Selected story
Moses in Midian
Read the cited context and compare 10 documented textual points.
Comparison 16 of 34
Moses in Midian
The two accounts at a glance
Bible
World English BibleMoses flees to Midian, helps the seven daughters of Reuel at a well, is welcomed into the household, and marries Zipporah.
Qur'an
Sahih InternationalMoses reaches Midian, waters the flocks of two women, is invited to their father's home, and agrees to marry one daughter after a term of service.
These are concise account summaries with exact references. Open the complete texts at these passages →
10 documented comparison points
The comparison covers Moses killing an Egyptian, fleeing, meeting women at a well, entering a household, marriage, years of labor, and departure from Midian in Exodus and Q 28. Labels use one standard: agreement means both texts state the point; additional detail means one adds a non-conflicting detail; omission means one is silent; ambiguity means an identity or meaning is not explicit; contradiction means both texts state mutually exclusive claims. Stylistic wording alone is not counted.
How Moses kills the Egyptian
Moses sees an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, looks both ways, kills him, and hides the body in sand.
Moses enters the city unnoticed, intervenes in a fight at an Israelite's request, strikes the opponent once, and unintentionally causes his death.
The conflict on the next day
Moses rebukes a Hebrew striking another Hebrew; the man asks whether Moses will kill him as he killed the Egyptian.
The same Israelite asks Moses for help again; Moses calls him quarrelsome. When Moses moves to strike their enemy, one of the men asks whether Moses intends to kill him as he killed a person the day before. The English pronouns do not explicitly identify that speaker.
How Moses learns to flee
Moses becomes afraid after realizing the killing is known; Pharaoh hears and seeks to kill him, so Moses flees.
A man runs from the far side of the city and warns Moses that chiefs are plotting to kill him, prompting immediate fearful flight and prayer.
The women at the well
Moses helps seven daughters of the priest of Midian after shepherds drive them away.
Moses finds two women holding their flock back until the shepherds leave because their father is elderly.
What Moses does at the well
Moses stands up against the shepherds and waters the women's flock.
Moses waters for the two women, then withdraws to shade and prays for whatever good God will send; no confrontation with shepherds is narrated.
The women's father
The father is a priest of Midian called Reuel and later Jethro.
The elderly father is not named or called a priest in Q 28. The text itself does not identify him as Shuayb, Reuel, or Jethro.
How Moses enters the household
Reuel asks why his daughters left Moses behind and tells them to invite him to eat.
One daughter comes walking modestly and says her father invites Moses to reward him; Moses recounts his story and is assured safety.
The marriage arrangement
Reuel gives Zipporah to Moses. No labor contract for marriage is stated.
The father offers one daughter in marriage if Moses works eight years, with ten as a voluntary completion.
Moses' wife and children
The wife is named Zipporah, and the narrative names sons Gershom and later Eliezer.
The daughter, wife, and children are not named in Q 28.
Departure from Midian
God tells Moses the men seeking his life are dead; Moses obtains Jethro's permission and leaves with wife and sons on a donkey.
After completing the term, Moses travels with his family and sees the fire that leads to his call; no permission dialogue, death notice, or donkey is mentioned.
What do both texts share?
- Moses flees Egypt and arrives in Midian.
- He helps women at a well by watering their animals.
- He is received into a household and marries a daughter of that household.