“And when Moses set out toward Midian, he said, ‘Perhaps my Lord will guide me to the right way.’ (22) And when he came to the water of Midian, he found there a group of people watering their flocks, and apart from them he found two women holding back their flocks. He said, ‘What is the matter with you?’ They said, ‘We cannot water our flocks until the shepherds have departed, and our father is a very old man.’ (23)”

“So he left it,” that is, Moses left the city, “fearful and watchful,” meaning that he was expecting to be pursued. He said, “My Lord, save me from the wrongdoing people”—that is, the disbelieving people. It is related in the account that, when Pharaoh was informed of Moses’ flight, he sent men after him and said, “Take the mountain passes along the road, for he does not know the way.”

“And when he set out toward Midian,” that is, he headed in its direction, making his way toward it. One says, “His house is opposite so-and-so’s house,” when it faces it; the expression is originally derived from meeting. Al-Zajjaj said: This means that he took the road leading toward Midian. Midian was Midian, the son of Abraham, and the town was named after him. Moses had left in fear, without a riding animal, shoes, or provisions. Midian was an eight-day journey from Egypt. He said, “Perhaps my Lord will guide me to the right way,” meaning, to the direct route to Midian. He said this because he had not previously known the way to it. When he supplicated, an angel came to him carrying a staff and led him to Midian.

The exegetes said: Moses left Egypt with no food except tree leaves and herbs, until their greenness could be seen through his stomach. He did not reach Midian until the soles of his feet had worn away. Ibn Abbas said: This was the first trial from Allah for Moses.

“And when he came to the water of Midian”—a well from which they watered their livestock—“he found there a group,” that is, a gathering, “of people watering” their livestock. “And apart from them,” meaning apart from that group, “he found two women holding back their flocks,” meaning that they were restraining and preventing their sheep from reaching the water until the people had finished and the well was free for them. Al-Hasan said: They were keeping their sheep from mixing with the people’s sheep. Qatadah said: They were keeping the people away from their sheep. It was also said: they were holding back their sheep.