Man would have dispensed with that long period of toil and obscurity, deeming it a great loss of time. But Infinite Wisdom called him who was to become the leader of his people to spend 248 forty years in the humble work of a shepherd. The habits of caretaking, of self-forgetfulness and tender solicitude for his flock, thus developed, would prepare him to become the compassionate, longsuffering shepherd of Israel. No advantage that human training or culture could bestow, could be a substitute for this experience.

Mennesker ville være sprunget over den lange tid, hvor Moses arbejdede ubemærket, og have regnet det for tidsspilde, men i sin evige visdom krævede Gud, at hans folks vordende leder skulle leve 40 år som en ringe fårehyrde. De egenskaber, der derved blev udviklet hos ham, såsom omsorg, selvforglemmelse og øm kærlighed til hjorden, ville berede ham til at blive en medlidende tålmodig hyrde for Israel. Menneskelig undervisning eller kultur kunne ikke give ham et udbytte, der kunne erstatte denne erfaring.