Exodus 2:17
New International Version
Some shepherds came along and drove them away, but Moses got up and came to their rescue and watered their flock.

New Living Translation
But some other shepherds came and chased them away. So Moses jumped up and rescued the girls from the shepherds. Then he drew water for their flocks.

English Standard Version
The shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and saved them, and watered their flock.

Berean Standard Bible
And when some shepherds came along and drove them away, Moses rose up to help them and watered their flock.

King James Bible
And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.

New King James Version
Then the shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.

New American Standard Bible
Then the shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and helped them and watered their flock.

NASB 1995
Then the shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and helped them and watered their flock.

NASB 1977
Then the shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then the shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses rose up and saved them and gave water to their flock to drink.

Amplified Bible
Then shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and helped them and watered their flock.

Christian Standard Bible
Then some shepherds arrived and drove them away, but Moses came to their rescue and watered their flock.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then some shepherds arrived and drove them away, but Moses came to their rescue and watered their flock.

American Standard Version
And the shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.

Contemporary English Version
Some shepherds tried to chase them away, but Moses came to their rescue and watered their animals.

English Revised Version
And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But some shepherds came and chased them away. So Moses got up, came to their defense, and then watered their sheep.

Good News Translation
But some shepherds drove Jethro's daughters away. Then Moses went to their rescue and watered their animals for them.

International Standard Version
Some shepherds came to drive them away, but Moses got up, came to their rescue, and watered their sheep.

Majority Standard Bible
And when some shepherds came along and drove them away, Moses rose up to help them and watered their flock.

NET Bible
When some shepherds came and drove them away, Moses came up and defended them and then watered their flock.

New Heart English Bible
The shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and drew water for them, and watered their flock.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.

World English Bible
The shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and the shepherds come and drive them away, and Moses arises, and saves them, and waters their flock.

Young's Literal Translation
and the shepherds come and drive them away, and Moses ariseth, and saveth them, and watereth their flock.

Smith's Literal Translation
And the shepherds will come, and will expel them: and Moses will rise up and help them, and will water their sheep.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the shepherds came and drove them away: and Moses arose, and defending the maids, watered their sheep.

Catholic Public Domain Version
The shepherds overcame them and drove them away. And Moses rose up, and defending the girls, he watered their sheep.

New American Bible
But shepherds came and drove them away. So Moses rose up in their defense and watered their flock.

New Revised Standard Version
But some shepherds came and drove them away. Moses got up and came to their defense and watered their flock.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses rose up and rescued them, and watered their flock.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Shepherds were coming and chasing them away, and Moshe arose and he saved them and he gave drink to their flocks.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the shepherds came, and were driving them away; and Moses rose up and rescued them, and drew water for them, and watered their sheep.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Moses Flees to Midian
16Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father’s flock. 17And when some shepherds came along and drove them away, Moses rose up to help them and watered their flock. 18When the daughters returned to their father Reuel, he asked them, “Why have you returned so early today?”…

Cross References
Genesis 24:11-20
As 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. / “O LORD, God of my master Abraham,” he prayed, “please grant me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. / Here I am, standing beside the spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. ...

Genesis 29:10
As soon as Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his mother’s brother Laban, with Laban’s sheep, he went up and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle’s sheep.

Numbers 20:17-19
Please let us pass through your land. We will not go through any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will stay on the King’s Highway; we will not turn to the right or to the left until we have passed through your territory.” / But Edom answered, “You may not travel through our land, or we will come out and confront you with the sword.” / “We will stay on the main road,” the Israelites replied, “and if we or our herds drink your water, we will pay for it. There will be no problem; only let us pass through on foot.”

Deuteronomy 10:18
He executes justice for the fatherless and widow, and He loves the foreigner, giving him food and clothing.

Isaiah 1:17
Learn to do right; seek justice and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless and plead the case of the widow.”

Isaiah 32:2
Each will be like a shelter from the wind, a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in a dry land, like the shadow of a great rock in an arid land.

Isaiah 58:6-7
Isn’t this the fast that I have chosen: to break the chains of wickedness, to untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and tear off every yoke? / Isn’t it to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into your home, to clothe the naked when you see him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Jeremiah 22:3
This is what the LORD says: Administer justice and righteousness. Rescue the victim of robbery from the hand of his oppressor. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow. Do not shed innocent blood in this place.

Psalm 82:3-4
Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; uphold the rights of the afflicted and oppressed. / Rescue the weak and needy; save them from the hand of the wicked.

Proverbs 31:8-9
Open your mouth for those with no voice, for the cause of all the dispossessed. / Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the cause of the poor and needy.

Matthew 25:35-40
For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in, / I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you visited Me.’ / Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? ...

Luke 10:30-37
Jesus took up this question and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. / Now by chance a priest was going down the same road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. / So too, when a Levite came to that spot and saw him, he passed by on the other side. ...

John 4:7-10
When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” / (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) / “You are a Jew,” said the woman. “How can You ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) ...

Acts 7:24
And when he saw one of them being mistreated, Moses went to his defense and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian who was oppressing him.

Romans 12:13
Share with the saints who are in need. Practice hospitality.


Treasury of Scripture

And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.

shepherds.

Genesis 21:25
And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away.

Genesis 26:15-22
For all the wells which his father's servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with earth…

watered.

Exodus 2:12
And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.

Genesis 29:10
And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.

Jump to Previous
Ariseth Drive Driving Drove Flock Help Helped Keepers Moses Rescue Rose Saveth Sheep Shepherds Stood Watered Watereth Watering
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Ariseth Drive Driving Drove Flock Help Helped Keepers Moses Rescue Rose Saveth Sheep Shepherds Stood Watered Watereth Watering
Exodus 2
1. Moses is born, and placed in a basket in the reeds of Nile.
5. He is found, and brought up by Pharaoh's daughter;
7. who employs his mother to nurse him.
11. He kills an Egyptian.
13. He reproves a Hebrew.
15. He flees into Midian, and marries Zipporah.
22. Gershom is born.
23. God respects the Israelites' cry.














Then some shepherds came along
This phrase introduces the antagonists in this narrative. The shepherds represent a common occupational group in ancient Near Eastern societies, often associated with both pastoral care and, at times, unruly behavior. Historically, shepherds were known to be protective of their grazing rights, which could lead to conflicts. The Hebrew word for "shepherds" is "רֹעִים" (ro'im), which can also imply leaders or rulers, suggesting a deeper symbolic meaning of those who misuse their power.

and drove them away
The action of driving away, in Hebrew "וַיְגָרְשׁוּם" (vaygarshum), implies a forceful expulsion. This reflects the harsh realities of life in the wilderness, where resources like water were scarce and often contested. The shepherds' actions highlight the vulnerability of the daughters of Reuel, who were without male protection, a significant disadvantage in the patriarchal society of the time.

but Moses got up
The phrase "Moses got up" signifies a decisive action. The Hebrew verb "וַיָּקָם" (vayakam) suggests rising with purpose. Moses' intervention is a pivotal moment, marking the beginning of his role as a deliverer. This act of standing up against injustice foreshadows his future leadership in liberating the Israelites from Egypt.

and came to their rescue
The Hebrew root "יָשַׁע" (yasha) for "rescue" is the same root from which the name "Joshua" and the concept of salvation are derived. Moses' act of deliverance here is a microcosm of his larger mission. It reflects the biblical theme of God raising up deliverers to save His people, a theme that resonates throughout the Scriptures and finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ.

and watered their flock
Watering the flock, in Hebrew "וַיַּשְׁקְ אֶת־צֹאנָם" (vayashk et-tzonam), is an act of service and provision. In the arid climate of the Sinai Peninsula, water is a precious resource, symbolizing life and sustenance. Moses' willingness to serve in this humble capacity demonstrates his character and foreshadows his future role as a shepherd of God's people. This act of kindness and provision is reminiscent of the Good Shepherd imagery found in the New Testament, where Jesus cares for His flock.

(17) The shepherds came.--Those of the neighbourhood. The rule of the desert is that those who come to a well take their turns in the use of the water in the order of their arrival. But these rude shepherds declined to wait for their turn. It appears later on, by the question of Reuel, "How is it that ye are come so soon to-day?" that this rude and unfair conduct of the shepherds was habitual.

Moses stood up and helped them.--Moses is again the champion of the oppressed, but has learnt wisdom by the past, and uses no unnecessary violence. His air and manner intimidated the wrong-doers, and they allowed the maidens sheep to be watered first.

Verse 17. - The shepherds came and drove them away. There is not much "natural politeness" among primitive peoples. The right of the stronger prevails, and women go to the wall. Even the daughters of their priest were not respected by these rude sons of the desert, who would not wait their turn, but used the water which Reners daughters had drawn. The context shows that this was not an accidental or occasional circumstance, but the regular practice of the shepherds, who thus day after day saved themselves the trouble of drawing. (See the next verse.) Moses stood up and helped them. Ever ready to assist the weak against the strong (supra, vers. 12, 13), Moses "stood up" - sprang to his feet - and, though only one man against a dozen or a score, by his determined air intimidated the crowd of wrong-doers, and forced them to let the maidens' sheep drink at the troughs. His dress was probably that of an Egyptian of rank; and they might reasonably conclude from his boldness that he had attendants within call.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And when some shepherds
הָרֹעִ֖ים (hā·rō·‘îm)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 7462: To tend a, flock, pasture it, in, to graze, to rule, to associate with

came along
וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ (way·yā·ḇō·’ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

and drove them away,
וַיְגָרְשׁ֑וּם (way·ḡā·rə·šūm)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person masculine plural
Strong's 1644: To drive out from a, possession, to expatriate, divorce

Moses
מֹשֶׁה֙ (mō·šeh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4872: Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiver

stood up
וַיָּ֤קָם (way·yā·qām)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6965: To arise, stand up, stand

and came to their rescue
וַיּ֣וֹשִׁעָ֔ן (way·yō·wō·ši·‘ān)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine plural
Strong's 3467: To be open, wide, free, to be safe, to free, succor

and watered
וַיַּ֖שְׁקְ (way·yašq)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8248: To quaff, to irrigate, furnish a, potion to

their flock.
צֹאנָֽם׃ (ṣō·nām)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 6629: Small cattle, sheep and goats, flock


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OT Law: Exodus 2:17 The shepherds came and drove them away (Exo. Ex)
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