Exodus — Chapter 2

1Now a man of the house of Levi married a Levite woman,

2and she conceived and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him for three months.

3But when she could no longer hide him, she got him a papyrus basket and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in the basket and set it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile.

4And his sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.

5Soon the daughter of Pharaoh went down to bathe in the Nile, and her attendants were walking along the riverbank. And when she saw the basket among the reeds, she sent her maidservant to retrieve it.

6When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the little boy was crying. So she had compassion on him and said, “This is one of the Hebrew children.”

7Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call one of the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?”

8“Go ahead,” Pharaoh’s daughter told her. And the girl went and called the boy’s mother.

9Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child and nurse him for me, and I will pay your wages.” So the woman took the boy and nursed him.

10When the child had grown older, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses and explained, “I drew him out of the water.”

11One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to his own people and observed their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people.

12After looking this way and that and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid his body in the sand.

13The next day Moses went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, “Why are you attacking your companion?”

14But the man replied, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you planning to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “This thing I have done has surely become known.”

15When Pharaoh heard about this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian, where he sat down beside a well.

16Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father’s flock.

17And when some shepherds came along and drove them away, Moses rose up to help them and watered their flock.

18When the daughters returned to their father Reuel, he asked them, “Why have you returned so early today?”

19“An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds,” they replied. “He even drew water for us and watered the flock.”

20“So where is he?” their father asked. “Why did you leave the man behind? Invite him to have something to eat.”

21Moses agreed to stay with the man, and he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage.

22And she gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom, saying, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land.”

23After a long time, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned and cried out under their burden of slavery, and their cry for deliverance from bondage ascended to God.

24So God heard their groaning, and He remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

25God saw the Israelites and took notice.

1And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi.

2And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.

3And 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.

4And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him.

5And 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.

6And 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.

7Then 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?

8And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child’s mother.

9And 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.

10And 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.

11And 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.

12And 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.

13And 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?

14And 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.

15Now 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.

16Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.

17And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.

18And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon to day?

19And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock.

20And 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.

21And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter.

22And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land.

23And 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.

24And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.

25And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.

1And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi.

2And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.

3And 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.

4And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him.

5And 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.

6And 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.

7Then 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?

8And Pharaoh`s daughter said to her, Go. And the maiden went and called the child`s mother.

9And 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.

10And 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.

11And 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.

12And 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.

13And 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?

14And 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.

15Now 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.

16Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father`s flock.

17And the shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.

18And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon to-day?

19And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and moreover he drew water for us, and watered the flock.

20And 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.

21And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter.

22And she bare a son, and he called his name Gershom; for he said, I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.

23And 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.

24And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.

25And God saw the children of Israel, and God took knowledge [of them].

1A man from the household of Levi married a woman who was a descendant of Levi.

2The woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a healthy child, she hid him for three months.

3But when she was no longer able to hide him, she took a papyrus basket for him and sealed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child in it and set it among the reeds along the edge of the Nile.

4His sister stationed herself at a distance to find out what would happen to him.

5Then the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself by the Nile, while her attendants were walking alongside the river, and she saw the basket among the reeds. She sent one of her attendants, took it,

6opened it, and saw the child—a boy, crying!—and she felt compassion for him and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.”

7Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get a nursing woman for you from the Hebrews, so that she may nurse the child for you?”

8Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Yes, do so.” So the young girl went and got the child’s mother.

9Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child and nurse him for me, and I will pay your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him.

10When the child grew older she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, “Because I drew him from the water.”

11In those days, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and observed their hard labor, and he saw an Egyptian man attacking a Hebrew man, one of his own people.

12He looked this way and that and saw that no one was there, and then he attacked the Egyptian and concealed the body in the sand.

13When he went out the next day, there were two Hebrew men fighting. So he said to the one who was in the wrong, “Why are you attacking your fellow Hebrew?”

14The man replied, “Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? Are you planning to kill me like you killed that Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid, thinking, “Surely what I did has become known.”

15When Pharaoh heard about this event, he sought to kill Moses. So Moses fled from Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian, and he settled by a certain well.

16Now a priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came and began to draw water and fill the troughs in order to water their father’s flock.

17When some shepherds came and drove them away, Moses came up and defended them and then watered their flock.

18So when they came home to their father Reuel, he asked, “Why have you come home so early today?”

19They said, “An Egyptian man rescued us from the shepherds, and he actually drew water for us and watered the flock!”

20He said to his daughters, “So where is he? Why in the world did you leave the man? Call him, so that he may eat a meal with us.”

21Moses agreed to stay with the man, and he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage.

22When she bore a son, Moses named him Gershom, for he said, “I have become a resident foreigner in a foreign land.”

23During that long period of time the king of Egypt died, and the Israelites groaned because of the slave labor. They cried out, and their desperate cry because of their slave labor went up to God.

24God heard their groaning; God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.

25God saw the Israelites, and God understood.

1A man of the house of Levi went and took a daughter of Levi as his wife.

2The woman conceived, and bore a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months.

3When 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.

4His sister stood far off, to see what would be done to him.

5Pharaoh’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 servant to get it.

6She 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.”

7Then 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?”

8Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” The young woman went and called the child’s mother.

9Pharaoh’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.

10The child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, and said, “Because I drew him out of the water.”

11In those days, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his brothers, and looked at their burdens. He saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his brothers.

12He 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.

13He 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?”

14He 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.”

15Now 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.

16Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.

17The shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.

18When they came to Reuel, their father, he said, “How is it that you have returned so early today?”

19They said, “An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and moreover he drew water for us, and watered the flock.”

20He said to his daughters, “Where is he? Why is it that you have left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread.”

21Moses was content to dwell with the man. He gave Moses Zipporah, his daughter.

22She bore a son, and he named him Gershom, for he said, “I have lived as a foreigner in a foreign land.”

23In the course of those many days, 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.

24God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.

25God saw the children of Israel, and God was concerned about them.