וּלְכֹהֵ֥ן מִדְיָ֖ן שֶׁ֣בַע בָּנ֑וֹת וַתָּבֹ֣אנָה וַתִּדְלֶ֗נָה וַתְּמַלֶּ֙אנָה֙ אֶת־הָ֣רְהָטִ֔ים לְהַשְׁק֖וֹת צֹ֥אן אֲבִיהֶֽן׃
Ang saserdote ng Midian ay may pitong anak na babae. Dumating sila at sumalok ng tubig, at pinuno nila ang mga labangan upang painumin ang kawan ng kanilang ama.
Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael
He devoted his life to the judges, and they were called by his name, viz. (Devarim 16:18) "Judges and officers shall you appoint for yourself in all of your gates." Now is justice not the L–rd's? How, then, are we to understand "shall you appoint for yourself"? Because he devoted his life to them, they were called by his name. And whence is it derived that he devoted his life to them? From (Exodus 2:13-17) "And he went out on the second day … and he said "Who made you an officer and a judge over us? … And Pharaoh heard … And the priest of Midian had seven daughters … And the shepherds came and drove them away. Because he devoted his life to them, they were called by his name.
Shemot Rabbah
“He settled in the land of Midyan, and sat alongside the well.” He learned the way of the patriarchs. Three were paired with their mates at the well; Isaac, Jacob, and Moses. Regarding Isaac, it is written: “Isaac came from going to Be’er [laḥai ro’i]” (Genesis 24:62).66This is the well where God had once appeared to Hagar. This is the context in which Isaac met Rebecca, who was returning with Abraham’s servant, identified by the midrash as Eliezer. Isaac then married her; see Genesis 24:63-67. Moreover, Rebecca met Eliezer near the spring. Jacob, “he saw, and behold, there was a well in the field” (Genesis 29:2); 67It was there that Jacob first met Rachel; see Genesis 29:10-11. Moses, “and he sat alongside the well.”
“The priest of Midian had seven daughters; they came and they drew water and filled the troughs to give their father’s flock to drink” (Exodus 2:16).
“The priest of Midian had seven daughters.” But doesn’t the Holy One blessed be He hate idol worship, and yet He provided Moses haven with an idol worshipper? Rather, our Rabbis said: Yitro was a priest for idol worship and he saw that it lacked substance, and he scorned it, and he thought about repenting before Moses arrived. He called the residents of his city and said: ‘Until now, I have served you. Now I am old; choose another priest.’ He arose and removed the service vessels of idol worship and gave them all to them. They arose and ostracized him so that no one should have ties with him, no one should perform labor for him, and no one should herd his flocks. He asked the shepherds to herd his flocks for him, but they did not agree; therefore, he sent his daughters out.
“They came and they drew.” It teaches that they would arrive early due to fear of the shepherds.
“The shepherds came and drove them away; Moses rose and rescued them and gave their flocks to drink” (Genesis 2:17).
“The shepherds came and drove them away.” Is it possible that he was the priest of Midyan and the shepherds were driving away his daughters? Rather, it teaches you that they ostracized him and drove away his daughters like a divorced woman, like you say: “He drove out the man” (Genesis 3:24).68In this verse, God permanently banished man from the Garden of Eden. So too, the shepherds sought to permanently banish Yitro’s daughters.
“Moses rose and rescued them.” This teaches that he sat in judgment regarding them.69This is derived from the fact that the verse says that he rose, indicating that beforehand he was sitting. He said: Typically, men draw the water and women give the flocks to drink, while here, women draw and men give the flocks to drink. It does not say “he saved them [vayatzilan],” but rather, “he rescued them [vayoshian].” Rabbi Yoḥanan says in the name of Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili: They came to engage with them in a matter of forbidden sexual relations; here it is stated: “Moses rose and rescued them ,” and there it is stated: “The betrothed young woman screamed, and there was no one to rescue her” (Deuteronomy 22:27). Just as there, it is referring to forbidden sexual relations, here too it is referring to forbidden sexual relations.
The Rabbis say: This teaches that they cast them into the water and Moses saved them. Vayoshian is nothing other than an expression of saving from water, as it is stated: “Rescue me God, as the water has reached my soul” (Psalms 69:2). “And gave their flocks to drink.” This teaches that Moses drew water for them and gave their flocks to drink, just as Jacob did for Rachel.
“They came to their father Reuel. He said: Why were you quick to come today?” (Exodus 2:18).
“They came to their father Reuel.” This is Yitro. Why is he named Reuel? It is because he became a companion to God. “He said: Why were you quick to come today?” From here you learn that on all days they would come last.
“They said: An Egyptian man saved us from the shepherds and also drew water for us and gave the flock to drink” (Exodus 2:19).
“They said: An Egyptian man saved us from the shepherds.” Was Moses an Egyptian? Rather, his garb was Egyptian, but he was a Hebrew. Alternatively, “an Egyptian man,” this is analogous to one who was bitten by a deadly snake and was running to put his legs in water. He placed them in the river and saw a certain child sinking in the water, and he extended his hand and saved him. The child said to him: ‘Were it not for you, I would have died.’ He said to him: ‘It is not I who saved you, but rather, the deadly snake that bit me and I fled from it; it saved you.’ Similarly, Yitro’s daughters said to Moses: ‘Well done that you saved us from the shepherds.’ Moses said to them: ‘That Egyptian whom I killed, he saved you.’ That is why they said to their father, “an Egyptian man saved us,” in other words: Who caused this one to come to us? It is the Egyptian man whom he killed.
“Drew water [dalo dala],” he drew one drawing of water and gave water to all the flocks to drink, and the water was blessed for his sake. That is what is written: “and gave the flock to drink.” Our flock is not written, but rather “the flock,” as he gave even the flocks of the shepherds to drink. What then is “for us”? It means that he drew us out, too, as the shepherds cast us into the water and he took us out.
“He said to his daughters: Where is he? Why did you leave the man? Call him so that he will eat bread” (Exodus 2:20).
“He said to his daughters: Where is he?” He said to them: ‘The fact that you say that he drew water and gave water to all the flocks is an indicator that he is one of the descendants of Jacob who stood at the well and the water was blessed for his sake.’
“Why did you leave the man? [Call him so that he will eat bread],” – perhaps he will marry one of you. The eating of bread mentioned here refers to nothing other than a wife, similar to: “Except for the bread that he eats” (Genesis 39:6).70Joseph stated this in reference to Potifar’s wife. Immediately, Tzipora ran after him like a bird [tzipor] and brought him. Why was she named Tzipora? It is because she purified the house like a bird.71The bird plays a central role in the purification process of a leprous house; see Leviticus 14:48-53
“The priest of Midian had seven daughters; they came and they drew water and filled the troughs to give their father’s flock to drink” (Exodus 2:16).
“The priest of Midian had seven daughters.” But doesn’t the Holy One blessed be He hate idol worship, and yet He provided Moses haven with an idol worshipper? Rather, our Rabbis said: Yitro was a priest for idol worship and he saw that it lacked substance, and he scorned it, and he thought about repenting before Moses arrived. He called the residents of his city and said: ‘Until now, I have served you. Now I am old; choose another priest.’ He arose and removed the service vessels of idol worship and gave them all to them. They arose and ostracized him so that no one should have ties with him, no one should perform labor for him, and no one should herd his flocks. He asked the shepherds to herd his flocks for him, but they did not agree; therefore, he sent his daughters out.
“They came and they drew.” It teaches that they would arrive early due to fear of the shepherds.
“The shepherds came and drove them away; Moses rose and rescued them and gave their flocks to drink” (Genesis 2:17).
“The shepherds came and drove them away.” Is it possible that he was the priest of Midyan and the shepherds were driving away his daughters? Rather, it teaches you that they ostracized him and drove away his daughters like a divorced woman, like you say: “He drove out the man” (Genesis 3:24).68In this verse, God permanently banished man from the Garden of Eden. So too, the shepherds sought to permanently banish Yitro’s daughters.
“Moses rose and rescued them.” This teaches that he sat in judgment regarding them.69This is derived from the fact that the verse says that he rose, indicating that beforehand he was sitting. He said: Typically, men draw the water and women give the flocks to drink, while here, women draw and men give the flocks to drink. It does not say “he saved them [vayatzilan],” but rather, “he rescued them [vayoshian].” Rabbi Yoḥanan says in the name of Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili: They came to engage with them in a matter of forbidden sexual relations; here it is stated: “Moses rose and rescued them ,” and there it is stated: “The betrothed young woman screamed, and there was no one to rescue her” (Deuteronomy 22:27). Just as there, it is referring to forbidden sexual relations, here too it is referring to forbidden sexual relations.
The Rabbis say: This teaches that they cast them into the water and Moses saved them. Vayoshian is nothing other than an expression of saving from water, as it is stated: “Rescue me God, as the water has reached my soul” (Psalms 69:2). “And gave their flocks to drink.” This teaches that Moses drew water for them and gave their flocks to drink, just as Jacob did for Rachel.
“They came to their father Reuel. He said: Why were you quick to come today?” (Exodus 2:18).
“They came to their father Reuel.” This is Yitro. Why is he named Reuel? It is because he became a companion to God. “He said: Why were you quick to come today?” From here you learn that on all days they would come last.
“They said: An Egyptian man saved us from the shepherds and also drew water for us and gave the flock to drink” (Exodus 2:19).
“They said: An Egyptian man saved us from the shepherds.” Was Moses an Egyptian? Rather, his garb was Egyptian, but he was a Hebrew. Alternatively, “an Egyptian man,” this is analogous to one who was bitten by a deadly snake and was running to put his legs in water. He placed them in the river and saw a certain child sinking in the water, and he extended his hand and saved him. The child said to him: ‘Were it not for you, I would have died.’ He said to him: ‘It is not I who saved you, but rather, the deadly snake that bit me and I fled from it; it saved you.’ Similarly, Yitro’s daughters said to Moses: ‘Well done that you saved us from the shepherds.’ Moses said to them: ‘That Egyptian whom I killed, he saved you.’ That is why they said to their father, “an Egyptian man saved us,” in other words: Who caused this one to come to us? It is the Egyptian man whom he killed.
“Drew water [dalo dala],” he drew one drawing of water and gave water to all the flocks to drink, and the water was blessed for his sake. That is what is written: “and gave the flock to drink.” Our flock is not written, but rather “the flock,” as he gave even the flocks of the shepherds to drink. What then is “for us”? It means that he drew us out, too, as the shepherds cast us into the water and he took us out.
“He said to his daughters: Where is he? Why did you leave the man? Call him so that he will eat bread” (Exodus 2:20).
“He said to his daughters: Where is he?” He said to them: ‘The fact that you say that he drew water and gave water to all the flocks is an indicator that he is one of the descendants of Jacob who stood at the well and the water was blessed for his sake.’
“Why did you leave the man? [Call him so that he will eat bread],” – perhaps he will marry one of you. The eating of bread mentioned here refers to nothing other than a wife, similar to: “Except for the bread that he eats” (Genesis 39:6).70Joseph stated this in reference to Potifar’s wife. Immediately, Tzipora ran after him like a bird [tzipor] and brought him. Why was she named Tzipora? It is because she purified the house like a bird.71The bird plays a central role in the purification process of a leprous house; see Leviticus 14:48-53
Midrash Tanchuma
(Numb. 22:7:) “So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian went with [the tools for] divination in their hand,” for they brought in their hands all kinds of divining instruments through which one divines, so as not to give him an excuse [for not coming].18Numb. R. 20:8. So the divining instruments were in the hands of the elders of Midian, for they said, “If he comes with us, he will succeed; but if he delays [even] for an hour, he will be of no use.” As soon as they saw that he said (in vs. 8), “Lodge here tonight,” the elders of Midian went away, because they knew through their divinations that he would be of no use. (Numb. 22:9:) “Then God came unto Balaam and said, ‘Who are these people with you?’” This text is related (to Prov. 28:10), “One who leads the upright astray on an evil course will fall into his own pit.” Thus at first mortals [behaved] with propriety, but because of his (Balaam's) words, they became [unbridled] in sexual matters.19Numb. R. 20:9; also Sanh. 106a. Thus, of former [generations] it is stated (in Gen. 29:9), “Rachel came with the sheep.” And so (in Exod. 2:16), “Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters.” Women would go out with the sheep.20I.e., although these seven daughters and Rachel were shepherdesses, they had no fear of being alone among males. [But] Balaam the wicked arose and led mortals astray into unchastity. But as he led [others] astray, he [himself] was led astray. By the [very] counsel he gave, he [himself] fell. This is what is written (in Prov. 28:10), “[One who leads the upright astray on an evil course] will fall into his own pit.” So the Holy One, blessed be He, led him astray with it, as stated (in Job 12:23), “He exalts the nations and destroys them.” When [the Holy One, blessed be He,] asked him (in Numb. 22:9), “Who are these people with you,” that wicked one said, “I know nothing about them.” [He said to himself,] “It appears to me [that] there are times when [God] does not know. And so I can do all that I want to His children.” That is why [God] said to him, “Who are these people with you?” In order to lead him astray. (Numb. 22:10:), “And Balaam said to God, ‘Balak ben Zippor, [the king of Moab] sent [this message] unto me.” He began to boast and say, “Even though You do not honor me, and You do not put out a good name for me in the world, kings seek me. (Numb. 22:11:) “Behold the people has come out of Egypt […], come now, curse (qavah) them for me.” [This is] to make known that he (Balaam) hated Israel more than Balak, because (in Numb. 22:6) Balak did not say qavah (as Balaam claimed he had said in Numb. 22:11) but arah.21Both words mean “curse,” but the former is worse than the latter, because qavah involves the use of the Divine Name. This one (Balaam), however, said (in vs. 11), “curse explicitly (qavah),” [meaning] to take [God’s] name explicitly. Moreover, while the former (Balak) said (in Numb. 22:6) “And drive them away from the land,” the latter (Balaam) said [simply] (in vs. 11), “and drive them out” [i.e.,] from this world and from the world to come.