Exodus 2:21

_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 2:21. _ZIPPORAH HIS DAUGHTER._] Abul Farajius calls her "_Saphura the black_, daughter of _Rewel_ the Midianite, the son of Dedan, the son of Abraham by his wife Keturah." The Targum calls her the _granddaughter_ of Reuel. It appears that Moses obtained Zipporah something in the same way that Jacob obtained Rachel; namely, for the performance of certain services, probably keeping of sheep: see Exodus 3:1....

Moses tells us nothing of what he may have learned from his father-in-law, but he must have found in him a man conversant with the traditions of the family of Abraham; nor is there any improbability in the supposition that, as hereditary priest, Reuel may have possessed written documents concerning their common ancestors....

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 MOSES WAS CONTENT TO DWELL WITH THE MAN,.... After he had been called and brought into the house, and had had some refreshment, and after some conversation had passed between them, and perhaps after some days' stay in Reuel's house; Reuel having observed his disposition and behaviour, and being delighted therewith, proposed to him to take up his residence with him, with which motion Moses was well pleased, and accepted of it: AND HE GAVE MOSES ZIPPORAH HIS DAUGHTER; to be his wife. It is not to be supposed that this was done directly; though both Philo u and Josephus w intimate as if it was done at first meeting together; but it is not likely that Reuel would dispose of his daughter so suddenly to a stranger, though he might at once entertain an high opinion of him; nor would Moses marry a woman directly he had so slender an acquaintance with, so little knowledge of her disposition,...

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

CONTENT. well pleased....

GAVE MOSES ZIPPORAH HIS DAUGHTER— Moses is extremely concise in this account which he gives of himself. It is most probable, that he continued some time with _Reuel,_ and approved himself to him by his good services, before he gave him Zipporah to wife. It is observed by Philo, that _men of a great genius quickly shew themselves, and are not made known by length of time:_ and therefore he thinks, "that Jethro, being first struck with admiration of his goodly aspect, and then, of his wise discourse, immediately gave him the most beautiful of all his daughters to be his wife: not staying to inquire of any body who he was, because his own most excellent qualities sufficiently recommended him to his affection." De vita Mosis, l. i. By her he had two sons, _Gershom,_ whom he so called because he _had been a stranger in a strange land,_ and _Eliezer,_ so named _because God was his help._ REFLE...