Moses Leading His Flock in the Midian DesertBible World
2:21Exodus 2:21
And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter.
After fleeing Egypt, Moses was content to settle and find a home and refuge with Jethro in Midian. God directed Moses to Midian to that home with Jethro. Jethro was the priest of Midian and a worshiper of God, and he was also prince of Midian.
Moses married Jethro's daughter Zipporah. The marriage took place after Moses had dwelt there for a time, and Zipporah was one of Jethro's daughters. Moses remained there forty years in the service of his father-in-law as keeper of his flocks.
In settling there Moses left the royal court and its privileges, and began a period of preparation through poverty and adversity for the work God had appointed him. Jethro's godly character and respected judgment strongly influenced Moses during this period. Moses exchanged his training in Egypt as a mighty statesman and leader of armies to become a tender of sheep for Jethro.
Egypt had not taught him the lessons essential for true greatness, so he needed experience in more humble duties to become a caretaker tender toward every living thing. In keeping the flocks his sympathies were drawn out to the sheep and lambs, and he learned to guard these creatures of God with the tenderest care, though their voice could never complain of mistreatment and only their attitude might show it. God cares for all the creatures He has made. In that lowly station, working for God, Moses unlearned a harsh, overbearing spirit and learned what it means to be a true shepherd, becoming a tender shepherd fitted to care for Israel.
Zipporah was a Midianite, a descendant of Abraham and a worshiper of the true God, not a Hebrew, and this marriage offended family and national pride and drew ill-disguised contempt. Zipporah was timid, retiring, gentle and affectionate, greatly distressed at suffering, and somewhat darker in complexion than the Hebrews, and she was later called a Cushite woman. Moses sent her back to Midian on the way to Egypt to spare her witnessing the judgments on the Egyptians, and when she rejoined him in the wilderness she saw his burdens wearing his strength and told Jethro, who suggested measures of relief. Miriam blamed Zipporah's influence for Moses no longer taking Miriam and Aaron into his counsels as before, and this became the chief reason for Miriam's hostility to her.
After fleeing Egypt, Moses was content to settle and find a home and refuge with Jethro in Midian. God directed Moses to Midian to that home with Jethro. Jethro was the priest of Midian and a worshiper of God, and he was also prince of Midian.
Moses married Jethro's daughter Zipporah. The marriage took place after Moses had dwelt there for a time, and Zipporah was one of Jethro's daughters. Moses remained there forty years in the service of his father-in-law as keeper of his flocks.
In settling there Moses left the royal court and its privileges, and began a period of preparation through poverty and adversity for the work God had appointed him. Jethro's godly character and respected judgment strongly influenced Moses during this period. Moses exchanged his training in Egypt as a mighty statesman and leader of armies to become a tender of sheep for Jethro.
Egypt had not taught him the lessons essential for true greatness, so he needed experience in more humble duties to become a caretaker tender toward every living thing. In keeping the flocks his sympathies were drawn out to the sheep and lambs, and he learned to guard these creatures of God with the tenderest care, though their voice could never complain of mistreatment and only their attitude might show it. God cares for all the creatures He has made. In that lowly station, working for God, Moses unlearned a harsh, overbearing spirit and learned what it means to be a true shepherd, becoming a tender shepherd fitted to care for Israel.
Zipporah was a Midianite, a descendant of Abraham and a worshiper of the true God, not a Hebrew, and this marriage offended family and national pride and drew ill-disguised contempt. Zipporah was timid, retiring, gentle and affectionate, greatly distressed at suffering, and somewhat darker in complexion than the Hebrews, and she was later called a Cushite woman. Moses sent her back to Midian on the way to Egypt to spare her witnessing the judgments on the Egyptians, and when she rejoined him in the wilderness she saw his burdens wearing his strength and told Jethro, who suggested measures of relief. Miriam blamed Zipporah's influence for Moses no longer taking Miriam and Aaron into his counsels as before, and this became the chief reason for Miriam's hostility to her.