Exodus 2 16

Exodus 2:16 kjv

Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock.

Exodus 2:16 nkjv

Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. And they came and drew water, and they filled the troughs to water their father's flock.

Exodus 2:16 niv

Now a priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father's flock.

Exodus 2:16 esv

Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father's flock.

Exodus 2:16 nlt

Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters who came as usual to draw water and fill the water troughs for their father's flocks.

Exodus 2 16 Cross References

VerseTextReference
Gen 24:11And he made his camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water...Eliezer finding Rebekah at a well
Gen 24:19...she said, “I will draw for your camels also...”Offering water, hospitality
Gen 29:2...there were three flocks of sheep lying by it...Shepherds and flocks by a well
Gen 29:3When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone..Conflict and order at wells
Gen 29:9-10...Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess...Women tending flocks, meeting at a well
Gen 29:11Then Jacob kissed Rachel and lifted up his voice and wept.Providential meeting at a well leads to family
Exo 2:17Then the shepherds came and drove them away...Injustice at the well, following Exo 2:16
Exo 3:1Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest...Moses as a shepherd, relation to priest of Midian
Exo 18:1Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God...Confirms Jethro/Reuel as priest of Midian
Deut 32:25The sword without and terror within will sweep away young and old...Danger of outside conflict
Isa 58:11...and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.Provision and life-giving water
Jer 2:13They have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters...Importance of life-giving water (spiritual)
Zech 13:1On that day a fountain will be opened...Cleansing and life-giving water
Jn 4:7-15Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” ... “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again... but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst."Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well, spiritual water
Lk 24:28-31So they drew near to the village to which they were going...Hospitality and sharing a meal, providential guidance
Act 7:29At this statement Moses fled and became an exile in the land of Midian...Moses' flight and exile in Midian confirmed
Heb 11:24-25By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God...Moses' separation from Egypt, readiness for new path
Gal 4:22-24For it is written that Abraham had two sons... These things are allegories...Abraham's lineage, importance of barren women finding grace.
Num 22:4Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this horde will lick up all that is around us...”Midianites' future interactions with Israel
Num 25:6And behold, one of the people of Israel came and brought a Midianite woman...Israelites intermarrying with Midianites

Exodus 2 verses

Exodus 2 16 Meaning

Exodus 2:16 introduces Reuel, the priest of Midian, and his seven daughters who come to draw water for their father's flocks. This verse sets the stage for Moses' encounter with them and his integration into Midianite society after fleeing Egypt, establishing the location and primary characters for the ensuing events.

Exodus 2 16 Context

Exodus 2:16 is situated immediately after Moses' flight from Egypt. Moses, now a fugitive, has just performed a drastic act of killing an Egyptian overseer who was mistreating a Hebrew. His actions become known, and Pharaoh seeks to kill him, prompting Moses' escape. He flees eastward into the wilderness of Midian, a land east of the Sinai Peninsula, where he seeks refuge. This verse marks Moses' arrival in a new land and his first interaction with the people there, particularly with a local family led by a priest. The immediate chapter context establishes Moses' upbringing in Pharaoh's household, his developing sense of identity with the Hebrews, his intervention on behalf of an enslaved Israelite, and his subsequent flight. Culturally, the setting emphasizes the vital role of wells in arid regions for survival, social interaction, and potential conflict among shepherds for water rights, providing a realistic backdrop for the events that unfold.

Exodus 2 16 Word analysis

  • Now: (Heb. וְלוֹ, wĕlô) Often indicates a transition in narrative, connecting the preceding events (Moses' flight and arrival) with the subsequent action. It signals the introduction of a new setting and new characters pivotal to Moses' journey.
  • the priest: (Heb. כֹהֵן, kōhēn) This term refers to a religious leader, a mediator between humans and a deity. In Midianite society, which appears monotheistic or at least not entirely idolatrous (as Jethro later worships Yahweh), the priest holds significant community status and influence. His leadership extends beyond just religious duties, likely encompassing tribal leadership and wisdom. This sets him apart from the priests of Egypt whom Moses knew and foreshadows his later role as Moses' father-in-law and wise counselor.
  • of Midian: (Heb. מִדְיָן, Miḏyān) Descendants of Abraham through Keturah (Gen 25:2), the Midianites were nomadic or semi-nomadic people living in the desert regions. Midian becomes a place of refuge and formation for Moses. This detail is crucial, as Mount Horeb (Sinai), where Moses later receives the Law, is traditionally located in Midianite territory (Exo 3:1).
  • had seven daughters: (Heb. שֶׁבַע בָּנוֹת, sheva banot) The number seven often signifies completeness or divine perfection in the Bible. Here, it denotes a significant household, particularly one with only daughters, which would put them at a disadvantage in a patriarchal society if they had to compete for water against male shepherds, leading to the conflict in the following verse. Their number also suggests a thriving family for the priest.
  • and they came: (Heb. וַתָּבֹאנָה, vattaḇoʾnah) Implies their regular routine and established activity. Their coming to the well is not an exception but part of their daily life.
  • and drew water: (Heb. וַתִּדְלֶנָה, vattidlenah) This involved lowering a bucket into the well and hauling it up, often strenuous labor, particularly for women. It highlights their active participation in the livelihood of their family.
  • and filled the troughs: (Heb. וַתְּמַלֶּאנָה הָרְהָטִים, vattəmalleʾnah harĕhaṭim) "Troughs" (rheṭim) were channels or basins used for watering livestock. Filling them required significant effort, demonstrating their industriousness and dedication to their family's pastoral livelihood.
  • to water their father’s flock: (Heb. לְהַשְׁקוֹת אֶת צֹאן אֲבִיהֶן, ləhashqot et tzon avîhen) Their primary purpose. This phrase reinforces the pastoral lifestyle and the central role of livestock in their family's economy. The flock's reliance on water at this common well underscores the potential for tension, especially when others act unfairly.

Exodus 2 16 Bonus section

The recurring biblical motif of providential meetings at wells, often leading to marriage or significant life transitions (e.g., Abraham's servant meeting Rebekah, Jacob meeting Rachel), finds another instance here. While Exo 2:16 primarily introduces the characters and setting, it carries the weight of divine orchestration that would bring Moses out of his wilderness isolation into a family, providing him with a temporary home, a wife, and later, the encounter with God at the burning bush on the very mountain (Horeb/Sinai) within the Midianite territory he would shepherd. The position of a "priest of Midian" raises interesting questions about pre-Mosaic forms of worship and the recognition of God outside the direct line of Israel, showing divine truth being understood even in neighboring cultures.

Exodus 2 16 Commentary

Exodus 2:16 succinctly sets the stage for Moses' new life in Midian. It introduces Reuel (also known as Jethro), the priest who will become Moses' father-in-law, a pivotal figure in Moses' formative years. The verse highlights a commonplace scene in the arid ancient Near East: women coming to a well to draw water for their livestock. This everyday task, however, becomes the point of entry for Moses into a new family and community, orchestrating God's providential care for him. The detail of the "seven daughters" of the priest foreshadows the encounter in the very next verse, where Moses will act as their deliverer from oppressive shepherds, establishing his character as one who champions the wronged and initiates him into this new tribal society, ultimately leading to his marriage to Zipporah and his forty-year sojourn in Midian tending flocks, which served as a crucial period of preparation for his future leadership of Israel.