16 And to a priest of Midian 'are' seven daughters, and they come and draw, and fill the troughs, to water the flock of their father, 17 and the shepherds come and drive them away, and Moses ariseth, and saveth them, and watereth their flock. 18 And they come in to Reuel their father, and he saith, 'Wherefore have ye hastened to come in to-day?' 19 and they say, 'A man, an Egyptian, hath delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also hath diligently drawn for us, and watereth the flock;' 20 and he saith unto his daughters, 'And where 'is' he? why 'is' this?—ye left the man! call for him, and he doth eat bread.' 21 And Moses is willing to dwell with the man, and he giveth Zipporah his daughter to Moses, 22 and she beareth a son, and he calleth his name Gershom, for he said, 'A sojourner I have been in a strange land.'
23 And it cometh to pass during these many days, that the king of Egypt dieth, and the sons of Israel sigh because of the service, and cry, and their cry goeth up unto God, because of the service; 24 and God heareth their groaning, and God remembereth His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob; 25 and God seeth the sons of Israel, and God knoweth.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Exodus 2:16-25
Commentary on Exodus 2:16-22
(Read Exodus 2:16-22)
Moses found shelter in Midian. He was ready to help Reuel's daughters to water their flocks, although bred in learning and at court. Moses loved to be doing justice, and to act in defence of such as he saw injured, which every man ought to do, as far as it is in his power. He loved to be doing good; wherever the providence of God casts us, we should desire and try to be useful; and when we cannot do the good we would, we must be ready to do the good we can. Moses commended himself to the prince of Midian; who married one of his daughters to Moses, by whom he had a son, called Gershom, "a stranger there," that he might keep in remembrance the land in which he had been a stranger.
Commentary on Exodus 2:23-25
(Read Exodus 2:23-25)
The Israelites' bondage in Egypt continued, though the murdering of their infants did not continue. Sometimes the Lord suffers the rod of the wicked to lie very long and very heavy on the lot of the righteous. At last they began to think of God under their troubles. It is a sign that the Lord is coming towards us with deliverance, when he inclines and enables us to cry to him for it. God heard their groaning; he made it to appear that he took notice of their complaints. He remembered his covenant, of which he is ever mindful. He considered this, and not any merit of theirs. He looked upon the children of Israel. Moses looked upon them, and pitied them; but now God looked upon them, and helped them. He had respect unto them. His eyes are now fixed upon Israel, to show himself in their behalf. God is ever thus, a very present help in trouble. Take courage then, ye who, conscious of guilt and thraldom, are looking to Him for deliverance. God in Christ Jesus is also looking upon you. A call of love is joined with a promise of the Redeemer. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest, Matthew 11:28.