Exodus 2:15-22
International Standard Version
Moses Flees to Midian
15 When Pharaoh heard about this matter, he tried to kill Moses. So Moses fled from Pharaoh, settled in the land of Midian, and sat down by a well. 16 Meanwhile, the seven daughters of a certain Midianite priest would come to draw water in order to fill water troughs for their father’s sheep. 17 Some shepherds came to drive them away, but Moses got up, came to their rescue, and watered their sheep. 18 When they returned to their father Reuel,[a] he asked, “Why have you returned so quickly today?”
19 “An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds,”[b] they replied, “and he even drew water for us and watered the sheep!”
20 “Then where is he?” He asked his daughters. “Why did you leave the man behind? Go invite him to have something to eat.”[c]
21 Moses agreed to stay with the man, and he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage.[d] 22 Later she gave birth to a son, and Moses[e] named him Gershom,[f] because he used to say, “I became an alien in a foreign land.”
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- Exodus 2:18 I.e. another name for Jethro
- Exodus 2:19 Lit. the hand of the shepherds
- Exodus 2:20 Lit. to eat bread
- Exodus 2:21 The Heb. lacks in marriage
- Exodus 2:22 Lit. he
- Exodus 2:22 Gershom sounds like Heb. for alien
Exodus 2:15-22
Lexham English Bible
15 And Pharaoh heard this matter, and he sought to kill Moses, and Moses fled from Pharaoh, and he lived in the land of Midian, and he lived at a certain well.[a]
16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.[b] 17 And the shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and came to their rescue and watered their flock. 18 And they came to Reuel, their father, and he said, “Why have you come so quickly[c] today?” 19 And they said, “An Egyptian man delivered us from the hand of the shepherds, and he even drew water for us and watered the flock.” 20 And he said to his daughters, “Where is he? Why then[d] have you left the man? Call him so that he can eat some food.”[e] 21 And Moses agreed to stay with the man, and he gave Zipporah his daughter to Moses. 22 And she bore a son, and he called his name Gershom because he said, “I am an alien in a foreign land.”[f]
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- Exodus 2:15 Literally “the well”
- Exodus 2:16 The Hebrew noun translated “flock” is used here and in verses 17 and 19 collectively for sheep or goats or a mix of the two
- Exodus 2:18 Literally “why did you hasten coming”
- Exodus 2:20 Literally “why this”
- Exodus 2:20 Literally “call to or “summon/invite” him and he will eat bread”
- Exodus 2:22 The word translated “alien” sounds like the first syllable in the name Gershom. The second syllable sounds like the word for “there”
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