be the child of the Most High King. “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed on us” (1 John 3, 1). You are, therefore, another Moses. Serve God, then, as faithfully as Moses served Him.
Chapter XXX.
THE FLIGHT OF MOSES.
[Ex. 2, 11 - 22.]
MOSES was reared at the court of Pharao, and instructed in all the learning of Egypt. But when he was grown up and saw the misery of his people, the Hebrews, he resolved to help them. For he would rather be afflicted and despised with the people of God, than live in the palace of a wicked king. He left [1] the splendour of the court, and openly declared himself a friend[2] of the Israelites. He even slew an Egyptian when he saw him illtreating a Hebrew.
The king, hearing this, sought to kill him; but Moses fled to the land of Madian[3]. On his way he sat down by a well, and behold, the seven daughters of Jethro, a priest, came to draw water for their flocks. But when the sheep stood near the troughs, some shepherds rushed in and rudely drove away the flocks. Thereupon Moses arose, defended the maidens, and watered their sheep.
Then the sisters went home, and their father asked: “Why have ye returned sooner than usual?” They answered: “A man of Egypt drove away the shepherds, and gave our sheep to drink.” Jethro asked again: “Where is he? Call him that he may eat bread.” So Moses entered the house and swore to dwell with Jethro to keep his sheep, and remained for forty years[4], and married Sephora, one of the daughters of Jethro.
- ↑ He left. He left the king’s court when he was forty years old.
- ↑ A friend. And did what he could to defend them against the oppression of the Egyptians.
- ↑ Madian. This land was in the neighbourhood of Mount Sinai. The inhabitants of this district were descended from Abraham, and had kept their faith in the true God. It is well to distinguish between them and the heathen Madianites, who lived further east.
- ↑ Forty years. During that time Moses lived a simple and solitary life. He prayed fervently to God, especially for the deliverance of his people; he practised humility and self-denial, and learnt the ways of the wilderness, thus preparing himself for his calling.
