The Qur’an

“The Sin of Moses and his Escape from Egypt”

Sura 28

The Narratives

15. And he went into the city at a time of unvigilance on the part of its people, so he found therein two men fighting, one being of his party and the other of his foes, and he who was of his party cried out to him for help against him who was of his enemies, so Musa struck him with his fist and killed him. He said: This is on account of the Shaitan’s doing; surely he is an enemy, openly leading astray.
16. He said: My Lord! surely I have done harm to myself, so do Thou protect me. So He protected him; surely He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.
17. He said: My Lord! because Thou hast bestowed a favor on me, I shall never be a backer of the guilty.
18. And he was in the city, fearing, awaiting, when lo! he who had asked his assistance the day before was crying out to him for aid. Musa said to him: You are most surely one erring manifestly.
19. So when he desired to seize him who was an enemy to them both, he said: O Musa! do you intend to kill me as you killed a person yesterday? You desire nothing but that you should be a tyrant in the land, and you do not desire to be of those who act aright.
20. And a man came running from the remotest part of the city. He said: O Musa! surely the chiefs are consulting together to slay you, therefore depart (at once); surely I am of those who wish well to you.
21. So he went forth therefrom, fearing, awaiting, (and) he said: My Lord! deliver me from the unjust people.
22. And when he turned his face towards Madyan, he said: Maybe my Lord will guide me in the right path.
23. And when he came to the water of Madyan, he found on it a group of men watering, and he found besides them two women keeping back (their flocks). He said: What is the matter with you? They said: We cannot water until the shepherds take away (their sheep) from the water, and our father is a very old man.
24. So he watered (their sheep) for them, then went back to the shade and said: My Lord! surely I stand in need of whatever good Thou mayest send down to me.
25. Then one of the two women came to him walking bashfully. She said: My father invites you that he may give you the reward of your having watered for us. So when he came to him and gave to him the account, he said: Fear not, you are secure from the unjust people.
26. Said one of them: O my father! employ him, surely the best of those that you can employ is the strong man, the faithful one.
27. He said: I desire to marry one of these two daughters of mine to you on condition that you should serve me for eight years; but if you complete ten, it will be of your own free will, and I do not wish to be hard to you; if Allah please, you will find me one of the good.
28. He said: This shall be (an agreement) between me and you; whichever of the two terms I fulfill, there shall be no wrongdoing to me; and Allah is a witness of what we say.

The Bible

“The Sin of Moses and His Escape From Egypt”

Exodus

Chapter 2

11. And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren.
12. And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.
13. And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow?
14. And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known.
15. Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.
16. Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.
17. And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.
18. And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon to day?
19. And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock.
20. And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? why is it that ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread.
21. And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter.
22. And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land.

COMMENTARY

In the Qur’an:

1. Moses was walking nearby when one of his fellow Jews asked for his help in a fight.

2. The same person asked Moses for help to fight an Egyptian “who was  an enemy to both of them…” 

3. Moses rushed to hold the enemy down. He was accused of intending to kill this Egyptian as he had killed another the day before and eventually to “become a powerful violent man in the land.”

4. Moses came to the well and saw shepherds that were watering their flock and “two women who were keeping back  (their flocks)”. When he discovered the women’s dilemma, he helped them to water their flocks.

5. The father of these women offered Moses the job to shepherd his flocks for eight to ten years, and to marry one of his daughters. Moses agreed with him.

In the Bible:

1. Moses “ looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren. 12 And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.” He did not indicate remorse for his action.

2. The next day Moses saw two different Hebrews fighting with each other. He tried to reason with them to stop the fight.

3. He was accused by one of the Hebrews not to be “a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian?”.

4. Moses came to the well and saw seven daughters of “the priest of Midian”.  Later other shepherds came and forced the girls to withdraw their flocks from the well, but “Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock”.

5. Their father offered Moses the position of shepherd and later give him one of his daughters as a wife, but did not set any time frame of service as a payment for marriage. The idea of a “time frame of service” comes from the story of  Jacob and Laban, not the story of Moses:

Genesis 29:16-20

16. And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
17. Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured.
18. And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.
19. And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me.
20. And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.