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 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 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].
Overview of Exodus Chapter 2
Exodus Chapter 2 narrates the early life of Moses, detailing his birth, the circumstances surrounding his rescue from death, and his initial experiences in Egypt. This chapter sets the stage for Moses’ future role as the leader of the Israelites and highlights themes of deliverance, identity, and divine providence.
Key Events in Exodus 2
- The Birth of Moses
- Moses is born to a Levite family during a time when Pharaoh has decreed that all Hebrew male infants be killed.
- His mother hides him for three months to protect him from the Pharaoh’s orders.
- Moses’ Rescue
- When she can no longer hide him, Moses’ mother places him in a basket and sets it among the reeds of the Nile River.
- Pharaoh’s daughter discovers the basket while bathing and adopts Moses, naming him after the Hebrew word for “to draw out.”
- Moses’ Early Life
- Moses’ sister Miriam watches over him and offers to find a Hebrew nurse, leading to Moses being nursed by his own mother.
- After he grows older, Moses is brought into Pharaoh’s household, where he is raised as an Egyptian prince.
- Moses’ First Act of Defiance
- As an adult, Moses witnesses an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave and intervenes, killing the Egyptian.
- Fearing exposure, Moses flees to Midian after discovering that his act has been witnessed.
- Moses in Midian
- In Midian, Moses helps the daughters of the priest Reuel (Jethro) by defending them from shepherds.
- Moses is invited to stay with Reuel, who gives him one of his daughters, Zipporah, as a wife.
- They have a son named Gershom, and Moses expresses his alienation from his people.
Thematic Analysis
- Divine Providence
- The chapter illustrates God’s hand in protecting Moses from death and orchestrating his adoption into Pharaoh’s household.
- Moses’ survival is a foreshadowing of his future role as a deliverer of the Israelites.
- Identity and Alienation
- Moses’ dual identity as both a Hebrew and an Egyptian is central to the narrative, highlighting the complexities of his character.
- His sense of alienation is evident when he names his son Gershom, which means “I have been a stranger in a foreign land.”
- Justice and Advocacy
- Moses’ act of killing the Egyptian reflects his innate sense of justice and desire to protect his people.
- This theme of advocacy for the oppressed resonates throughout the biblical narrative.
Conclusion
Exodus Chapter 2 serves as a pivotal moment in the biblical narrative, establishing Moses as a key figure in the liberation of the Israelites. The chapter intricately weaves themes of divine intervention, identity, and social justice, laying the groundwork for the events that will unfold in the subsequent chapters of Exodus.
