Focused Passage

Exodus 2:16-22

The Birth, Preservation, and Exile of Moses

Moses is born under a death decree, preserved through providence, raised in Pharaoh's household, exiled after failed intervention, and positioned in Midian while God hears Israel's groaning and remembers His covenant.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

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.

18When the daughters returned to their father Reuel, he asked them, “Why have you returned so early today?”

19“An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds,” they replied. “He even drew water for us and watered the flock.”

20“So where is he?” their father asked. “Why did you leave the man behind? Invite him to have something to eat.”

21Moses agreed to stay with the man, and he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage.

22And she gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom, saying, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 16

Original words

Now the priestוּלְכֹהֵ֥ןH3548Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular constructof Midianמִדְיָ֖ןH4080Noun - proper - masculine singularhad sevenשֶׁ֣בַעH7651Number - feminine singulardaughtersבָּנ֑וֹתH1323Noun - feminine pluraland they cameוַתָּבֹ֣אנָהH935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine pluralto draw waterוַתִּדְלֶ֗נָהH1802Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine pluraland fillוַתְּמַלֶּ֙אנָה֙H4390Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe troughsהָ֣רְהָטִ֔יםH7298Article | Noun - masculine pluralto waterלְהַשְׁק֖וֹתH8248Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructtheir father’sאֲבִיהֶֽן׃H1Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine pluralflockצֹ֥אןH6629Noun - common singular construct
Verse 17

Original words

And when some shepherdsהָרֹעִ֖יםH7462Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralcame alongוַיָּבֹ֥אוּH935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluraland drove them awayוַיְגָרְשׁ֑וּםH1644Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person masculine pluralMosesמֹשֶׁה֙H4872Noun - proper - masculine singularrose upוַיָּ֤קָםH6965Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularto help themוַיּ֣וֹשִׁעָ֔ןH3467Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine pluraland wateredוַיַּ֖שְׁקְH8248Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markertheir flockצֹאנָֽם׃H6629Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Verse 18

Original words

When [the daughters] returnedוַתָּבֹ֕אנָהH935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine pluraltoאֶל־H413Prepositiontheir fatherאֲבִיהֶ֑ןH1Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine pluralReuelרְעוּאֵ֖לH7467Noun - proper - masculine singularhe asked themוַיֹּ֕אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularWhyמַדּ֛וּעַH4069Interrogativehave you returnedבֹּ֖אH935Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructso earlyמִהַרְתֶּ֥ןH4116Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person feminine pluraltodayהַיּֽוֹם׃H3117Article | Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Reuel was also called Jethro; see Exodus 3:1.
Verse 19

Original words

An Egyptianמִצְרִ֔יH4713Noun - proper - masculine singularrescued usהִצִּילָ֖נוּH5337Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular | first person common pluralfromמִיַּ֣דH3027Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular constructthe shepherdsהָרֹעִ֑יםH7462Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralthey repliedוַתֹּאמַ֕רְןָH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine plural. . .אִ֣ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularHe evenוְגַם־H1571Conjunctiondrew waterדָּלֹ֤הH1802Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute. . .דָלָה֙H1802Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularfor usלָ֔נוּPreposition | first person common pluraland wateredוַיַּ֖שְׁקְH8248Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe flockהַצֹּֽאן׃H6629Article | Noun - common singular
Verse 20

Original words

So where is heוְאַיּ֑וֹH335Conjunctive waw | Interrogative | third person masculine singular[their father] askedוַיֹּ֥אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .אֶל־H413Preposition. . .בְּנֹתָ֖יוH1323Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singularWhyלָ֤מָּהH4100Preposition-l | Interrogative. . .זֶּה֙H2088Pronoun - masculine singulardid you leave the manהָאִ֔ישׁH376Article | Noun - masculine singularbehindעֲזַבְתֶּ֣ןH5800Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person feminine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerInviteקִרְאֶ֥ןH7121Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine pluralhimל֖וֹPreposition | third person masculine singularto have something to eatוְיֹ֥אכַלH398Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .לָֽחֶם׃H3899Noun - masculine singular
Verse 21

Original words

Mosesמֹשֶׁ֖הH4872Noun - proper - masculine singularagreedוַיּ֥וֹאֶלH2974Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularto stayלָשֶׁ֣בֶתH3427Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructwithאֶת־H854Prepositionthe manהָאִ֑ישׁH376Article | Noun - masculine singularand he gaveוַיִּתֵּ֛ןH5414Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerhis daughterבִתּ֖וֹH1323Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularZipporahצִפֹּרָ֥הH6855Noun - proper - feminine singularto Moses in marriageלְמֹשֶֽׁה׃H4872Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 22

Original words

And she gave birth toוַתֵּ֣לֶדH3205Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singulara sonבֵּ֔ןH1121Noun - masculine singularand [Moses] named himוַיִּקְרָ֥אH7121Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .אֶת־H853Direct object marker. . .שְׁמ֖וֹH8034Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularGershomגֵּרְשֹׁ֑םH1647Noun - proper - masculine singular-כִּ֣יH3588Conjunctionsayingאָמַ֔רH559Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularI have becomeהָיִ֔יתִיH1961Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singulara foreignerגֵּ֣רH1616Noun - masculine singularin a foreignנָכְרִיָּֽה׃פH5237Adjective - feminine singularlandבְּאֶ֖רֶץH776Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular

BSB notes

  • Gershom sounds like the Hebrew for foreigner.

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.