Antiquities of the Jews — Book 2, Chapter 11

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.