Moses Leading His Flock in the Midian DesertBible World
2:20Exodus 2:20
And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? why is it that ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread.
Moses had fled from Egypt and come to Midian. In that flight the Lord directed him to find a home with Jethro. Jethro was priest and prince of Midian and a worshiper of God. He was Moses' God-fearing father-in-law, whose far-seeing judgment earned him honor among the people and whose influence on Moses was great.
Jethro's daughters tended his flocks. When they left Moses at the well, Jethro rebuked them for leaving him without inviting him to share a meal and told them to call him back to eat, showing hospitality toward Moses. That call to eat bread led Moses to remain with him and after a time to marry one of his daughters.
Moses then entered Jethro's service as keeper of his flocks. He stayed there forty years in the service of his father-in-law. Being called to eat bread and keeping those flocks taught him what it means to be a true shepherd, for his training in Egypt as a mighty statesman and leader of armies had not taught the lessons essential for true greatness, so he needed humble duties to become a caretaker tender toward every living thing. In keeping sheep and lambs his sympathies were called out and he learned to guard God's creatures with the tenderest care, attending to them though their voice could never complain of mistreatment, because God cares for all He has made, and in this lowly work he learned to be a tender shepherd for Israel.
Moses had fled from Egypt and come to Midian. In that flight the Lord directed him to find a home with Jethro. Jethro was priest and prince of Midian and a worshiper of God. He was Moses' God-fearing father-in-law, whose far-seeing judgment earned him honor among the people and whose influence on Moses was great.
Jethro's daughters tended his flocks. When they left Moses at the well, Jethro rebuked them for leaving him without inviting him to share a meal and told them to call him back to eat, showing hospitality toward Moses. That call to eat bread led Moses to remain with him and after a time to marry one of his daughters.
Moses then entered Jethro's service as keeper of his flocks. He stayed there forty years in the service of his father-in-law. Being called to eat bread and keeping those flocks taught him what it means to be a true shepherd, for his training in Egypt as a mighty statesman and leader of armies had not taught the lessons essential for true greatness, so he needed humble duties to become a caretaker tender toward every living thing. In keeping sheep and lambs his sympathies were called out and he learned to guard God's creatures with the tenderest care, attending to them though their voice could never complain of mistreatment, because God cares for all He has made, and in this lowly work he learned to be a tender shepherd for Israel.