Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters; and they came to draw 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 was keeping the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the back of the wilderness, and came to God’s mountain, to Horeb.
- Gen 24:11He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time that women go out to draw water.
- 1 Sam 9:11As they went up the ascent to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said to them, “Is the seer here?”
- Gen 24:14–20Let it happen, that the young lady to whom I will say, ‘Please let down your pitcher, that I may drink,’ and she will say, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink,’ — 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 29:6–10He said to them, “Is it well with him?” They said, “It is well. See, Rachel, his daughter, is coming with the sheep.”
- Gen 41:45Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphenath-Paneah; and he gave him Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On as a wife. Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.
- Gen 14:18Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine: and he was priest of God Most High.
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.