Esodo 2:16

16 Or il sacerdote di Madian avea sette figliuole; le quali vennero, e attinsero dell’acqua, ed empierono gli abbeveratoi, per abbeverar le gregge del lor padre.

Esodo 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).

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FOOTNOTES:

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

Esodo 2:16 In-Context

14 E colui gli rispose: Chi ti ha costituito principe e giudice sopra noi? pensi tu di uccider me, come uccidesti quell’Egizio? E Mosè temette, e disse: Per certo la cosa si è saputa.

15 E Faraone udì questa cosa, e cercò Mosè per ucciderlo; ma Mosè se ne fuggì dal cospetto di Faraone, e si fermò nel paese di Madian, ove si pose a sedere presso ad un pozzo.

16 Or il sacerdote di Madian avea sette figliuole; le quali vennero, e attinsero dell’acqua, ed empierono gli abbeveratoi, per abbeverar le gregge del lor padre.

17 E i pastori sopraggiunsero, e scacciarono le gregge; ma Mosè si levò, e soccorse quelle fanciulle, e abbeverò le lor gregge.

18 Ed elleno se ne vennero a Reuel, lor padre; ed egli disse loro: Perchè siete voi oggi così presto ritornate?