Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father’s flock.
Parallel translations
- WEB Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.
- KJV Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.
- NKJV 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.
- NASB Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters; and they came to draw water and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.
- NLT 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.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The priest of Midian has seven daughters who come to water their father's flock. The narrative introduces the family Moses will join.
Overview
This well scene recalls how God provided wives for Isaac and Jacob at wells, signaling that He is again arranging events. The daughters' ordinary task becomes the setting for God's providence in Moses' life. Even in distant Midian, the Lord is quietly guiding His servant's steps.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Exod 3:1Meanwhile, Moses was shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
- Gen 24:11As 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.
- 1 Sam 9:11And 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?”
- Gen 24:14–20Now may it happen that the girl to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who responds, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels as well’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. By this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.”
- Gen 29:6–10“Is he well?” Jacob inquired. “Yes,” they answered, “and here comes his daughter Rachel with his sheep.”
- Gen 41:45Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-paneah, and he gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, to be his wife. And Joseph took charge of all the land of Egypt.
- Gen 14:18Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine—since he was priest of God Most High—
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Christ at the center
The Passover lamb whose blood turns away death, the exodus through the sea, the manna, the rock, and the tabernacle where God dwells with his people all foreshadow Jesus — our Passover, our redemption, the bread from heaven, and God-with-us in the flesh.
How Exodus 2:16 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.