Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 2:17
And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.
17. drove them away ] wishing to water their own flocks first. But Moses chivalrously comes forward (cf. vv. 12, 13) to assist the girls.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 17. The shepherds – drove them] The verb yegareshum, being in the masculine gender, seems to imply that the shepherds drove away the flocks of Reuel’s daughters, and not the daughters themselves. The fact seems to be, that, as the daughters of Reuel filled the troughs and brought their flocks to drink, the shepherds drove those away, and, profiting by the young women’s labour, watered their own cattle. Moses resisted this insolence, and assisted them to water their flocks, in consequence of which they were enabled to return much sooner than they were wont to do, Ex 2:18.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The shepherds drove them away, that they might enjoy the fruit of their labours, and make use of the water which they had drawn for their own cattle.
Moses helped them; either by persuading them with fair words, or by force; for Moses was strong, and full of courage and resolution, wherewith the shepherds were easily daunted.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And the shepherds came and drove them away,…. The daughters of the priest of Midian, and their flock likewise; these were shepherds of some neighbouring princes or great men, who were so rude and slothful, and to save themselves a little trouble of drawing water, brought up their flocks to drink of the water those virgins had drawn, and to do this forced them and their flocks away:
but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock; moved to see such rude and uncivil treatment of the weaker sex, rose up from the ground on which he sat, and took their parts, and obliged the shepherds to give way, and brought up their flock to the troughs, and drew water for them, and gave them it; either he did this alone, or together with the servants that waited upon the priest’s daughters, perhaps alone; and if it be considered that shepherds being usually not of a very martial spirit, and these also in a wrong cause, and Moses a man of an heroic disposition, and had doubtless the appearance of a man of some eminence and authority, they were the more easily intimidated and overcome.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(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.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 2:17. Shepherds came and drove them i.e. The flocks, away; for the original word is masculine. But Moses stood up and helped them; chastising the rudeness of the shepherds, not by force, as we may imagine, since he was alone against many; but by that authority and pre-eminence, which education, wisdom, and address give the civilized over the clownish and illiberal.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
This reminds us of similar transactions: Gen 29:2-8 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 2:17 And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.
Ver. 17. And drove them away. ] From the water that they had drawn, and so had most right unto. Sic cedit viribus aequum. Might oft overcomes right. See here what we owe to good laws well executed; no man else should enjoy so much as his own water.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
drove them away. Probably the only well (Exo 2:15); hence cause of contention. Compare Gen 21:25; Gen 26:15, Gen 26:18, Gen 26:20, Gen 26:21, Gen 26:22.
helped. Compare Gen 29:10.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
shepherds: Gen 21:25, Gen 26:15-22
watered: Exo 2:12, Gen 29:10
Reciprocal: Gen 13:7 – a strife Jdg 5:11 – in the places
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Exo 2:17. Stood up and helped them This he did, because wherever he was, as occasion offered itself, he loved to be doing justice, and appearing in the defence of such as he saw injured. He loved to be doing good: wherever the providence of God cast us, we should desire and endeavour to be useful; and when we cannot do the good we would, we must be ready to do the good we can.