Exodus 2:20

_NOW THE PRIEST OF MIDIAN HAD SEVEN DAUGHTERS: AND THEY CAME AND DREW WATER, AND FILLED THE TROUGHS TO WATER THEIR FATHER'S FLOCK._ Now the priest of Midian - as the offices were usually conjoined, he was the ruler also of the people called Cushites or Ethiopians, and, like many other chiefs of pastoral people in that early age, he still retained the faith and worship of the true God. SEVEN DAUGHTERS - were shepherdesses, to whom Moses was favourably introduced by an act of courtesy and courage in protecting them from the rude shepherds of some neighbouring tribe at the well. Verse 18. REUEL THEIR FATHER - or Raguel (Numbers 10:29) [Septuagint, Ragoueel, in both places]. This is supposed to be his proper name, while Jethro (Exodus 3:1) was a title of official dignity

16-22 Moses found shelter in Midian. He was ready to help Reuel's daughters to water their flocks, although bred in learning and at court. Moses loved to be doing justice, and to act in defence of such as he saw injured, which every man ought to do, as far as it is in his power. He loved to be doing good; wherever the providence of God casts us, we should desire and try to be useful; and when we cannot do the good we would, we must be ready to do the good we can. Moses commended himself to the prince of Midian; who married one of his daughters to Moses, by whom he had a son, called Gershom, "a stranger there," that he might keep in remembrance the land in which he had been a stranger....

Verse Exodus 2:20. _THAT HE MAY EAT BREAD._] That he may be entertained, and receive refreshment to proceed on his journey. _Bread_, among the Hebrews, was used to signify _all kinds of food_ commonly used for the support of man's life....

EXPOSITION. Exodus 2:16-2 LIFE OF MOSES IN MIDIAN Fugitives from Egypt generally took the northern route from Pelusium or Migdol to Gaza, and so to Syria, or the regions beyond. But in this quarter they were liable to be arrested and sent back to the Egyptian monarch. Rameses II: put a special clause to this effect into his treaty with the contemporary Hittite king. It was, perhaps, the fear of extradition which made Moses turn his steps southeastward, and proceed along the route, or at any rate in the direction, which he afterwards took with his nation. Though Egypt had possessions in the Sinaitic peninsula, it was not difficult to avoid them; and before Sinai was reached the fugitive would be in complete safety, for the Egyptians seem never to have penetrated to the southern or eastern parts of the great triangle. "The well," by

AND HE SAID UNTO HIS DAUGHTERS, AND WHERE IS HE?.... By the account Reuel's daughters gave of Moses, of his courage and humanity, he was very desirous of seeing him: WHY [IS IT] THAT YE HAVE LEFT THE MAN? behind them at the well, and had not brought him along with them; he seemed to be displeased, and chides them, and tacitly suggests that they were rude and ungrateful not to ask a stranger, and one that had been so kind to them, to come with them and refresh himself: CALL HIM, THAT HE MAY EAT BREAD; take meat with them, bread being put for all provisions....

2. MOSES THE CHOSEN DELIVERER CHAPTER 2 Moses: His Birth, Education, Choice, and Exile _ 1. His birth and concealment (Exodus 2:1)_ 2. His rescue and education (Exodus 2:5) 3. His choice and failure (Exodus 2:11) 4. His exile (Exodus 2:15) 5. His marriage (Exodus 2:21) 6. The answered cry (Exodus 2:23) The history of the chosen deliverer, recorded by himself under the guidance of the Spirit, follows the dark picture of Israel

EXODUS 2:11 J. MOSES'S FLIGHT TO MIDIAN. Here is interposed an incident from J, who uses the same word grow (contrast Exodus 2:10) of Moses reaching man's estate, interpreted in Acts 7:23 as 40 years of age (_cf._ 42 years in Jubilees). The Egyptian slain by Moses may have been some bully of a gangmaster (_cf. Exodus 3:7_). The well-intentioned but unjustifiable assumption of the authority to punish committed Moses to the career of a patriot (_cf._ Hebrews 11:24). But the incident was distorted by rumour, and not only aroused the king's anger, but set h

WHERE?... WHY? Figure of speech _Erotesis_ (App-6)....

THAT HE MAY EAT BREAD— The father reproached his daughters with want of hospitality to the _Egyptian,_ (for such Mosses seemed to them from his dress and language,) and ordered them to call him, _to eat bread, i.e_. to receive refreshment and entertainment at his house. Dr. Shaw observes, that the Eastern nations in general are great eaters of bread; it being computed, that three persons in four live entirely upon it; or else upon such compositions as are made of barley or wheat flour. Frequent mention is made of this simple diet in the Scriptures; where the flesh of animals, though sometimes, indeed, it may be included in the eating of bread, or making a meal, is not often recorded. See Genesis 18:5 and 1 Samuel 28:22.

THE TEXT OF EXODUS TRANSLATION 2 And there went a man of the house of Le-vi, and took to wife a daughter of Le-vi. (2) And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. (3) And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch; and she put the child therein, and laid it in the flags by the river's brink. (4) And his sister stood afar off, _to_ know what would be done to him. (5) And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river-side; and she saw the ark among the flags, and sent her handmaid to fetch it. (6) And she opened it, and saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews-' children. (7) Then said his sister to Pha-raoh's daughter, Shall I...