Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled 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.
- BSB Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came to draw water and fill 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 3:1Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.
- Gen 24:11And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water.
- 1 Sam 9:11And as they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here?
- Gen 24:14–20And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master.
- Gen 29:6–10And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.
- Gen 41:45And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.
- Gen 14:18And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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.