Encounters at a desert well are a familiar biblical motif that often signals the beginning of a connection and marriage. In this instance, however, the scene primarily serves as a backdrop to highlight Moses's heroism and his uncompromising pursuit of justice. It paints a picture of a respected family enduring social isolation and forced into a daily struggle for basic resources.
The central figure of this family is the priest of Midian. Most commentators agree that this refers to Jethro, while Reuel, who is mentioned later in the narrative, is actually the girls' grandfather [רמב״ן, רשב״ם, רלב״ג]. He is introduced by his title rather than his name because he was a highly respected man known throughout his city simply by his position [רמב״ן, ביאור יש״ר]. Another perspective suggests that his lack of a name reflects a state of personal transition. Having abandoned his pagan beliefs, he lost his former identity, but because he had not yet fully converted, he had not yet acquired a new name [שפתי כהן].
The primary approach among commentators is that his title indicates he was a significant minister or leader in Midian [רש״י]. His spiritual state at the time, however, is a matter of discussion. While there is an opinion that he was a priest actively serving God [אבן עזרא], most describe a more complex evolution. He had been an idolatrous priest who eventually recognized the falsehood of his practices and withdrew from them [רש״י, מזרחי, חזקוני]. Some suggest that at this stage, he had not fully embraced a new faith but had merely exchanged one idol for another [שפתי חכמים, חתם סופר].
This rejection of local beliefs resulted in severe social consequences. He was excommunicated by the people of his city, and because of this ban, no one was willing to work for him or tend his flock. Consequently, he had no choice but to send his seven daughters to perform this grueling labor [מזרחי, גור אריה, חזקוני]. Alternatively, his situation may simply have been a matter of economics; lacking great wealth, he relied on his daughters for help [ביאור שטיינזלץ].
When the daughters arrived at the well, they engaged in a lengthy process of drawing and filling water into channels and pools dug directly into the earth, rather than using hollowed stone troughs [רש״י, משכיל לדוד, קאסוטו]. The extensive effort and time required for this work ended up delaying the other shepherds, sparking their anger [העמק דבר]. The daughters had intentionally arrived early out of modesty, hoping to avoid the company of wicked men [ביאור יש״ר]. They immediately set to work quietly and modestly, not even initiating a conversation with Moses, who was sitting nearby [אלשיך].
A conflict quickly erupted over the water. The daughters were tending a flock that belonged exclusively to their father, which prompted the other shepherds to claim priority, arguing that their own flocks belonged to the wider public [העמק דבר]. Furthermore, the local shepherds operated under a monopoly agreement that forbade anyone from watering their animals until all the men had gathered. Watching this unfold, Moses immediately stepped in to defend the women against this clear injustice. He recognized that the water they had already drawn rightfully belonged to them. Moreover, their father's prominent status should have exempted them from the shepherds' restrictive agreements, and basic human decency dictated that modest women should not be unnecessarily delayed among a group of men [רמב״ן, מלבי״ם].