Exodus 2:16

16 Now there was a Midianite priest who had seven daughters. The daughters came to draw water and fill the troughs so that their father's flock could drink.

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 He replied, "Who made you a boss or judge over us? Are you planning to kill me like you killed the Egyptian?" Then Moses was afraid when he realized: They obviously know what I did.
15 When Pharaoh heard about it, he tried to kill Moses. But Moses ran away from Pharaoh and settled down in the land of Midian. One day Moses was sitting by a well.
16 Now there was a Midianite priest who had seven daughters. The daughters came to draw water and fill the troughs so that their father's flock could drink.
17 But some shepherds came along and rudely chased them away. Moses got up, rescued the women, and gave their flock water to drink.
18 When they went back home to their father Reuel, he asked, "How were you able to come back home so soon today?"
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