Chapter 77
25. And God saw the burden of the children of Israel, and their heavy work in those days, and he determined to deliver them.
26. And Moses the son of Amram was still confined in the dungeon in those days, in the house of Reuel the Midianite, and Zipporah the daughter of Reuel did support him with food secretly day by day.
27. And Moses was confined in the dungeon in the house of Reuel (Jethro) for ten years.
28. And at the end of ten years, which was the first year of the reign of Pharaoh over Egypt, in the place of his father,
29. Zipporah said to her father Reuel, no person inquires or seeks after the Hebrew man, whom though didst bind in prison now ten years.
30. Now therefore, if it seem good in thy sight, let us send and see whether he is living or dead, but her father knew not that she had supported him.
31. And Reuel her father answered and said to her, has ever such a thing happened that a man should be shut up in prison without food for ten years, and that he should live?
32. And Zipporah answered her father, saying, surely thou hast heard that the God of the Hebrews is great and awful, and does wonders for them at all times.
33. He is was who delivered Abraham from Ur of the Chaldeans, and Isaac from the sword of his father, and Jacob from the angel of the Lord who wrestled with him at the ford of Jabbuk.
34. Also with this man has he done many things, he delivered him from the river in Egypt and from the sword of Pharaoh, and from the childen of Cush, so also can he deliver him from famine and make him live.
35. And the thing seemed good in the sight of Reuel, and he did according to the word of his daughter, and sent to the dungeon to ascertain what became of Moses.
36. And he saw, and behold the man Moses was living in the dungeon, standing on his feet, praising and praying to the God of his ancestors.
37. And Reuel commanded Moses to be brought out of the dungeon, so they shaved him and he changed his prison garments and ate bread.
38. And afterwards Moses went into the garden of Reuel which was behind the house, and he there prayed to the Lord his God, who had done mighty wonders for him.
39. And it was that whilst he prayed he looked opposite to him, and behold a sapphire stick was placed in the ground, which was planted in the midst of the garden.
40. And he approached the stick and he looked, and behold the name of the Lord God of hosts was engraved thereon, written and developed upon the stick.
41. And he read it and stretched forth his hand and he plucked it like a forest tree from the thicket, and the stick was in his hand.
42. And this was the stick with which all the works of our God were performed, after he had created heaven and earth, and all the host of them, seas, rivers, and all their fishes.
43. And when God had driven Adam from the garden of Edem, [Adam] took the stick in his hand and went and tilled the ground from which he was taken.
44. And the stick cam down to Noah and was given to Shem and his descendants, until it came into the hand of Abraham the Hebrew.
45. And when Abraham had given all he had to his son Isaac, he also gave him this stick.
46. And when Jacob had fled to Padan-aram, he took it into his hand, and when he returned to his father he had not left it behind him.
47. Also when he went down to Egypt he took it into his hand to give to Joseph, one portion above his brethren, for Jacob had taken it by force from his brother Esau.
48. And after the death of Joseph, the nobles of Egypt came into the house of Joseph, and the stick came into the hand of Reuel the Midianite, and when he went out of Egypt, he took it in his hand and planted it in his garden.
49. And all the mighty men of the Kinites tried to pluck it when they endeavored to get Zipporah his daughter, but they were unsuccessful.
50. So the stick remained planted in the garden of Reuel, until he came who had a right to it and took it.
51. And when Reuel saw the stick in the hand of Moses, he wondered at it, and he gave him his daughter Zipprah for a wife.