Exodus 2:16
New International Version
Now a priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father’s flock.

New Living Translation
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.

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

Berean Standard Bible
Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father’s flock.

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

New King James Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters; and they came to draw water and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.

NASB 1995
Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters; and they came to draw water and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.

NASB 1977
Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters; and they came to draw water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters; and they came and drew water and filled the troughs to give water to their father’s flock to drink.

Amplified Bible
Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters; and they came and drew water [from the well where Moses was resting] and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.

Christian Standard Bible
Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came to draw water and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came to draw water and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.

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

Contemporary English Version
the seven daughters of Jethro, the priest of Midian, came up to water their father's sheep and goats.

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

GOD'S WORD® Translation
seven daughters of the priest of Midian came. They drew water and filled the troughs to water their father's sheep.

International Standard Version
Meanwhile, the seven daughters of a certain Midianite priest would come to draw water in order to fill water troughs for their father's sheep.

Majority Standard Bible
Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father’s flock.

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

New Heart English Bible
Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock.

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

World English Bible
Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And to a priest of Midian [are] seven daughters, and they come and draw, and fill the troughs to water the flock of their father,

Young's Literal Translation
And to a priest of Midian are seven daughters, and they come and draw, and fill the troughs, to water the flock of their father,

Smith's Literal Translation
And to the priest of Midian, seven daughters: and they will come and will draw and fill the watering troughs to water the sheep of their father.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the priest of Madian had seven daughters, who came to draw water: and when the troughs were filled, desired to water their father's flocks.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Now there was a priest of Midian with seven daughters, who came to draw water. And having filled the troughs, they desired to water their father’s flocks.

New American Bible
Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father’s flock.

New Revised Standard Version
The priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came to draw water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters; and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the Priest of Midian had seven daughters and they were coming and drawing out water and filled the water trough to water the flocks of their father.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters; and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the priest of Madiam had seven daughters, feeding the flock of their father Jothor; and they came and drew water until they filled their pitchers, to water the flock of their father Jothor.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Moses Flees to Midian
15When Pharaoh heard about this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian, where he sat down beside a well. 16Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father’s flock. 17And when some shepherds came along and drove them away, Moses rose up to help them and watered their flock.…

Cross References
Genesis 24:11-20
As evening approached, he made the camels kneel down near the well outside the town at the time when the women went out to draw water. / “O LORD, God of my master Abraham,” he prayed, “please grant me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. / Here I am, standing beside the spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. ...

Genesis 29:2-10
He looked and saw a well in the field, and near it lay three flocks of sheep, because the sheep were watered from this well. And a large stone covered the mouth of the well. / When all the flocks had been gathered there, the shepherds would roll away the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep. Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well. / “My brothers,” Jacob asked the shepherds, “where are you from?” “We are from Haran,” they answered. ...

Numbers 10:29-32
Then Moses said to Hobab, the son of Moses’ father-in-law Reuel the Midianite, “We are setting out for the place of which the LORD said: ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will treat you well, for the LORD has promised good things to Israel.” / “I will not go,” Hobab replied. “Instead, I am going back to my own land and my own people.” / “Please do not leave us,” Moses said, “since you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you can serve as our eyes. ...

Judges 1:16
Now the descendants of Moses’ father-in-law, the Kenite, went up with the men of Judah from the City of Palms to the Wilderness of Judah in the Negev near Arad. They went to live among the people.

Judges 4:11
Now Heber the Kenite had moved away from the Kenites, the descendants of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent by the great tree of Zaanannim, which was near Kedesh.

1 Samuel 9:11-13
And as they were climbing the hill to the city, they met some young women coming out to draw water and asked, “Is the seer here?” / “Yes, he is ahead of you,” they answered. “Hurry now, for today he has come to the city because the people have a sacrifice on the high place. / As soon as you enter the city, you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not eat until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; after that, the guests will eat. Go up at once; you will find him.”

1 Kings 17:10-11
So Elijah got up and went to Zarephath. When he arrived at the city gate, there was a widow gathering sticks. Elijah called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup, so that I may drink.” / And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a piece of bread.”

2 Kings 2:19-22
Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Please note, our lord, that the city’s location is good, as you can see. But the water is bad and the land is unfruitful.” / “Bring me a new bowl,” he replied, “and put some salt in it.” So they brought it to him, / and Elisha went out to the spring, cast the salt into it, and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘I have healed this water. No longer will it cause death or unfruitfulness.’” ...

Isaiah 12:3
With joy you will draw water from the springs of salvation,

Isaiah 32:20
Blessed are those who sow beside abundant waters, who let the ox and donkey range freely.

John 4:7-14
When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” / (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) / “You are a Jew,” said the woman. “How can You ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) ...

John 7:37-38
On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and called out in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. / Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: ‘Streams of living water will flow from within him.’”

Acts 7:29
At this remark, Moses fled to the land of Midian, where he lived as a foreigner and had two sons.

Romans 12:13
Share with the saints who are in need. Practice hospitality.

1 Corinthians 10:4
and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.


Treasury of Scripture

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.

Exodus 3:1
Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.

Genesis 14:18
And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.

Genesis 41:45
And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.

they came.

Genesis 24:11,14-20
And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water

Genesis 29:6-10
And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep…

1 Samuel 9:11
And as they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here?

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Exodus 2
1. Moses is born, and placed in a basket in the reeds of Nile.
5. He is found, and brought up by Pharaoh's daughter;
7. who employs his mother to nurse him.
11. He kills an Egyptian.
13. He reproves a Hebrew.
15. He flees into Midian, and marries Zipporah.
22. Gershom is born.
23. God respects the Israelites' cry.














Now the priest of Midian
This phrase introduces us to a significant figure in the narrative, the priest of Midian. The Hebrew word for "priest" is "kohen," which indicates a person who performs religious duties. Midian was a region located in the northwestern part of the Arabian Peninsula. Historically, the Midianites were descendants of Abraham through his wife Keturah (Genesis 25:1-2). The priest of Midian, therefore, represents a connection to the broader Abrahamic tradition, even outside the direct line of Isaac. This highlights God's work beyond the immediate family of Israel, suggesting His sovereignty and involvement in the wider world.

had seven daughters
The mention of "seven daughters" is significant in biblical numerology, where the number seven often symbolizes completeness or perfection. In the context of the narrative, these daughters are responsible for tending to their father's flock, which indicates a family structure where women actively participate in essential daily tasks. This detail sets the stage for Moses' interaction with them and underscores the cultural norms of the time, where shepherding was a common occupation.

They came to draw water
Drawing water was a daily necessity and a task often performed by women in ancient cultures. The act of drawing water is symbolic of life and sustenance, as water is essential for survival. In the biblical context, wells are often places of divine encounters and significant events (e.g., Rebekah at the well in Genesis 24). This phrase sets the scene for an encounter that will change the course of Moses' life, as he will soon intervene on behalf of these women.

and fill the troughs to water their father’s flock
The troughs were containers used to hold water for the animals, indicating the practical aspects of shepherding life. The phrase "their father's flock" emphasizes the familial responsibility and the daughters' role in supporting their household. This task reflects the agrarian lifestyle of the time and the importance of livestock as a source of wealth and sustenance. The mention of the flock also foreshadows Moses' future role as a shepherd of God's people, Israel, highlighting the theme of leadership and care.

(16) The priest of Midian.--Reuel may have been both "priest" and "prince," like Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18); but there is no reason to doubt that he is here called "priest." In Exodus 18:12, Jethro is represented as exercising priestly functions. The Midianites, descendants of Abraham by Keturah, worshipped the true God, and seem to have been at this time a religious people. The name Reuel, or Raguel, means "friend of God." Jethro's sacrifices were "for God," and Aaron and the elders eat bread with him "before God."

They came and drew water.--Comp. Genesis 29:9. According to Oriental ideas, there is nothing derogatory in the daughters of a chief so acting.

Verses 16-22. - LIFE OF MOSES IN MIDIAN. Fugitives from Egypt generally took the northern route from Pelusium or Migdol to Gaza, and so to Syria, or the regions beyond. But in this quarter they were liable to be arrested and sent back to the Egyptian monarch. Rameses II: put a special clause to this effect into his treaty with the contemporary Hittite king (Brugsch, 'History of Egypt,' vol. 2 p. 73). It was, perhaps, the fear of extradition which made Moses turn his steps southeastward, and proceed along the route, or at any rate in the direction, which he afterwards took with his nation. Though Egypt had possessions in the Sinaitic peninsula, it was not difficult to avoid them; and before Sinai was reached the fugitive would be in complete safety, for the Egyptians seem never to have penetrated to the southern or eastern parts of the great triangle. "The well," by which Moses took up his abode, is placed with some probability in the neighbourhood of Sherm, about ten miles north-east of Ras Mahommed, the southern cape of the peninsula Verse 16. - The priest of Midian. Cohen is certainly "priest" here, and not "prince," since the father-in-law of Moses exercises priestly functions in Exodus 18:12. His seven daughters drew water for his flock, in accordance with Eastern custom. So Rachel "kept the sheep" of her father Laban, and watered them (Genesis 29:9). Such a practice agrees well with the simplicity of primitive times and peoples; nor would it even at the present day be regarded as strange in Arabia.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Now the priest
וּלְכֹהֵ֥ן (ū·lə·ḵō·hên)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3548: Priest

of Midian
מִדְיָ֖ן (miḏ·yān)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4080: Midian -- a son of Abraham and Keturah, also his descendants and the region where they settled

had seven
שֶׁ֣בַע (še·ḇa‘)
Number - feminine singular
Strong's 7651: Seven, seven times, a week, an indefinite number

daughters,
בָּנ֑וֹת (bā·nō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 1323: A daughter

and they came
וַתָּבֹ֣אנָה (wat·tā·ḇō·nāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine plural
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

to draw water
וַתִּדְלֶ֗נָה (wat·tiḏ·le·nāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine plural
Strong's 1802: To dangle, to let down a, bucket, to deliver

and fill
וַתְּמַלֶּ֙אנָה֙ (wat·tə·mal·le·nāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine plural
Strong's 4390: To fill, be full of

the troughs
הָ֣רְהָטִ֔ים (hā·rə·hā·ṭîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 7298: A channel, watering-box, ringlet of hair

to water
לְהַשְׁק֖וֹת (lə·haš·qō·wṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct
Strong's 8248: To quaff, to irrigate, furnish a, potion to

their father’s
אֲבִיהֶֽן׃ (’ă·ḇî·hen)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine plural
Strong's 1: Father

flock.
צֹ֥אן (ṣōn)
Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 6629: Small cattle, sheep and goats, flock


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OT Law: Exodus 2:16 Now the priest of Midian had seven (Exo. Ex)
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