Exodus 2:16-17
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The phrase "priest of Midian" is significant because while "priest" (cohen in Hebrew) can mean religious leader, it also carried the meaning of "prince" or "chief." This highlights that Jethro held both spiritual and governmental authority, a common role for leaders in ancient societies, and suggests he likely worshipped the true God, albeit perhaps with some corruptions, rather than idols.
Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. The shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and saved them, and watered their flock.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Having fled Egypt for killing an Egyptian taskmaster, Moses finds himself in Midian, a land where he is a stranger and in hiding. He sits by a well where the seven daughters of a local priest, Jethro, come to water their father's flock. When other shepherds try to drive them away, Moses intervenes, defends the women, and helps them water their sheep. This act of kindness leads to Moses being invited to Jethro's home, where he finds refuge and eventually marries Jethro's daughter, Zipporah.
What do we call Jethro, Moses' father-in-law? The Bible uses a word that has surprised scholars for centuries. Was he a ruler, a spiritual leader, or both?
The Hebrew word used for Jethro's role is 'cohen.' While often translated as 'priest,' it carried a broader meaning in ancient Near Eastern cultures, encompassing roles of leadership, counsel, and even tribal chieftainship.
Moses, an exile in Midian, sits by a well. Seven daughters arrive to water their flock. Was this a random encounter, or was God's hand guiding every detail?
This seemingly simple scene at the well is a profound illustration of God's sovereign hand at work in the lives of His people, even in exile.
Ask a follow-up
Moses names his first son Gershom, meaning 'stranger there.' Why choose such a name? What does it reveal about his heart during his exile?
The naming of Moses' son, Gershom, is more than just a personal label; it's a theological declaration about his identity and hope, even while settled in Midian.
Understand the original words
kōhēn · Hebrew Noun
An individual who serves as a mediator between God and the people, often performing sacrifices, interceding, and teaching the law in ancient Near Eastern and biblical contexts.
šāqâ · Hebrew Verb
To provide for the survival of living creatures by providing hydration, often used metaphorically for spiritual sustenance or God’s provision.
ṣō’n · Hebrew Noun
A group of animals under the care of a shepherd; in the Bible, it is frequently used as a metaphor for God’s people under His divine care and leadership.
rō‘eh · Hebrew Noun
A person who tends, feeds, and guards sheep; biblically, it is a primary metaphor for leadership, characterizing one who protects, guides, and sacrifices for those in their care.
yāša‘ · Hebrew Verb
To rescue, liberate, or bring into a state of safety; it denotes a powerful intervention to pull someone out of danger or oppression.
Moses's encounter at the well isn't just a chance meeting; it's a divinely orchestrated event. God uses this humble situation to provide a refuge for Moses, prepare him for his future leadership, and connect him to the lineage through which His people would eventually be led out of Egypt.
c. 1526 BC— this verse
Moses flees Egypt
After killing an Egyptian taskmaster for beating a Hebrew slave, Moses flees Egypt to escape Pharaoh's wrath.
c. 1526 BC
Moses arrives in Midian
Moses reaches the land of Midian, a region east of the Gulf of Aqaba, and rests by a well.
c. 1526 BC
Moses intervenes for Jethro's daughters
Moses prevents local shepherds from harassing Jethro's seven daughters as they draw water for their flock.
c. 1526 BC
Moses taken in by Jethro
The priest of Midian, Jethro (also known as Reuel), invites Moses to live with his family and work as a shepherd.
c. 1522 BC
Moses marries Zipporah
Moses marries Zipporah, one of Jethro's daughters, and they have a son named Gershom.
c. 1486 BC
Moses encounters the Burning Bush
Forty years into his exile, Moses is tending his flock when God appears to him in a burning bush, commissioning him to return to Egypt.
This passage describes Rebekah drawing water for Abraham's servant and his camels, mirroring the pastoral duty of Jethro's daughters and highlighting the cultural significance of wells and water in that ancient society.
Genesis 29:1-10Similar to Exodus 2, Jacob encounters shepherds at a well who are preventing Rachel from watering her flock, and he steps in to help her, showing a parallel to Moses' intervention.
Proverbs 3:5-6This proverb speaks to trusting in the Lord to direct our steps, which resonates with the theological understanding that God providentially guided Moses to Midian and this well, not by chance but by divine design.
Hebrews 11:24-27This passage in Hebrews explains Moses' choice to identify with the Israelites rather than enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin and the treasures of Egypt, underscoring his character development and the reasons for his exile and subsequent actions.
clarkeExodus 2:16: "Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock."
The priest of Midian - Or prince, or both; for the original כהן cohen has both meanings. See it explained at large at Genesis 15:18 (note). The transaction here very nearly resembles that mentioned Genesis 29 (note) concerning Jacob and Rachel.
calvinExodus 2:16-22: "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. The profane would attribute this meeting to good fortune, whereas God affords us in it a striking picture of his providence, in thus with an outstretched hand directing the steps of his servant. Those damsels were in the habit of coming daily to the well; and Moses sat down to ask for hospitality at the waterside, whith…
The phrase "priest of Midian" is significant because while "priest" (cohen in Hebrew) can mean religious leader, it also carried the meaning of "prince" or "chief." This highlights that Jethro held both spiritual and governmental authority, a common role for leaders in ancient societies, and suggests he likely worshipped the true God, albeit perhaps with some corruptions, rather than idols.
Having fled Egypt for killing an Egyptian taskmaster, Moses finds himself in Midian, a land where he is a stranger and in hiding. He sits by a well where the seven daughters of a local priest, Jethro, come to water their father's flock. When other shepherds try to drive them away, Moses intervenes, defends the women, and helps them water their sheep. This act of kindness leads to Moses being invited to Jethro's home, where he finds refuge and eventually marries Jethro's daughter, Zipporah.
Having fled Egypt for killing an Egyptian taskmaster, Moses finds himself in Midian, a land where he is a stranger and in hiding. He sits by a well where the seven daughters of a local priest, Jethro, come to water their father's flock. When other shepherds try to drive them away, Moses intervenes, defends the women, and helps them water their sheep. This act of kindness leads to Moses being invited to Jethro's home, where he finds refuge and eventually marries Jethro's daughter, Zipporah.
"Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. The shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and saved them, and watered their flock." — The phrase "priest of Midian" is significant because while "priest" (cohen in Hebrew) can mean religious leader, it also carried the meaning of "prince" or "chief." This highlights that Jethro held b…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
