω (“to bring in”). The prepositional phrase εἰς τὴν σκηνήν marks the destination: the tent, which in this cultural and narrative setting is the locus of hospitality and conversation.
Spatial and Relational Markers
The verse is rich in relational terms (τῷ γαμβρῷ αὐτοῦ — “his father-in-law”) and spatial prepositions (εἰς, παρά in similar contexts), which together locate the action in both personal and physical space. The grammar makes the reader almost see the approach, the bow, the kiss, the embrace, and the invitation indoors.
Morphology Table: Key Verbal Forms
| Form | Parsing | Lemma | Lexical Meaning | Narrative Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐξῆλθεν | Aorist Active Indicative 3rd sg. | ἐξέρχομαι | Go out | Initiates encounter |
| προσεκύνησεν | Aorist Active Indicative 3rd sg. | προσκυνέω | Bow down, worship | Gesture of honor |
| ἐφίλησεν | Aorist Active Indicative 3rd sg. | φιλέω | Kiss | Gesture of affection |
| ἠσπάσαντο | Aorist Middle Indicative 3rd pl. | ἀσπάζομαι | Greet, embrace | Mutual salutation |
| εἰσήγαγεν | Aorist Active Indicative 3rd sg. | εἰσάγω | Bring in | Hospitality act |
Grammar as Storytelling
Exodus 18:7 LXX is a reminder that a chain of simple aorists can convey an entire cultural scene. The grammar moves us through each stage of an ancient welcome—going out, honoring, embracing, and inviting. In the aorist’s perfective strokes, the gestures of respect and affection become indelible images of covenantal relationship lived out in ordinary human encounters.
