Exodus 2:21Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

After becoming a fugitive, he approaches a man who is an idolater and a stranger, and it is a significant source of sorrow to have experienced the hospitality of one dedicated to the worship of false gods for such an extended period. The Septuagint does not imply that Moses found pleasure in residing with Jethro. To Stagirius the ascetic, regarding despondency

He likewise unites the Church of the Gentiles, represented by Zipporah, as a radiant bride in union with Him. Zipporah signifies both "visitation" and "beauty," along with "pleasantness of breath." Indeed, "by whom the East has visited us from on high" (Luke 1:78) refers to this splendid and glorious Church, upon which He has conferred the heavenly gift—the impartation of His breath, signifying the communion of the Holy Spirit.

This outsider, struck by Moses's character, saw his apparent lack of material wealth as more admirable than his considerable riches. In acknowledgment of this, he offered his daughter in marriage to Moses, allowing him the freedom to live according to his own choices.

While Moses was contemplating his journey and where he might reside, he realized, upon receiving a summons from the priest, that the One who had rescued him from drowning in the river at the hands of Pharaoh's daughter and had spared him from the king's wrath by escaping Pharaoh’s gaze, was now guiding the priest to invite him into his presence and to unite him with his daughter. Thus, God liberated Moses from the counsel of the wise men and directed him to the priest. Moses felt no trepidation towards the priest, nor was he intimidated by the sages; even if he derived no advantage from them, he suffered no detriment. Aaron and Miriam mourned for their brother whom they had once celebrated and esteemed. Observing Moses's character and dedication, particularly due to God’s presence with him, Jethro encouraged Moses to marry Zipporah, thereby relieving her and her sisters from their pastoral duties, much like Jacob had previously released Laban's daughters from theirs.

Moses took a foreign wife as a reflection of the Lord Christ, who, while being of Jewish heritage, embraced the church of the Gentiles as His beloved bride.

The situation described may have unfolded in this manner: initially, Moses spent time as a welcomed guest with the priest of Midian, Raguel. After Raguel learned from Moses about the plight of the Hebrews in Egypt and the reasons for his departure from that land, he developed a deep affection for Moses, who was stirred by a passionate love for his suffering brethren and a burning desire for justice against their oppressors. Raguel then extended an invitation for Moses to make a permanent home among his family in his tents. Appreciating their connection, he briefly arranged a marriage for Moses with one of his daughters. Moses was particularly eager to wed her because she belonged to his own tribe.

Moses likely appreciated being part of this household because they recognized the one true God, as noted in earlier chapters. It is conceivable, as Cook suggests, that the family not only preserved valuable oral traditions passed down from Abraham's lineage to Raguel but might also have had written records. Brugsch points out in Histoire d'Egypte that by the time of the Thirteenth Dynasty, the Phoenicians were already engaged in regular trade with the Midianites, a fact evidenced by Egyptian monuments, and it is quite probable that Phoenicians were familiar with writing long before this period. It is important to reiterate that only Moses's profound humility allowed him to succinctly summarize the account of his forty years in a brief statement. Later historians would have hesitated to overlook such a significant span in the life of an extraordinary individual.