1
A man from the family of Levi married a woman from the family of Levi;
2
and she conceived and bore a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months.
3
But when she could hide him no longer, she took a basket made of papyrus, coated it with tar and pitch, put the baby in it, and placed it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile.
4
His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.
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Then Pharaoh’s daughter came down to bathe at the Nile, while her maidens walked along the bank of the Nile. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her servant girl to get it.
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When she opened it, she saw the baby, and behold, the child was crying. She had compassion on him and said, “This is surely one of the Hebrews’ children.”
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Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call for you a nurse from the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the baby for you?”
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Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” So the girl went and called the baby’s mother.
9
Pharaoh’s daughter said to the mother, “Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the baby and nursed him.
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When the child had grown older, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, “Because I drew him out of the water.”
11
In those days, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his brothers and looked on their forced labor; and he saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his brothers.
12
He looked this way and that, and when he saw that no one was there, he killed the Egyptian and hid his body in the sand.
13
The next day he went out again, and there were two Hebrews fighting. He said to the one who was in the wrong, “Why are you striking your companion?”
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But he answered, “Who made you a ruler and judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid, for he thought, “Surely this matter has become known.”
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When Pharaoh heard of the matter, he sought to kill Moses.
But Moses fled from Pharaoh’s presence and came to the land of Midian, and he sat down by a well.
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Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.
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Then the shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses rose up and helped them, and gave water to their flock.
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When they came to Reuel, their father, he said, “Why have you come back so soon today?”
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They answered, “An Egyptian helped us against the shepherds; indeed, he drew water for us in abundance and gave the flock drink.”
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He said to his daughters, “Where is he? Why have you left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread.”
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Moses was willing to stay in that house, and Reuel gave Zipporah, his daughter, to Moses.
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The woman bore a son, and Moses named him Gershom, for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.”
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After a long time the king of Egypt died. But the people of Israel still groaned because of their bondage, and they cried out, so that their cry for help because of their bondage came up to God.
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God heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
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So God saw the people of Israel, and God took notice of them.
👶🏼🌊🔥 Summary of Exodus 2
Exodus 2 tells of the birth of Moses, the central figure in the book of Exodus, and how God’s care preserved him from infancy. This is the beginning of God’s plan to deliver Israel from Egyptian bondage.
1. The Birth and Rescue of Moses (verses 1–10)
- A man from the tribe of Levi married a Levite woman. They bore a son who was hidden for 3 months.
- When he could no longer be hidden, his mother placed Moses in a papyrus basket and set it by the bank of the Nile River.
- Pharaoh’s daughter found the baby and had compassion on him. Miriam, Moses’ sister, offered to find a nurse—who turned out to be Moses’ own mother!
- Moses was finally raised in Pharaoh’s palace and was given the name Moses because, “I drew him out of the water.”
2. Moses Kills an Egyptian and Flees (verses 11–15)
- When he was grown, Moses saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew. He killed the Egyptian and hid him.
- The next day, he saw two Hebrews fighting, and when he tried to rebuke them, they said mockingly:
“Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?”
- Pharaoh heard of it and intended to kill Moses, so Moses fled to the land of Midian.
3. Moses in Midian and His Marriage (verses 16–22)
- Moses helped the daughters of the Midianite priest (Reuel/Jethro) from the shepherds’ harassment.
- Jethro invited him to stay and gave Zipporah to him as his wife.
- Moses and Zipporah had a son named Gershom (“I have become a stranger in a foreign land”).
4. God Hears Israel’s Complaint (verses 23–25)
- The king of Egypt died, but Israel’s suffering remained severe.
- The people cried out to God, and:
“God heard… God remembered His covenant… God took notice of them…” — a sign that God began to act.
📖 Main Lessons
- The Lord’s presence begins even from infancy—God works quietly but surely.
- Moses’ courage showed concern for his people, though his character was not yet ready.
- Failure does not end God’s plan—Moses was sent away to be shaped.
- The cry of God’s people will always be heard and remembered by the Lord.
- God does not forget His covenant, even in the silence of suffering.
✨ Spiritual Meaning
- Exodus 2 shows that God’s plan cannot be stopped, even by Pharaoh’s command.
- Moses as “drawn out of the water” points to divine rescue that would later be shared with all Israel.
- When people begin to cry out, the Lord begins to move in redemption.
- In exile, God was preparing Moses as a deliverer—a lesson that hidden process is part of a great calling.
