Exodus 2: The baby in the basket, and Moses in Midian
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Hebrew. How to read a study
What happens?
A Levite woman hides her baby son, then puts him in a basket by the river, and Pharaoh's daughter finds him and names him Moses. As a grown man Moses kills an Egyptian who was striking a Hebrew, flees to Midian, and marries Zipporah. In Egypt the Israelites groan under their slavery, and God hears them.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. Moses' sister, Pharaoh's daughter, Moses, a Hebrew man, Reuel and his daughters all speak. God does not speak in this chapter. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1A man of the house of Levi went and took a daughter of Levi as his wife.
In plain English: A man from the house of Levi went and took a daughter of Levi as his wife.
Good to know: The text does not name the man and woman here. names them: Amram and Jochebed.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
2The woman conceived and bore a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months.
In plain English: The woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She saw that he was a fine (or: good) child, and she hid him for three months.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
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.
In plain English: When she could no longer hide him, she took a basket made of papyrus (reed) and coated it with tar and pitch. She put the child in it and set it among the reeds by the bank of the river.
The Hebrew word: "Basket" is tevah. It is the word used for Noah's boat in , which this Bible calls a "ship" and many Bibles call an "ark".
How it is translated: This Bible says "ship" for tevah in 23 of its 25 verses. The only 2 times it says "basket" are here and in .
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
4His sister stood far off, to see what would be done to him.
In plain English: His sister stood some distance away to see what would happen to him.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
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.
In plain English: Pharaoh's daughter came down to the river to bathe, while her young women walked along the riverbank. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her servant to get it.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
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.”
In plain English: She opened it and saw the child. The baby was crying, and she felt sorry for him. She said, "This is one of the Hebrews' children."
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
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?”
In plain English: Then his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, "Should I go and call a nurse for you from the Hebrew women, to nurse the child for you?"
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
8Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” The young woman went and called the child’s mother.
In plain English: Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Go." So the young woman went and called the child's mother.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
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 him.
In plain English: Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Take this child and nurse him for me, and I will pay you." The woman took the child and nursed him.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
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.”
In plain English: 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."
Good to know: "Moses" is Mosheh. The text gives its meaning: she says, "Because I drew him out of the water." It sounds like mashah, the Hebrew word that means to draw out.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
11In those days, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his brothers and saw their burdens. He saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his brothers.
In plain English: In those days, when Moses was grown, he went out to his brothers (his own people) and saw their heavy labor. He saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his brothers.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
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.
In plain English: He looked around this way and that, and when he saw that no one was there, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
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?”
In plain English: He went out the next day (literally: the second day) and saw two Hebrew men fighting each other. He said to the one who was in the wrong, "Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?"
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
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.”
In plain English: The man answered, "Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Are you planning to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian?" Moses was afraid and said (or: thought), "Surely this thing is known."
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
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.
In plain English: When Pharaoh heard about this, he tried to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and lived in the land of Midian, and he sat down by a well.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
16Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.
In plain English: The priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came, drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
17The shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.
In plain English: The shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up, helped them, and watered their flock.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
18When they came to Reuel, their father, he said, “How is it that you have returned so early today?”
In plain English: When the daughters came to their father Reuel, he said, "Why have you come back so early today?"
Good to know: Moses' father-in-law is called Reuel here, and Jethro in and . The text does not say why he has two names.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
19They said, “An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and moreover he drew water for us, and watered the flock.”
In plain English: They said, "An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds. He even drew water for us and watered the flock."
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
20He said to his daughters, “Where is he? Why is it that you have left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread.”
In plain English: He said to his daughters, "Where is he? Why did you leave the man behind? Call him to come and eat a meal (literally: bread)."
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
21Moses was content to dwell with the man. He gave Moses Zipporah, his daughter.
In plain English: Moses agreed to stay with the man, and the man gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
22She bore a son, and he named him Gershom, for he said, “I have lived as a foreigner in a foreign land.”
In plain English: She gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom, because he said, "I have been a foreigner in a foreign land."
Good to know: "Gershom" sounds like ger, the Hebrew word for a foreigner or guest living in another people's land. It is the word this Bible translates as "foreigner" in Moses' words.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
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.
In plain English: During those many days the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned under their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help rose up to God.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
24God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
In plain English: God heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
25God saw the children of Israel, and God understood.
In plain English: God saw the Israelites, and God knew (or: understood).
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.