Memory Text: Hebrews 11:24-25 KJV “24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; 25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.”

Sunday, July 29 Chivalry at the Well
Why Moses Fled - Exodus 2:11-15 God’s Word to the Nations “11 ¶ In the course of time Moses grew up. Then he went to see his own people and watched them suffering under forced labor. He saw a Hebrew, one of his own people, being beaten by an Egyptian. 12 He looked all around, and when he didn’t see anyone, he beat the Egyptian to death and hid the body in the sand. 13 When Moses went there the next day, he saw two Hebrew men fighting. He asked the one who started the fight, "Why are you beating another Hebrew?" 14 The man asked, "Who made you our ruler and judge? Are you going to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?" Then Moses was afraid and thought that everyone knew what he had done. 15 When Pharaoh heard what Moses had done, he tried to have him killed. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian. One day, while Moses was sitting by a well.”
Exodus 2:15-17 Holman “15 When Pharaoh heard about this, he tried to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in the land of Midian, and sat down by a well. 16 ¶ Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came to draw water and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. 17 Then some shepherds arrived and drove them away, but Moses came to their rescue and watered their flock.”
Exodus 2:16 COMMENTARY BY MATTHEW HENRY How ready he was to help Reuel's daughters to water their flocks. Though bred in learning and at court, yet he knew how to turn his hand to such an office as this when there was occasion; nor had he learned of the Egyptians to despise shepherds…These young women, it seems, met with some opposition in their employment, more than they and their servants could conquer; the shepherds of some neighbouring prince, as some think, or some idle fellows that called themselves shepherds, drove away their flocks; but Moses, though melancholy and in distress, stood up and helped them, not only to get clear of the shepherds, but, when that was done, to water the flocks. This he did, not only in complaisance to the daughters of Reuel (though that also did very well become him), but because, wherever he was, as occasion offered itself.

Monday, July 30 Moses and His Father-In-Law
Exodus 4:18 NRSV “Moses went back to his father-in-law Jethro and said to him, "Please let me go back to my kindred in Egypt and see whether they are still living." And Jethro said to Moses, "Go in peace."”
Exodus 18 NLT “1 ¶ Word soon reached Jethro, the priest of Midian and Moses’ father-in-law, about all the wonderful things God had done for Moses and his people, the Israelites. He had heard about how the LORD had brought them safely out of Egypt. 2 Some time before this, Moses had sent his wife, Zipporah, and his two sons to live with Jethro, his father-in-law. 3 The name of Moses’ first son was Gershom, for Moses had said when the boy was born, "I have been a stranger in a foreign land." 4 The name of his second son was Eliezer, for Moses had said at his birth, "The God of my fathers was my helper; he delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh." 5 Jethro now came to visit Moses, and he brought Moses’ wife and two sons with him. They arrived while Moses and the people were camped near the mountain of God. 6 Moses was told, "Jethro, your father-in-law, has come to visit you. Your wife and your two sons are with him." 7 ¶ So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law. He bowed to him respectfully and greeted him warmly. They asked about each other’s health and then went to Moses’ tent to talk further. 8 Moses told his father-in-law about everything the LORD had done to rescue Israel from Pharaoh and the Egyptians. He also told him about the problems they had faced along the way and how the LORD had delivered his people from all their troubles. 9 Jethro was delighted when he heard about all that the LORD had done for Israel as he brought them out of Egypt. 10 "Praise be to the LORD," Jethro said, "for he has saved you from the Egyptians and from Pharaoh. He has rescued Israel from the power of Egypt! 11 I know now that the LORD is greater than all other gods, because his people have escaped from the proud and cruel Egyptians." 12 Then Jethro presented a burnt offering and gave sacrifices to God. As Jethro was doing this, Aaron and the leaders of Israel came out to meet him. They all joined him in a sacrificial meal in God’s presence. 13 ¶ The next day, Moses sat as usual to hear the people’s complaints against each other. They were lined up in front of him from morning till evening. 14 When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, "Why are you trying to do all this alone? The people have been standing here all day to get your help." 15 Moses replied, "Well, the people come to me to seek God’s guidance. 16 When an argument arises, I am the one who settles the case. I inform the people of God’s decisions and teach them his laws and instructions." 17 "This is not good!" his father-in-law exclaimed. 18 "You’re going to wear yourself out—and the people, too. This job is too heavy a burden for you to handle all by yourself. 19 Now let me give you a word of advice, and may God be with you. You should continue to be the people’s representative before God, bringing him their questions to be decided. 20 You should tell them God’s decisions, teach them God’s laws and instructions, and show them how to conduct their lives. 21 But find some capable, honest men who fear God and hate bribes. Appoint them as judges over groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten. 22 These men can serve the people, resolving all the ordinary cases. Anything that is too important or too complicated can be brought to you. But they can take care of the smaller matters themselves. They will help you carry the load, making the task easier for you. 23 If you follow this advice, and if God directs you to do so, then you will be able to endure the pressures, and all these people will go home in peace." 24 Moses listened to his father-in-law’s advice and followed his suggestions. 25 He chose capable men from all over Israel and made them judges over the people. They were put in charge of groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten. 26 These men were constantly available to administer justice. They brought the hard cases to Moses, but they judged the smaller matters themselves. 27 Soon after this, Moses said good-bye to his father-in-law, who returned to his own land.”

Tuesday, July 31 Zipporah and Her Husband’s Religion
Exodus 4:19-26 Amplified Bible “19 The Lord said to Moses in Midian, Go back to Egypt; for all the men who were seeking your life for killing the Egyptian are dead. 20 And Moses took his wife and his sons and set them on donkeys, and he returned to the land of Egypt; and Moses took the rod of God in his hand. 21 And the Lord said to Moses, When you return into Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all those miracles and wonders which I have put in your hand; but I will make him stubborn and harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. 22 And you shall say to Pharaoh, Thus says the Lord, Israel is My son, even My firstborn. 23 And I say to you, Let My son go, that he may serve Me; and if you refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay your son, your firstborn. 24 ¶ Along the way at a resting place, the Lord met Moses and sought to kill him made him acutely and almost fatally ill. 25 Now apparently he had failed to circumcise one of his sons, his wife being opposed to it; but seeing his life in such danger Zipporah took a flint knife and cut off the foreskin of her son and cast it to touch Moses’ feet, and said, Surely a husband of blood you are to me! 26 When He let Moses alone to recover, Zipporah said, A husband of blood are you because of the circumcision.”
Exodus 4:25-26 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY Not believing in the necessity of circumcision, Zipporah had resisted her husband’s intention to circumcise Eliezer at the appointed time. The appearance of the angel made it clear that her opposition did not excuse Moses from administering the rite. Now that her husband’s life was in danger she found it necessary to carry out the operation herself. “A bloody husband.” These words are clearly an expression of reproach. They show that Zipporah performed the rite grudgingly, not from a desire to obey God, but of necessity, to save her husband’s life. Her meaning seems to be that Moses was a poor sort of husband, on whose behalf it was necessary to shed the blood of her sons in compliance with a national custom she regarded as barbarous. God accepted Zipporah’s tardy act and restored Moses. When the angel released Moses, Zipporah repeated her reproachful words, adding in explanation, literally, “because of the circumcisions.” She may have had in mind the one performed in Midian on Gershom as well as that on Eliezer.

Wednesday, August 1 Zipporah With Miriam and Aaron
Numbers 12:1-3 KJ21 “1 ¶ And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married, for he had married an Ethiopian woman. 2 And they said, "Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? Hath He not spoken also by us?" And the LORD heard it. 3 (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men who were upon the face of the earth.)”
Numbers 12:1 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY Upon rejoining Moses at Mt. Sinai (see on Ex. 4:25 and 18:2), Zipporah had observed the heavy burdens borne by her husband and expressed to Jethro her fears for his well-being. Thereupon Jethro counseled Moses to select others to share the responsibilities of administration with him. When Moses acted upon this counsel without first consulting Miriam and Aaron, they became jealous of him and blamed Zipporah for what they considered Moses’ neglect of them . The fact that Zipporah was a Midianite, though a worshiper of the true God, was used by Miriam and Aaron merely as an excuse for rebelling against the authority of Moses. He did not violate the principle of nonmarriage with the heathen when he took her to wife, as they apparently claimed.
Ellen White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 383 – “In the appointment of the seventy elders Miriam and Aaron had not been consulted, and their jealousy was excited against Moses…Miriam and Aaron had never known the weight of care and responsibility which had rested upon Moses; yet because they had been chosen to aid him they regarded themselves as sharing equally with him the burden of leadership, and they regarded the appointment of further assistants as uncalled for.”
What do we know about Miriam from the following texts?
Exodus 2:1-9 MKJV “1 ¶ And a man went from the house of Levi and took a daughter of Levi [as his wife]. 2 And the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw him, that he was beautiful, she hid him three months. 3 But when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of papyrus for him, and daubed it with bitumen and with pitch, and put the child in it. And she laid [it] in the reeds by the river’s edge. 4 And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him. 5 ¶ And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river. And her maidens walked along by the riverside. And when she saw the ark among the reeds, she sent her slave-girl to bring it. 6 And she opened [it], and she saw the child. And behold, a boy wept. And she had pity on him, and said, This [is] one of the Hebrews’ sons. 7 And his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, Shall I go and call a woman, a nurse of the Hebrew women for you, that she may nurse the child for you? 8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, Go. And the girl went and called [the] child’s mother. 9 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, Take this child away and nurse it for me, and I will give your wages. And the woman took the child and nursed it.”
Exodus 15:20-21 NIV “20 Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her, with tambourines and dancing. 21 Miriam sang to them: "Sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea."”
Micah 6:4 NIV “I brought you up out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. I sent Moses to lead you, also Aaron and Miriam.”

Thursday, August 2 Moses and His Brother-In-Law
Numbers 10:29-30 God’s Word to the Nations “29 ¶ Moses said to his brother–in–law Hobab, son of Reuel the Midianite, "We are going to the place the LORD promised to give us. Come with us. We will be good to you, because the LORD has promised good things to Israel." 30 Hobab answered, "No, I won’t go. I want to go back to my own country where my relatives are."”
Symbolism – Isaiah 56:1-7 Holman “1 ¶ This is what the LORD says: Preserve justice and do what is right, for My salvation is coming soon, and My righteousness will be revealed. 2 Happy is the man who does this, anyone who maintains this, who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil. 3 ¶ No foreigner who has converted to the LORD should say, “The LORD will exclude me from His people”; and the eunuch should not say, “Look, I am a dried-up tree.” 4 For the LORD says this: “For the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, and choose what pleases Me, and hold firmly to My covenant, 5 I will give them, in My house and within My walls, a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters. I will give each /of them/ an everlasting name that will never be cut off. 6 And the foreigners who convert to the LORD, minister to Him, love the LORD’s name, and are His servants, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it, and who hold firmly to My covenant— 7 I will bring them to My holy mountain and let them rejoice in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar, for My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.””
Romans 11:17-19 ESV “17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, 18 do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. 19 Then you will say, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in."”
Moses invites his brother-in-law to come along.
Numbers 10:31-32 NRSV “31 He said, "Do not leave us, for you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will serve as eyes for us. 32 Moreover, if you go with us, whatever good the LORD does for us, the same we will do for you."”
Numbers 10:31 COMMENTARY BY ADAM CLARKE But what need had they of Hobab, when they had the pillar and fire continually to point out their way? Answer: The cloud directed their general journeys, but not their particular excursions. Parties took several journeys while the grand army lay still. They therefore needed such a person as Hobab, who was well acquainted with the desert, to direct these particular excursions; to point them out watering places, and places where they might meet with fuel, &c., &c. What man cannot, under the direction of God's providence, do for himself, God will do in the way of especial mercy. He could have directed them to the fountains and to the places of fuel, but Hobab can do this, therefore let Hobab be employed; and let Hobab know for his encouragement that, while he is serving others in the way of God's providence, he is securing his own best interests. On these grounds Hobab should be invited, and for this reason Hobab should go. Man cannot do God's work; and God will not do the work which he has qualified and commanded man to perform.