Barnes New Testament Notes

Verse 29. Then fled Moses, etc. Moses fled because he now ascertained that it was known. He supposed that it had been unobserved, Ex 2:12. But he now supposed that the knowledge of it might reach Pharaoh, and that his life might thus be endangered. Nor did he judge incorrectly; for as soon as Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to take his life, Ex 2:16.

Was a stranger. Or became a sojourner -- paroikov -- one who had a temporary abode in the land. The use of this word implies that he did not expect to make that his permanent dwelling.

In the land of Madian. This was a part of Arabia. It was situated on the east side of the Red Sea. The city of Midian is placed there by the Arabian geographers; but the Midianites seem to have spread themselves along the desert east of Mount Seir, to the vicinity of the Moabites. To the west they ex, tended also to the neighbourhood of Mount Sinai. This was extensively a desert region, an unknown land; and Moses expected there to be safe from Pharaoh.

Where he begat two sons. He married Zipporah, the daughter of Reuel, (Ex 2:18,) or Jethro, (Nu 10:29; Ex 3:1,) a priest of Midian. The names of the two sons were Gershom and Eliezer, Ex 18:3,4.

{+} "stranger" "Sojourned"