Shemot 2:22

22 And she bore him a ben, and he called shmo Gershom; for he said, I have been a ger in a foreign land.

Shemot 2:22 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 2:22

And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom
Which signifies a "desolate stranger"; partly on his own account, he being in a foreign country, a stranger and sojourner; but not by way of complaint, but rather of thankfulness to God for providing so well for him in it; and partly on his son's account, that when he came to years of maturity and knowledge, he might learn, and in which Moses no doubt instructed him, that he was not to look upon Midian as his proper country, but that he was to be heir of the land of Canaan, and which he might be reminded of by his name:

for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land;
so Midian was to him, who was born in Egypt, and being an Hebrew, was entitled to the land of Canaan; this looks as if he had been at this time some years in Midian.

Shemot 2:22 In-Context

20 And he said unto his banot, And where is he? Why is it that ye have left the ish? Call him, that he may eat lechem.
21 And Moshe was content to dwell with the ish; and he gave Moshe Tzipporah his bat.
22 And she bore him a ben, and he called shmo Gershom; for he said, I have been a ger in a foreign land.
23 And it came to pass in process of time, that Melech Mitzrayim died; and the Bnei Yisroel groaned by reason of haAvodah (the Bondage), and they cried out, and their cry came up unto HaElohim by reason of haAvodah.
24 And Elohim heard their groaning, and Elohim remembered His brit (covenant) with Avraham, with Yitzchak, and with Ya’akov.
The Orthodox Jewish Bible fourth edition, OJB. Copyright 2002,2003,2008,2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International. All rights reserved.