¹⁶ Now the ^(A)priest of Midian had seven daughters, and ^(B)they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. ¹⁷ The shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and saved them, and ^(C)watered their flock. ¹⁸ When they came home to their father ^(D)Reuel, he said, “How is it that you have come home so soon today?” ¹⁹ They said, “An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds and even drew water for us and ^(E)watered the flock.” ²⁰ He said to his daughters, “Then where is he? Why have you left the man? Call him, that he may ^(F)eat bread.” ²¹ And Moses was content to dwell with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter ^(G)Zipporah. ²² She gave birth to a son, and he called his name ^(H)Gershom, for he said, “I have been a ^(I)sojourner^[a] in a foreign land.”

God Hears Israel's Groaning

^23 (J)During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel ^(K)groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. ^(L)Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. ²⁴ And ^(M)God heard their groaning, and God ^(N)remembered his covenant with ^(O)Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. ²⁵ God ^(P)saw the people of Israel—and God ^(Q)knew.