In fear, Moses left Egypt travelling in the direction of Madyan, although he had not left Egypt before and did not know where he was going. [Recall Madyan was the city where the people of Shoaib were previously]. Moses left with nothing; and as his travelling continued he became very weak and desperately in need of food, drink and shelter. He asked Allah for His goodness to befall him.

So Moses left the city in a state of fear and caution, praying, “My Lord! Deliver me from the wrongdoing people.”28:21

And as he made his way towards Midian, he said, “I trust my Lord will guide me to the right way.”28:22

On his way, he reached a water source where the people of Madyan would get their water. Beside the well were shepherds and two women. The women could not get water from the well, as they were too weak and shy to compete with the other shepherds for their turn. They were alone because their father was an elderly man who could not get water himself. It is said that after using the well, shepherds would put a big heavy rock onto the well which they could not move so they would just let their animals drink from the remaining water. Umar at the time of our Prophet ﷺ described the rock as so big that it could only be lifted by 10 men. That day, Moses lifted the rock to allow the women to get the water they needed.

When he arrived at the well of Midian, he found a group of people watering ˹their herds˺. Apart from them, he noticed two women holding back ˹their herd˺. He asked ˹them˺, “What is the matter?” They replied, “We cannot water ˹our animals˺ until the ˹other˺ shepherds are done, for our father is a very old man.”28:23

So he watered ˹their herd˺ for them, then withdrew to the shade and prayed, “My Lord! I am truly in ˹desperate˺ need of whatever provision You may have in store for me.” 28:24

The women went back home and told their father what had happened. Their father told them to bring Moses to him. Moses explained what had happened and the man reassured he would be safe here.

Then one of the two women came to him, walking bashfully. She said, “My father is inviting you so he may reward you for watering ˹our animals˺ for us.” When Moses came to him and told him his whole story, the old man said, “Have no fear! You are ˹now˺ safe from the wrongdoing people.”28:25

One of the two daughters suggested, “O my dear father! Hire him. A strong, trustworthy person is definitely the best to hire.”28:26

One of the daughters suggested that Moses be hired to look after his animals. Umar and Ibn Abbas narrated that when the father asked why he should do so, the daughter described his strength and how when she took him home, he told her to walk behind him and throw a stone when they needed to change path. His level of character was almost unmatched.

The man (said to be prophet shoaib) and Moses made an agreement that he will work for Shoaib for 8 years and will get food and shelter and at the end of the term he can marry one of the two sisters and thats how Allah responded to his supplication of distress and provided for Moses a wife, food, clothes and a good life.

The old man proposed, “I wish to marry one of these two daughters of mine to you, provided that you stay in my service for eight years. If you complete ten, it will be ˹a favour˺ from you, but I do not wish to make it difficult for you. Allah willing, you will find me an agreeable man.”28:27