Exodus 2: Moses Birth, Flight, and Midian

Short answer: Exodus 2 narrates the birth of Moses, his preservation in a basket on the Nile, and his adoption by Pharaoh's daughter. It then describes his killing of an Egyptian, his flight to Midian, and his marriage to Zipporah, while God hears Israel's groaning.

What Exodus 2 says

Exodus 2 opens with a Levite man marrying a Levite woman, who conceives and bears a son. Seeing the child is fine, she hides him for three months. When hiding becomes impossible, she prepares a papyrus basket, coats it with tar and pitch, places the child in it, and sets it among the reeds by the river bank. The child's sister stands at a distance to observe what will happen. Pharaoh's daughter comes to bathe, sees the basket, and sends her servant to retrieve it. When she opens it, the baby cries, and she has compassion, recognizing him as a Hebrew child. The sister then offers to find a Hebrew nurse, and Pharaoh's daughter agrees. The sister brings the child's mother, who is told to nurse the child for wages. The child grows and is brought to Pharaoh's daughter, becoming her son, and she names him Moses because she drew him out of the water.

As Moses grows up, he goes out to his brothers and witnesses their burdens. He sees an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his brothers. After looking around and seeing no one, he kills the Egyptian and hides him in the sand. The next day, he goes out again and sees two Hebrew men fighting. He asks the one in the wrong why he strikes his fellow. The man retorts, asking who made Moses a prince and judge over them, and whether Moses plans to kill him as he killed the Egyptian. Moses becomes afraid, realizing the matter is known. When Pharaoh hears of it, he seeks to kill Moses, so Moses flees from Pharaoh and lives in Midian, sitting down by a well.

In Midian, the priest of Midian has seven daughters. They come to draw water and fill troughs to water their father's flock. Shepherds come and drive them away, but Moses stands up, helps them, and waters their flock. When the daughters return to their father Reuel, he asks how they returned so early. They explain that an Egyptian delivered them from the shepherds and also drew water for them and watered the flock. Reuel asks where the man is and why they left him, urging them to call him to eat bread. Moses is content to dwell with the man, who gives him his daughter Zipporah. She bears a son, and Moses names him Gershom, saying he has lived as a foreigner in a foreign land.

In the course of many days, the king of Egypt dies. The children of Israel sigh because of the bondage and cry out, and their cry comes up to God. God hears their groaning and remembers his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God sees the children of Israel, and God is concerned about them. This closing section shifts from Moses' personal story to the wider suffering of Israel, showing that God is attentive to their plight and faithful to his promises. The chapter ends with God's awareness and concern, setting the stage for the deliverance that will follow.

Verses that carry the chapter

• “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.” (Exodus 2:10)” (Exodus 2:10) — This verse records the naming of Moses and his adoption into Pharaoh's household, a surprising turn that places the future deliverer in the very palace of the oppressor.
• “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.” (Exodus 2:12) — Moses takes matters into his own hands, killing the Egyptian and hiding him, an act that reveals his impulsive attempt to defend his people and sets in motion his flight.
• “He said, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you plan to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian?” (Exodus 2:14) Moses was afraid, and said, “Surely this thing is known.” (Exodus 2:14)” (Exodus 2:14) — The Hebrew man's defiant question exposes Moses' secret and shows that his violent act is known, leading to fear and eventually his escape from Egypt.
• “God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.” (Exodus 2:24) — God hears Israel's groaning and remembers his covenant, marking the turning point where divine attention moves toward deliverance.

Gospel connection

Exodus 2 prepares the way for the greater deliverance that God will accomplish through Moses. The chapter shows a people in bondage, a cry that reaches God, and God's covenant remembrance. It also introduces Moses, who will later lead Israel out of Egypt, a pattern that points forward to Jesus Christ, the greater deliverer who rescues his people from sin. Moses' own story, from a helpless infant in a basket to a fugitive in Midian, demonstrates that God's purposes often unfold through unlikely and humble means. The compassion of Pharaoh's daughter and the welcome of Reuel are small mercies that preserve the line of deliverance. Ultimately, the groaning of Israel and God's concern anticipate the gospel, where God in Christ enters into human suffering and acts to save.

Application

This chapter invites readers to trust that God is not distant from suffering. The Israelites groaned under bondage, and God heard. Even when circumstances seem unchanged, God is attentive. Moses' story also warns against taking matters into our own hands. His impulsive killing of the Egyptian did not bring deliverance; it brought fear and exile. Yet God still used him. Readers can bring their own cries to God, knowing he remembers his covenant. They can also examine where they are tempted to force outcomes rather than wait on God's timing. The chapter encourages patience, compassion for the oppressed, and confidence that God sees and will act.

Biblical fidelity check

The chapter does not tell us the names of Moses' parents, though later passages identify them. It does not explain why Pharaoh's daughter was at the river or what she knew of the Hebrew God. It does not describe Moses' education or his inner thoughts when he killed the Egyptian. It does not state that God spoke to Moses in Midian or that Moses knew he would be a deliverer. The text is silent on the details of the shepherds who drove away the daughters, and it does not say whether Moses acted out of righteous zeal or rash anger. It simply reports the events and God's hearing of Israel's groaning.

Questions for study

1. What does the mother's actions in verses 2 through 4 reveal about her faith and resourcefulness?
2. How does Pharaoh's daughter's compassion contrast with Pharaoh's own policy toward Hebrew boys?
3. Why might Moses have looked around before killing the Egyptian, and what does his fear in verse 14 suggest about his understanding of his actions?
4. What does the exchange between Moses and the Hebrew man in verses 13 and 14 show about how Moses' intervention was received?
5. How does the closing description of God in verses 24 and 25 shape our understanding of his character and his relationship to Israel?

Keep reading

Related studies: Exodus 1 Bible Study, Exodus 10 Bible Study, Exodus 11 Bible Study, Exodus 12 Bible Study.

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FAQ

Why did Moses flee to Midian?

Moses fled because Pharaoh sought to kill him after hearing that Moses had killed an Egyptian. He went to Midian and sat by a well, where he later helped the daughters of the priest of Midian.

What does the name Moses mean in this chapter?

Pharaoh's daughter named him Moses because she drew him out of the water. The name is connected to the act of drawing out, which foreshadows his future role in drawing Israel out of Egypt.

How did God respond to the suffering of the Israelites?

God heard their groaning, remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saw the children of Israel, and was concerned about them. This set the stage for the deliverance that would come through Moses.