1 And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi.
2 And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.
3 And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink.
4 And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him.
5 And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it.
6 And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children.
7 Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?
8 And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child's mother.
9 And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the women took the child, and nursed it.
10 And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.
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.
23 And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.
24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.
1 And there went H3212 a man H376 of the house H1004 of Levi, H3878 and took H3947 to wife a daughter H1323 of Levi. H3878
2 And the woman H802 conceived, H2029 and bare H3205 a son: H1121 and when she saw H7200 him that he was a goodly H2896 child, she hid H6845 him three H7969 months. H3391
3 And when she could H3201 not longer H5750 hide H6845 him, she took H3947 for him an ark H8392 of bulrushes, H1573 and daubed H2560 it with slime H2564 and with pitch, H2203 and put H7760 the child H3206 therein; and she laid H7760 it in the flags H5488 by the river's H2975 brink. H8193
4 And his sister H269 stood H3320 afar off, H7350 to wit H3045 what would be done H6213 to him.
5 And the daughter H1323 of Pharaoh H6547 came down H3381 to wash H7364 herself at the river; H2975 and her maidens H5291 walked H1980 along by the river's H2975 side; H3027 and when she saw H7200 the ark H8392 among H8432 the flags, H5488 she sent H7971 her maid H519 to fetch H3947 it.
6 And when she had opened H6605 it, she saw H7200 the child: H3206 and, behold, the babe H5288 wept. H1058 And she had compassion H2550 on him, and said, H559 This is one of the Hebrews' H5680 children. H3206
7 Then said H559 his sister H269 to Pharaoh's H6547 daughter, H1323 Shall I go H3212 and call H7121 to thee a nurse H3243 of the Hebrew H5680 women, H802 that she may nurse H3243 the child H3206 for thee?
8 And Pharaoh's H6547 daughter H1323 said H559 to her, Go. H3212 And the maid H5959 went H3212 and called H7121 the child's H3206 mother. H517
9 And Pharaoh's H6547 daughter H1323 said H559 unto her, Take H3212 this child H3206 away, H3212 and nurse H3243 it for me, and I will give H5414 thee thy wages. H7939 And the woman H802 took H3947 the child, H3206 and nursed H5134 it.
10 And the child H3206 grew, H1431 and she brought H935 him unto Pharaoh's H6547 daughter, H1323 and he became her son. H1121 And she called H7121 his name H8034 Moses: H4872 and she said, H559 Because I drew H4871 him out of the water. H4325
11 And it came to pass in those days, H3117 when Moses H4872 was grown, H1431 that he went out H3318 unto his brethren, H251 and looked H7200 on their burdens: H5450 and he spied H7200 an Egyptian H4713 H376 smiting H5221 an Hebrew, H5680 one of his brethren. H251
12 And he looked H6437 this way H3541 and that way, H3541 and when he saw H7200 that there was no man, H376 he slew H5221 the Egyptian, H4713 and hid H2934 him in the sand. H2344
13 And when he went out H3318 the second H8145 day, H3117 behold, two H8147 men H582 of the Hebrews H5680 strove H5327 together: and he said H559 to him that did the wrong, H7563 Wherefore smitest H5221 thou thy fellow? H7453
14 And he said, H559 Who made H7760 thee H376 a prince H8269 and a judge H8199 over us? intendest H559 thou to kill H2026 me, as thou killedst H2026 the Egyptian? H4713 And Moses H4872 feared, H3372 and said, H559 Surely H403 this thing H1697 is known. H3045
15 Now when Pharaoh H6547 heard H8085 this thing, H1697 he sought H1245 to slay H2026 Moses. H4872 But Moses H4872 fled H1272 from the face H6440 of Pharaoh, H6547 and dwelt H3427 in the land H776 of Midian: H4080 and he sat down H3427 by a well. H875
16 Now the priest H3548 of Midian H4080 had seven H7651 daughters: H1323 and they came H935 and drew H1802 water, and filled H4390 the troughs H7298 to water H8248 their father's H1 flock. H6629
17 And the shepherds H7462 came H935 and drove them away: H1644 but Moses H4872 stood up H6965 and helped H3467 them, and watered H8248 their flock. H6629
18 And when they came H935 to Reuel H7467 their father, H1 he said, H559 How H4069 is it that ye are come H935 so soon H4116 to day? H3117
19 And they said, H559 An Egyptian H4713 H376 delivered H5337 us out of the hand H3027 of the shepherds, H7462 and also drew H1802 water enough H1802 for us, and watered H8248 the flock. H6629
20 And he said H559 unto his daughters, H1323 And where is he? why is it that ye have left H5800 the man? H376 call H7121 him, that he may eat H398 bread. H3899
21 And Moses H4872 was content H2974 to dwell H3427 with the man: H376 and he gave H5414 Moses H4872 Zipporah H6855 his daughter. H1323
22 And she bare H3205 him a son, H1121 and he called H7121 his name H8034 Gershom: H1647 for he said, H559 I have been a stranger H1616 in a strange H5237 land. H776
23 And it came to pass in process H1992 H7227 of time, H3117 that the king H4428 of Egypt H4714 died: H4191 and the children H1121 of Israel H3478 sighed H584 by reason of H4480 the bondage, H5656 and they cried, H2199 and their cry H7775 came up H5927 unto God H430 by reason of the bondage. H5656
24 And God H430 heard H8085 their groaning, H5009 and God H430 remembered H2142 his covenant H1285 with Abraham, H85 with Isaac, H3327 and with Jacob. H3290
25 And God H430 looked H7200 upon the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 and God H430 had respect H3045 unto them.
1 And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi.
2 And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.
3 And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch; and she put the child therein, and laid it in the flags by the river's brink.
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 river-side; and she saw the ark among the flags, and sent her handmaid to fetch it.
6 And she opened it, and saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children.
7 Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?
8 And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the maiden went and called the child's mother.
9 And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it.
10 And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses, and said, Because I drew him out of the water.
11 And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown up, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he saw an Egyptian smiting a Hebrew, one of his brethren.
12 And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he smote the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.
13 And he went out the second day, and, behold, two men of the Hebrews were striving 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? Thinkest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely the 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 moreover he drew water 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 a son, and he called his name Gershom; for he said, I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.
23 And it came to pass in the course of those many days, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.
24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
25 And God saw the children of Israel, and God took knowledge `of them'.
1 And there goeth a man of the house of Levi, and he taketh the daughter of Levi,
2 and the woman conceiveth, and beareth a son, and she seeth him that he `is' fair, and she hideth him three months,
3 and she hath not been able any more to hide him, and she taketh for him an ark of rushes, and daubeth it with bitumen and with pitch, and putteth the lad in it, and putteth `it' in the weeds by the edge of the River;
4 and his sister stationeth herself afar off, to know what is done to him.
5 And a daughter of Pharaoh cometh down to bathe at the River, and her damsels are walking by the side of the River, and she seeth the ark in the midst of the weeds, and sendeth her handmaid, and she taketh it,
6 and openeth, and seeth him -- the lad, and lo, a child weeping! and she hath pity on him, and saith, `This is `one' of the Hebrews' children.'
7 And his sister saith unto the daughter of Pharaoh, `Do I go? when I have called for thee a suckling woman of the Hebrews, then she doth suckle the lad for thee;'
8 and the daughter of Pharaoh saith to her, `Go;' and the virgin goeth, and calleth the mother of the lad,
9 and the daughter of Pharaoh saith to her, `Take this lad away, and suckle him for me, and I -- I give thy hire;' and the woman taketh the lad, and suckleth him.
10 And the lad groweth, and she bringeth him in to the daughter of Pharaoh, and he is to her for a son, and she calleth his name Moses, and saith, `Because -- from the water I have drawn him.'
11 And it cometh to pass, in those days, that Moses is grown, and he goeth out unto his brethren, and looketh on their burdens, and seeth a man, an Egyptian, smiting a man, a Hebrew, `one' of his brethren,
12 and he turneth hither and thither, and seeth that there is no man, and smiteth the Egyptian, and hideth him in the sand.
13 And he goeth out on the second day, and lo, two men, Hebrews, striving! and he saith to the wrong-doer, `Why dost thou smite thy neighbour?'
14 and he saith, `Who set thee for a head and a judge over us? to slay me art thou saying `it', as thou hast slain the Egyptian?' and Moses feareth, and saith, `Surely the thing hath been known.'
15 And Pharaoh heareth of this thing, and seeketh to slay Moses, and Moses fleeth from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelleth in the land of Midian, and dwelleth by the well.
16 And to a priest of Midian `are' seven daughters, and they come and draw, and fill the troughs, to water the flock of their father,
17 and the shepherds come and drive them away, and Moses ariseth, and saveth them, and watereth their flock.
18 And they come in to Reuel their father, and he saith, `Wherefore have ye hastened to come in to-day?'
19 and they say, `A man, an Egyptian, hath delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also hath diligently drawn for us, and watereth the flock;'
20 and he saith unto his daughters, `And where `is' he? why `is' this? -- ye left the man! call for him, and he doth eat bread.'
21 And Moses is willing to dwell with the man, and he giveth Zipporah his daughter to Moses,
22 and she beareth a son, and he calleth his name Gershom, for he said, `A sojourner I have been in a strange land.'
23 And it cometh to pass during these many days, that the king of Egypt dieth, and the sons of Israel sigh because of the service, and cry, and their cry goeth up unto God, because of the service;
24 and God heareth their groaning, and God remembereth His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob;
25 and God seeth the sons of Israel, and God knoweth.
1 And a man of the house of Levi went and took a daughter of Levi.
2 And the woman conceived, and bore a son. And she saw him that he was fair, and hid him three months.
3 And when she could no longer hide him, she took for him an ark of reeds, and plastered it with resin and with pitch, and put the child in it, and laid [it] in the sedge on the bank of the river.
4 And his sister stood afar off to see what would happen to him.
5 And the daughter of Pharaoh went down to bathe in the river; and her maids went along by the river's side. And she saw the ark in the midst of the sedge, and sent her handmaid and fetched it.
6 And she opened [it], and saw the child, and behold, the boy wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is [one] of the Hebrews' children.
7 And his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call thee a wet-nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?
8 And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the damsel 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 [thee] thy wages. And the woman took the child and nursed it.
10 And when the child was grown, she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses, and said, Because I drew him out of the water.
11 And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked on their burdens; and he saw an Egyptian smiting a Hebrew, one of his brethren.
12 And he turned this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he smote the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.
13 And he went out on the second day, and behold, two Hebrew men were quarrelling; and he said to him that was in the wrong, Why art thou smiting thy neighbour?
14 And he said, Who made thee ruler and judge over us? dost thou intend to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? Then Moses feared, and said, Surely the matter is known.
15 And Pharaoh heard of this matter, and sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from before Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian. And he sat by the well.
16 And 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 rose and helped them, and watered their flock.
18 And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, Why are ye come so soon to-day?
19 And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew [water] abundantly for us, and watered the flock.
20 And he said to his daughters, And where is he? why then have ye left the man behind? Call him, that he may eat bread.
21 And Moses consented to remain with the man; and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter.
22 And she bore a son, and he called his name Gershom; for he said, I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.
23 And it came to pass during those many days, that the king of Egypt died. And the children of Israel sighed because of the bondage, and cried; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage;
24 and God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob;
25 and God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged [them].
1 A man of the house of Levi went and took a daughter of Levi as his wife.
2 The woman conceived, and bore a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months.
3 When she could no longer hide him, she took a papyrus basket for him, and coated it with tar and with pitch. She put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river's bank.
4 His sister stood far off, to see what would be done to him.
5 Pharaoh's daughter came down to bathe at the river. Her maidens walked along by the riverside. She saw the basket among the reeds, and sent her handmaid to get it.
6 She opened it, and saw the child, and, behold, the baby cried. She had compassion on him, and said, "This is one of the Hebrews' children."
7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, "Should I go and call a nurse for you from the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for you?"
8 Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Go." The maiden went and called the child's mother.
9 Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Take this child away, and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages." The woman took the child, and nursed it.
10 The child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses,{"Moses" sounds like the Hebrew for "draw out".} and said, "Because I drew him out of the water."
11 It happened in those days, when Moses had grown up, that he went out to his brothers, and looked at their burdens. He saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his brothers.
12 He looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no one, he killed the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.
13 He went out the second day, and, behold, two men of the Hebrews were fighting with each other. He said to him who did the wrong, "Why do you strike your fellow?"
14 He said, "Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you plan to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian?" Moses was afraid, and said, "Surely this thing is known."
15 Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and lived in the land of Midian, and he sat down by a well.
16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock.
17 The shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.
18 When they came to Reuel, their father, he said, "How is it that you have returned so early today?"
19 They said, "An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and moreover he drew water for us, and watered the flock."
20 He said to his daughters, "Where is he? Why is it that you have left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread."
21 Moses was content to dwell with the man. He gave Moses Zipporah, his daughter.
22 She bore a son, and he named him Gershom,{"Gershom" sounds like the Hebrew for "an alien there."} for he said, "I have lived as a foreigner in a foreign land."
23 It happened in the course of those many days, that the king of Egypt died, and the children of Israel sighed because of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up to God because of the bondage.
24 God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
25 God saw the children of Israel, and God was concerned about them.
1 Now a man of the house of Levi took as his wife a daughter of Levi.
2 And she became with child and gave birth to a Son; and when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she kept him secretly for three months.
3 And when she was no longer able to keep him secret, she made him a basket out of the stems of water-plants, pasting sticky earth over it to keep the water out; and placing the baby in it she put it among the plants by the edge of the Nile.
4 And his sister took her place at a distance to see what would become of him.
5 Now Pharaoh's daughter came down to the Nile to take a bath, while her women were walking by the riverside; and she saw the basket among the river-plants, and sent her servant-girl to get it.
6 And opening it, she saw the child, and he was crying. And she had pity on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children.
7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, May I go and get you one of the Hebrew women to give him the breast?
8 And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the girl went and got the child's mother.
9 And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Take the child away and give it milk for me, and I will give you payment. And the woman took the child and gave it milk at her breast.
10 And when the child was older, she took him to Pharaoh's daughter and he became her son, and she gave him the name Moses, Because, she said, I took him out of the water.
11 Now when Moses had become a man, one day he went out to his people and saw how hard their work was; and he saw an Egyptian giving blows to a Hebrew, one of his people.
12 And turning this way and that, and seeing no one, he put the Egyptian to death, covering his body with sand.
13 And he went out the day after and saw two of the Hebrews fighting: and he said to him who was in the wrong, Why are you fighting your brother?
14 And he said, Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? are you going to put me to death as you did the Egyptian? And Moses was in fear, and said, It is clear that the thing has come to light.
15 Now when Pharaoh had news of this, he would have put Moses to death. But Moses went in flight from Pharaoh into the land of Midian: and he took his seat by a water-spring.
16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came to get water for their father's flock.
17 And the keepers of the sheep came up and were driving them away; but Moses got up and came to their help, watering their flock for them.
18 And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that you have come back so quickly today?
19 And they said, An Egyptian came to our help against the keepers of sheep and got water for us and gave it to the flock.
20 And he said to his daughters, Where is he? why have you let the man go? make him come in and give him a meal.
21 And Moses was happy to go on living with the man; and he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses.
22 And she gave birth to a son, to whom he gave the name Gershom: for he said, I have been living in a strange land.
23 Now after a long time the king of Egypt came to his end: and the children of Israel were crying in their grief under the weight of their work, and their cry for help came to the ears of God.
24 And at the sound of their weeping the agreement which God had made with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob came to his mind.
25 And God's eyes were turned to the children of Israel and he gave them the knowledge of himself.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Exodus 2
Commentary on Exodus 2 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 2
Ex 2:1-10. Birth and Preservation of Moses.
1. there went a man of the house of Levi, &c. Amram was the husband and Jochebed the wife (compare Ex 6:2; Nu 26:59). The marriage took place, and two children, Miriam and Aaron, were born some years before the infanticidal edict.
2. the woman … bare a son, &c.—Some extraordinary appearance of remarkable comeliness led his parents to augur his future greatness. Beauty was regarded by the ancients as a mark of the divine favor.
hid him three months—The parents were a pious couple, and the measures they took were prompted not only by parental attachment, but by a strong faith in the blessing of God prospering their endeavors to save the infant.
3. she took for him an ark of bulrushes—papyrus, a thick, strong, and tough reed.
slime—the mud of the Nile, which, when hardened, is very tenacious.
pitch—mineral tar. Boats of this description are seen daily floating on the surface of the river, with no other caulking than Nile mud (compare Isa 18:2), and they are perfectly watertight, unless the coating is forced off by stormy weather.
flags—a general term for sea or river weed. The chest was not, as is often represented, committed to the bosom of the water but laid on the bank, where it would naturally appear to have been drifted by the current and arrested by the reedy thicket. The spot is traditionally said to be the Isle of Rodah, near Old Cairo.
4. his sister—Miriam would probably be a girl of ten or twelve years of age at the time.
5. the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river—The occasion is thought to have been a religious solemnity which the royal family opened by bathing in the sacred stream. Peculiar sacredness was attached to those portions of the Nile which flowed near the temples. The water was there fenced off as a protection from the crocodiles; and doubtless the princess had an enclosure reserved for her own use, the road to which seems to have been well known to Jochebed.
walked along—in procession or in file.
she sent her maid—her immediate attendant. The term is different from that rendered "maidens."
6-9. when she had opened it, she saw the child—The narrative is picturesque. No tale of romance ever described a plot more skilfully laid or more full of interest in the development. The expedient of the ark, the slime and pitch, the choice of the time and place, the appeal to the sensibilities of the female breast, the stationing of the sister as a watch of the proceedings, her timely suggestion of a nurse, and the engagement of the mother herself—all bespeak a more than ordinary measure of ingenuity as well as intense solicitude on the part of the parents. But the origin of the scheme was most probably owing to a divine suggestion, as its success was due to an overruling Providence, who not only preserved the child's life, but provided for his being trained in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Hence it is said to have been done by faith (Heb 11:23), either in the general promise of deliverance, or some special revelation made to Amram and Jochebed—and in this view, the pious couple gave a beautiful example of a firm reliance on the word of God, united with an active use of the most suitable means.
10. she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter—Though it must have been nearly as severe a trial for Jochebed to part with him the second time as the first, she was doubtless reconciled to it by her belief in his high destination as the future deliverer of Israel. His age when removed to the palace is not stated; but he was old enough to be well instructed in the principles of the true religion; and those early impressions, deepened by the power of divine grace, were never forgotten or effaced.
he became her son—by adoption, and his high rank afforded him advantages in education, which in the Providence of God were made subservient to far different purposes from what his royal patroness intended.
she called his name Moses—His parents might, as usual, at the time of his circumcision, have given him a name, which is traditionally said to have been Joachim. But the name chosen by the princess, whether of Egyptian or Hebrew origin, is the only one by which he has ever been known to the church; and it is a permanent memorial of the painful incidents of his birth and infancy.
Ex 2:11-25. His Sympathy with the Hebrews.
11. in those days, when Moses was grown—not in age and stature only, but in power as well as in renown for accomplishments and military prowess (Ac 7:22). There is a gap here in the sacred history which, however, is supplied by the inspired commentary of Paul, who has fully detailed the reasons as well as extent of the change that took place in his worldly condition; and whether, as some say, his royal mother had proposed to make him coregent and successor to the crown, or some other circumstances, led to a declaration of his mind, he determined to renounce the palace and identify himself with the suffering people of God (Heb 11:24-29). The descent of some great sovereigns, like Diocletian and Charles V, from a throne into private life, is nothing to the sacrifice which Moses made through the power of faith.
he went out unto his brethren—to make a full and systematic inspection of their condition in the various parts of the country where they were dispersed (Ac 7:23), and he adopted this proceeding in pursuance of the patriotic purpose that the faith, which is of the operation of God, was even then forming in his heart.
he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew—one of the taskmasters scourging a Hebrew slave without any just cause (Ac 7:24), and in so cruel a manner, that he seems to have died under the barbarous treatment—for the conditions of the sacred story imply such a fatal issue. The sight was new and strange to him, and though pre-eminent for meekness (Nu 12:3), he was fired with indignation.
12. he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand—This act of Moses may seem and indeed by some has been condemned as rash and unjustifiable—in plain terms, a deed of assassination. But we must not judge of his action in such a country and age by the standard of law and the notions of right which prevail in our Christian land; and, besides, not only is it not spoken of as a crime in Scripture or as distressing the perpetrator with remorse, but according to existing customs among nomadic tribes, he was bound to avenge the blood of a brother. The person he slew, however, being a government officer, he had rendered himself amenable to the laws of Egypt, and therefore he endeavored to screen himself from the consequences by concealment of the corpse.
13, 14. two men of the Hebrews strove together—His benevolent mediation in this strife, though made in the kindest and mildest manner, was resented, and the taunt of the aggressor showing that Moses' conduct on the preceding day had become generally known, he determined to consult his safety by immediate flight (Heb 11:27). These two incidents prove that neither were the Israelites yet ready to go out of Egypt, nor Moses prepared to be their leader (Jas 1:20). It was by the staff and not the sword—by the meekness, and not the wrath of Moses that God was to accomplish that great work of deliverance. Both he and the people of Israel were for forty years more to be cast into the furnace of affliction, yet it was therein that He had chosen them (Isa 48:10).
15. Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh—His flight took place in the second year of Thothmes I.
dwelt in the land of Midian—situated on the eastern shore of the gulf of the Red Sea and occupied by the posterity of Midian the son of Cush. The territory extended northward to the top of the gulf and westward far across the desert of Sinai. And from their position near the sea, they early combined trading with pastoral pursuits (Ge 37:28). The headquarters of Jethro are supposed to have been where Dahab-Madian now stands; and from Moses coming direct to that place, he may have travelled with a caravan of merchants. But another place is fixed by tradition in Wady Shuweib, or Jethro's valley, on the east of the mountain of Moses.
sat down by a well—(See on Ge 29:3).
16-22. the priest of Midian—or, "prince of Midian." As the officers were usually conjoined, he was the ruler also of the people called Cushites or Ethiopians, and like many other chiefs of pastoral people in that early age, he still retained the faith and worship of the true God.
seven daughters—were shepherdesses to whom Moses was favorably introduced by an act of courtesy and courage in protecting them from the rude shepherds of some neighboring tribe at a well. He afterwards formed a close and permanent alliance with this family by marrying one of the daughters, Zipporah, "a little bird," called a Cushite or Ethiopian (Nu 12:1), and whom Moses doubtless obtained in the manner of Jacob by service [see Ex 3:1]. He had by her two sons, whose names were, according to common practice, commemorative of incidents in the family history [Ex 18:3, 4].
23. the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage—The language seems to imply that the Israelites had experienced a partial relaxation, probably through the influence of Moses' royal patroness; but in the reign of her father's successor the persecution was renewed with increased severity.