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The Antiquities of the Jews - Table of Contents
The Antiquities of the Jews
Written by Flavius Josephus
Translated by William Whiston
Book Two
Chapter 11
How Moses Fled Out Of Egypt Into Midian
1. Now the Egyptians, after they had been preserved by Moses,
entertained a hatred to him, and were very eager in compassing
their designs against him, as suspecting that he would take
occasion, from his good success, to raise a sedition, and bring
innovations into Egypt; and told the king he ought to be slain.
The king had also some intentions of himself to the same
purpose, and this as well out of envy at his glorious expedition
at the head of his army, as out of fear of being brought low by
him and being instigated by the sacred scribes, he was ready to
undertake to kill Moses: but when he had learned beforehand what
plots there were against him, he went away privately; and
because the public roads were watched, he took his flight
through the deserts, and where his enemies could not suspect he
would travel; and, though he was destitute of food, he went on,
and despised that difficulty courageously; and when he came to
the city Midian, which lay upon the Red Sea, and was so
denominated from one of Abraham's sons by Keturah, he sat upon a
certain well, and rested himself there after his laborious
journey, and the affliction he had been in. It was not far from
the city, and the time of the day was noon, where he had an
occasion offered him by the custom of the country of doing what
recommended his virtue, and afforded him an opportunity of
bettering his circumstances.
2. For that country having but little water, the shepherds used
to seize on the wells before others came, lest their flocks
should want water, and lest it should be spent by others before
they came. There were now come, therefore, to this well seven
sisters that were virgins, the daughters of Raguel, a priest,
and one thought worthy by the people of the country of great
honor. These virgins, who took care of their father's flocks,
which sort of work it was customary and very familiar for women
to do in the country of the Troglodytes, they came first of all,
and drew water out of the well in a quantity sufficient for
their flocks, into troughs, which were made for the reception of
that water; but when the shepherds came upon the maidens, and
drove them away, that they might have the command of the water
themselves, Moses, thinking it would be a terrible reproach upon
him if he overlooked the young women under unjust oppression,
and should suffer the violence of the men to prevail over the
right of the maidens, he drove away the men, who had a mind to
more than their share, and afforded a proper assistance to the
women; who, when they had received such a benefit from him, came
to their father, and told him how they had been affronted by the
shepherds, and assisted by a stranger, and entreated that he
would not let this generous action be done in vain, nor go
without a reward. Now the father took it well from his daughters
that they were so desirous to reward their benefactor; and bid
them bring Moses into his presence, that he might be rewarded as
he deserved. And when Moses came, he told him what testimony his
daughters bare to him, that he had assisted them; and that, as
he admired him for his virtue, he said that Moses had bestowed
such his assistance on persons not insensible of benefits, but
where they were both able and willing to return the kindness,
and even to exceed the measure of his generosity. So he made him
his son, and gave him one of his daughters in marriage; and
appointed him to be the guardian and superintendent over his
cattle; for of old, all the wealth of the barbarians was in
those cattle.
Continue on to
Book
Two,
Chapter 12,
The Antiquities of the Jews
by
Flavius Josephus
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The Antiquities of the Jews - Table of Contents
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