Moses' Story
A painting of Moses helping the daughters of the priest of Midian at a well

Moses' Story · Event 4 of 59

At the Well in Midian

Called in Midian · Midian

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Exodus 2:15–22

15When Pharaoh heard about this, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian, where he sat down by a well. 16Now the priest of Midian had 7 daughters. They came to the well, drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. 17Then the shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. 18When the daughters returned to their father Reuel, he asked, "How did you get back so early today?" 19They answered, "An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds. He even drew water for us and watered the flock." 20And he asked his daughters, "Where is he? Why did you leave the man? Call him, so he can eat bread." 21Moses agreed to stay with the man, and Reuel gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses as his wife. 22She gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom, saying, "I have been a foreigner in a foreign land."

Read Exodus 2
Up nextThe Burning BushExodus 3:1–22

About this event

What happened?

In Midian, Moses sat down by a well. The seven daughters of the priest of Midian came to water their father's flock, but shepherds drove them away. Moses stood up, helped them, and watered their flock. The daughters told their father that an Egyptian had rescued them. Their father invited Moses to eat with them. Moses agreed to stay, and the priest gave him his daughter Zipporah as his wife. She had a son, and Moses named him Gershom, saying, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land.”

Who is here?

  • The seven daughters of the priest of Midian
  • Reuel, the priest of Midian
  • Zipporah, his wife
  • Gershom, his son

Where did this happen?

Midian

A desert land outside Egypt where the Midianite people lived.

Where this fits

Event 1 of 4 in Called in Midian: Moses flees to Midian and marries there. God calls him from a burning bush and sends him back to Egypt.

Good to know

Exodus 2:18 calls the priest of Midian Reuel. Exodus 3:1 calls Moses' father-in-law Jethro, and Judges 4:11 names Hobab. Readers explain these names in different ways.

Keep exploring

Before thisMoses Kills an EgyptianExodus 2:11–15After thisThe Burning BushExodus 3:1–22

Moses' Story