Exodus 2:16-22 meaning

In Exodus 2:16-22, Moses protects Reuel’s daughters by defending them from bullying shepherds, is welcomed into his household, marries Zipporah, and begins life as a sojourner in Midian.

It is not known whether Moses chose to go to Midian or he just ended up there as he wandered in the Sinai wilderness and northwestern Arabia. In either case, he is sitting beside a water well when this event occurred.

A new thread in the narrative begins in verse 16:

Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters; and they came to draw water and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock (v 16).

We are told that the priest of Midian had seven daughters. Because he is called the priest of Midian, he is a religious leader among the Midianites. What religion the Midianites practiced is not exactly known. Since they are descended from Abraham's sons (Genesis 25), they might have been raised to worship the God of the Bible.

In the Ancient Near East, women were involved in shepherding as well as men, so it was not unusual for these daughters to lead their sheep to a well to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father's flock. This would especially have been true since there were no males in this family. The fact that there were troughs means that this was a well-known, frequently used place to provide water to flocks.

Then the shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and helped them and watered their flock (v 17).

While they were watering their flocks, the shepherds came. These shepherds (presumably male) wanted to intimidate the daughters so that they would give up their place at the well. It appears that they were successful, because it says that they drove them away. This was probably not the first time that this has happened.

But then Moses stood up and helped them. It appears that the male shepherds retreated. This is the third time Moses has stood up for what he thinks is right, but this time there is not any ambitious motive for his actions. While Moses is not taking on Egypt or trying to liberate his brethren from a world power (Exodus 2:11-15), this act entailed personal risk. He is a lone foreigner who could be injured, killed, or driven once again from his home. And even if Moses would be successful in driving the shepherds away and defending the priest’s daughters, he would not have expected to gain much. There is nothing self-serving about this act.

In helping these female shepherds, Moses did a sacrificial, courageous, and noble act of service.

Moses not only delivered the daughters from their oppressors, he also helped them with the provision of water for their flock. This certainly aligns with the substantial physical power Moses showed in dispatching the Egyptian guard (Exodus 2:12). The Hebrew word for helped can also be translated "saved." This "saving" is more in line with rescuing. Moses rescued the daughters from the harassment of the other shepherds.

With Moses's help, the daughters' job was completed earlier than usual.

When they came to Reuel their father, he said, “Why have you come back so soon today?” (v 18).

Upon the daughters return, they came to Reuel their father. Reuel was the Midian priest and father of these seven daughters. The name Reuel means “friend of God.” Reuel is referred to as “Jethro” in Exodus 3:1 and later in Exodus. Introducing him as “Reuel” here in Chapter 2 might possibly be a way to indicate that Jethro and his Midianite clan really did worship the God of Abraham.

The fact that the daughters finished their chore early is seen when he said, "Why have you come back so soon today?” Reul was surprised to see that his daughters had already returned, so he asked them why they were back so soon on this day. Their earlier-than-expected arrival also could indicate that his daughters were frequently harassed and bumped out of line by the other shepherds to water their father’s flock. The daughters gave him the news:

So they said, “An Egyptian delivered us from the hand of the shepherds, and what is more, he even drew the water for us and watered the flock” (v 19).

Apparently, something about Moses gave away his origins as an Egyptian, likely either his dress or the way he spoke.

Moses became their deliverer. Not only did he deliver, he also protected and provided for the daughters by doing most of the work of watering the flocks for them. This pattern—deliverance, protection, and provision—can be seen in numerous cases in the Book of Exodus and many other parts of Scripture, for God is the deliverer, protector, and provider for all of His covenant people, Old and New Testament.

Reuel wanted to thank Moses for helping his daughters.

He said to his daughters, “Where is he then? Why is it that you have left the man behind? Invite him to have something to eat” (v 20).

Reuel wanted to return the favor and show Moses hospitality. And he seemed upset that his daughters had not already done this. He confronts them—"Where is he then? Why is it that you have left the man behind?” Reuel then sent them to invite Moses, their deliverer, to have something to eat.

Reuel’s invitation to dinner resulted in much more than Moses bargained for.

Moses was willing to dwell with the man, and he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses (v 21).

That Moses was willing to dwell with the man is an indication that he had no specific place to go to when he left Egypt.

Then he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses, meaning Reuel, the father now invited Moses to be a part of the family. This certainly seems to make a lot of practical sense to both parties.

It made sense for Moses to settle down among the Midianites. It allowed him to build a new life. It provided him with a new purpose. And it gave him a new people and family to belong to after being rejected by the Hebrews and run out of Egypt by Pharoah.

It also made sense for Reuel to invite Moses to join his family. It added a formidable warrior with a noble heart who was willing to serve as a shepherd among a family with only one other male.

And God blessed Moses and Zipporah.

Then she gave birth to a son, and he named him Gershom, for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land” (v 22).

The union of Moses and Zipporah was fruitful, for she gave birth to a son.  Moses named him Gershom, for he said, "I have been a sojourner in a foreign land."  The name Gershom is probably related to the Hebrew verb that means "to drive or banish." The naming of his son can be seen as an expression of sorrow mixed with gratitude for all God had given him despite his painful and futile past. After everything, Moses had landed on his feet. He had a wife, a son, and a humble but steady new career. In spite of his new wife and son, Moses probably thought that he was doomed to a life of obscurity in the Sinai desert.

If that was the end of the story of Moses, it would have been a good story. If that was the end of Moses’s story, a modern ending to it might have read: “And Moses and Zipporah lived happily ever after.” But that is not the end of the story. It was only the beginning of something far grander—a far more lasting and significant part of God’s redemption of Israel.