Exodus 2
Exodus 2 is part of “Israel in Egypt” (1–2) in the outline of Exodus.
Exodus 2 summary
This chapter begins the story of Moses, that man of renown, famed for his intimate acquaintance with Heaven and his eminent usefulness on earth, and the most remarkable type of Christ, as a prophet, saviour, lawgiver, and mediator, in all the Old Testament. The Jews have a book among them of the life of Moses, which tells a great many stories concerning him, which we have reason to think are mere fictions; what he has recorded concerning himself is what we may rely upon, for we know that his record is true; and it is what we may be satisfied with, for it is what Infinite Wisdom thought fit to preserve and transmit to us. In this chapter we…
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This chapter begins the story of Moses, that man of renown, famed for his intimate acquaintance with Heaven and his eminent usefulness on earth, and the most remarkable type of Christ, as a prophet, saviour, lawgiver, and mediator, in all the Old Testament. The Jews have a book among them of the life of Moses, which tells a great many stories concerning him, which we have reason to think are mere fictions; what he has recorded concerning himself is what we may rely upon, for we know that his record is true; and it is what we may be satisfied with, for it is what Infinite Wisdom thought fit to preserve and transmit to us. In this chapter we have, I. The perils of his birth and infancy (Exo 2:1-4). II. His preservation through those perils, and the preferment of his childhood and youth (Exo 2:5-10). III. The pious choice of his riper years, which was to own the people of God. 1. He offered them his service at present, if they would accept it (Exo 2:11-14). 2. He retired, that he might reserve himself for further service hereafter (Exo 2:15-22). IV. The dawning of the day of Israel's deliverance (Exo 2:23, etc.).
Source: Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706–21; Romans–Revelation completed by Nonconformist ministers). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Exodus 2 (GNV)
Geneva Bible 1599 (public domain)
The Birth of Moses
1Then there went a man of the house of Leui, and tooke to wife a daughter of Leui, 2And the woman coceiued and bare a sonne: and when she saw that he was faire, she hid him three moneths. 3But when she could no longer hide him, she tooke for him an arke made of reede, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and laide the childe therein, and put it among the bulrushes by the riuers brinke. 4Now his sister stood a farre off, to wit what would come of him. 5Then ye daughter of Pharaoh came downe to wash her in the riuer, and her maidens walked by the riuers side: and when shee sawe the arke among the bulrushes, she sent her maide to fet it. 6Then she opened it, and sawe it was a childe: and beholde, the babe wept: so she had compassion on it, and sayde, This is one of the Ebrewes children. 7Then said his sister vnto Pharaohs daughter, Shall I go and cal vnto thee a nurce of the Ebrew women to nurce thee the childe? 8And Pharaohs daughter sayde to her, Goe. So the maide went and called the childes mother, 9To whome Pharaohs daughter sayde, Take this childe away, and nurce it for me, and I wil reward thee. Then the woman tooke the childe and nurced him. 10Nowe the childe grewe, and she brought him vnto Pharaohs daughter, and he was as her sonne, and she called his name Moses, because, said she, I drewe him out of the water.
Moses Flees to Midian
11And in those dayes, when Moses was growen, he went forth vnto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: also he sawe an Egyptian smiting an Ebrewe one of his brethren. 12And he looked rounde about, and when he sawe no man, hee slewe the Egyptian, and hid him in the sande. 13Againe he came forth the second day, and behold, two Ebrewes stroue: and he said vnto him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellowe? 14And hee answered, Who made thee a man of authoritie, and a iudge ouer vs? Thinkest thou to kill mee, as thou killedst the Egyptian? Then Moses feared and sayde, Certainly this thing is knowen. 15Now Pharaoh heard this matter, and sought to slay Moses: therefore Moses fled from Pharaoh, and dwelt in the lande of Midian, and hee sate downe by a well. 16And the Priest of Midian had seue daughters, which came and drewe water, and filled the troghes, for to water their fathers sheepe. 17Then the shepherds came and droue them away: but Moses rose vp and defended them, and watered their sheepe. 18And whe they came to Reuel their father, he said, Howe are ye come so soone to day? 19And they saide, A man of Egypt deliuered vs from the hand of the shepherdes, and also drew vs water ynough, and watered the sheepe. 20Then he saide vnto his daughters, And where is he? why haue ye so left the man? call him that he may eate bread. 21And Moses agreed to dwell with the man: who gaue vnto Moses Zipporah his daughter: 22And she bare a sonne, whose name he called Gershom: for he said, I haue bene a stranger in a strange lande. 23Then in processe of time, the King of Egypt dyed, and the children of Israel sighed for the bondage and cryed: and their crie for the bondage came vp vnto God. 24Then God heard their mone, and God remembred his couenant with Abraham, Izhak, and Iaakob. 25So God looked vpon the children of Israel, and God had respect vnto them.