Years later, when Moses had grown up, he went out to observe his people—the Hebrews—and he witnessed the heavy burden of labor forced upon them. He also witnessed an Egyptian beating one of his Hebrew brothers. 12 He looked around to see if anyone was watching but there was no one in sight, so he beat the Egyptian just as the Egyptian had beaten the Hebrew. Moses ended up killing the Egyptian and hid the dead body in the sand. 13 He went out again the next day and saw two of his Hebrew brothers fighting with each other. Moses confronted the offender. Moses: Why are you hitting your friend? Offender: 14 Who made you our prince and judge? Are you going to kill me as you did the Egyptian yesterday?[a] Fear immediately gripped Moses. Moses (to himself): The news of what I did must have spread. I must get out of here quickly. 15 Moses was right. When the news reached Pharaoh, he sought to have Moses killed. But Moses ran away from Pharaoh until he reached the land of Midian. There he sat down beside a well. 16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. While Moses was sitting there, resting from his journey, they came to get water from the well in order to fill the troughs with water for their father’s flock. 17 At that moment, a band of shepherds came and forced the priest’s flocks away from the well; but Moses stood up for the young women, came to their rescue, and even watered their father’s flock for them. 18 The women returned to their father Reuel (he was also known as Jethro). Many people and places in the Scriptures have more than one name. Jethro is likely his given name, while Reuel is his priestly name. Jethro: Why are you back so early today? Women: 19 An Egyptian was at the well and he saved us from the bullying of the shepherds. He even drew water from the well and watered the flock for us. Jethro: 20 Where is this man? Why did you leave him at the well? Go find him, and invite him over for a meal. 21 After experiencing Jethro’s hospitality, Moses agreed to come and live with him; and eventually Jethro arranged for one of his daughters, Zipporah, to marry Moses.[b] 22 Later Zipporah became pregnant and gave birth to a son; and Moses named the child Gershom because, as he explained, “I have been an outsider in a foreign land.” |
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