Exodus 2:16

16 erant sacerdoti Madian septem filiae quae venerunt ad hauriendas aquas et impletis canalibus adaquare cupiebant greges patris sui

Exodus 2:16 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 2:16

Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters
Who being a descendant of Abraham might have retained the knowledge of the true God, and might be a priest of his, as Melchizedek was, or otherwise it may be thought improbable that Moses would have married his daughter, as he afterwards did; and so Aben Ezra says, he was a priest of God; though the word is sometimes used of a prince, ruler, and governor; and is so rendered here by the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan; and Artapanus F18, an Heathen writer, expressly calls him (arcwn) , a "prince" of those places, that is, of Arabia; he might be both prince and priest, as Melchizedek before mentioned was, and as has been the usage of many countries:

and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their
father's flock;
which is no contradiction to their being daughters either of a priest or a prince, which were both high titles and characters; since it was usual in those early times, and in those countries, for the sons and daughters of considerable persons to be employed in such services; (See Gill on Genesis 29:9).


FOOTNOTES:

F18 Ut supra, (Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 27.) p. 434.

Exodus 2:16 In-Context

14 qui respondit quis constituit te principem et iudicem super nos num occidere me tu dicis sicut occidisti Aegyptium timuit Moses et ait quomodo palam factum est verbum istud
15 audivitque Pharao sermonem hunc et quaerebat occidere Mosen qui fugiens de conspectu eius moratus est in terra Madian et sedit iuxta puteum
16 erant sacerdoti Madian septem filiae quae venerunt ad hauriendas aquas et impletis canalibus adaquare cupiebant greges patris sui
17 supervenere pastores et eiecerunt eas surrexitque Moses et defensis puellis adaquavit oves earum
18 quae cum revertissent ad Raguhel patrem suum dixit ad eas cur velocius venistis solito
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.