Exodus 2:17 (KJV)

What does Exodus 2:17 mean?

Exodus 2:17 describes how some shepherds tried to drive away a group of women who had come to water their flock, but Moses intervened, helped the women, and made sure their animals were given water. The verse shows Moses stepping in to defend those being mistreated and taking action to provide for them.

In this scene, Moses has just arrived in Midian after fleeing Egypt. The women he helps are the daughters of Reuel (also known as Jethro), the priest of Midian. The verse highlights Moses’s sense of justice and willingness to help strangers, setting the stage for his later role as a leader and protector of his people.

The Hebrew behind Exodus 2:17

• "Shepherds" (רֹעִים, ro‘im): This word refers to those who tend flocks, and here it points to a group of local men who use their position to intimidate or push others aside.
• "Drove...away" (גָּרְשׁוּם, gareshum): This verb means to force out or expel, emphasizing the aggressive action the shepherds took against the women.
• "Helped" (יֹשִׁעָן, yoshi‘an): This word comes from a root meaning "to save" or "to deliver," so Moses’s action is more than just assistance—it carries the sense of rescuing or defending.
• "Watered" (וַיַּשְׁקְ, vayyashq): This verb means to give drink, showing Moses not only defended the women but also completed the task they had come to do.

Why Exodus 2:17 matters

• The verse clears up any idea that Moses was passive or hesitant in his early years; instead, it shows him actively stepping in to defend others, even at personal risk.
• The use of the word for "helped" (יֹשִׁעָן, yoshi‘an) connects Moses’s action here to the broader theme of deliverance that will define his life and leadership.
• This moment introduces Moses’s character to the people of Midian and sets up his relationship with Reuel’s family, which will be important in the following verses.