The Birth of Moses
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.
Pharaoh's Daughter Rescues Moses
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.
Moses Kills an Egyptian
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.
Moses Flees to Midian
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.
God Hears the Israelites' Cry
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.
King James Bible
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The Birth and Adoption of Moses
(Acts 7:20–22; Hebrews 11:23)
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, and said, “Because I drew him out of the water.”
The Rejection and Flight of Moses
(Acts 7:23–29)
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, for he said, “I have lived as a foreigner in a foreign land.”
God Hears the Cry of the Israelites
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.
The Birth and Adoption of Moses
(Acts 7:20–22; Hebrews 11:23)
1 Now a man of the house of Levi married a daughter of Levi, 2 and she conceived and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him for three months.
3 But when she could no longer hide him, she got him a papyrus basket a 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. 4 And his sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.
5 Soon 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. 6 When 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.”
7 Then 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.
9 Pharaoh’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.
10 When the child had grown older, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses b and explained, “I drew him out of the water.”
The Rejection and Flight of Moses
(Acts 7:23–29)
11 One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to his own people c and observed their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. 12 After looking this way and that and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid his body in the sand.
13 The next day Moses went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, “Why are you attacking your companion?”
14 But the man replied, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? d Are you planning to kill me as you killed the Egyptian? e”
Then Moses was afraid and thought, “This thing I have done has surely become known.”
15 When 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.
16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father’s flock. 17 And when some shepherds came along and drove them away, Moses rose up to help them and watered their flock.
18 When the daughters returned to their father Reuel, f 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.”
21 Moses agreed to stay with the man, and he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage. 22 And she gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom, g saying, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land.”
God Hears the Cry of the Israelites
23 After 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.
24 So God heard their groaning, and He remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 25 God saw the Israelites and took notice.
Footnotes:
3 a The Hebrew can also mean ark ; also in verse 5; see Genesis 6:14.
10 b Moses sounds like a Hebrew term that means to lift out .
11 c Or his brothers
14 d Cited in Acts 7:27 and Acts 7:35
14 e LXX Are you planning to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday? Cited in Acts 7:28
18 f Reuel was also called Jethro ; see Exodus 3:1.
22 g Gershom sounds like the Hebrew for foreigner .
The Birth of Moses
1And there goeth a man of the house of Levi, and he taketh the daughter of Levi, 2and the woman conceiveth, and beareth a son, and she seeth him that he is fair, and she hideth him three months, 3and 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; 4and his sister stationeth herself afar off, to know what is done to him.
Pharaoh's Daughter Rescues Moses
5And 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, 6and 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.' 7And 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;' 8and the daughter of Pharaoh saith to her, 'Go;' and the virgin goeth, and calleth the mother of the lad, 9and 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. 10And 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.'
Moses Kills an Egyptian
11And 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, 12and he turneth hither and thither, and seeth that there is no man, and smiteth the Egyptian, and hideth him in the sand. 13And 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?' 14and 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.'
Moses Flees to Midian
15And 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.
16And to a priest of Midian are seven daughters, and they come and draw, and fill the troughs, to water the flock of their father, 17and the shepherds come and drive them away, and Moses ariseth, and saveth them, and watereth their flock. 18And they come in to Reuel their father, and he saith, 'Wherefore have ye hastened to come in to-day?' 19and 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;' 20and he saith unto his daughters, 'And where is he? why is this? -- ye left the man! call for him, and he doth eat bread.' 21And Moses is willing to dwell with the man, and he giveth Zipporah his daughter to Moses, 22and she beareth a son, and he calleth his name Gershom, for he said, 'A sojourner I have been in a strange land.'
God Hears the Israelites' Cry
23And 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; 24and God heareth their groaning, and God remembereth His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob; 25and God seeth the sons of Israel, and God knoweth.
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