Moses Flees to Midian

¹¹ One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people^(A) were and watched them at their hard labor.^(B) He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. ¹² Looking this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. ¹³ The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, “Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?”^(C)

¹⁴ The man said, “Who made you ruler and judge over us?^(D) Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “What I did must have become known.”

¹⁵ When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill^(E) Moses, but Moses fled^(F) from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian,^(G) where he sat down by a well. ¹⁶ Now a priest of Midian^(H) had seven daughters, and they came to draw water^(I) and fill the troughs^(J) to water their father’s flock. ¹⁷ Some shepherds came along and drove them away, but Moses got up and came to their rescue^(K) and watered their flock.^(L)

¹⁸ When the girls returned to Reuel^(M) their father, he asked them, “Why have you returned so early today?”

¹⁹ They answered, “An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds. He even drew water for us and watered the flock.”

²⁰ “And where is he?” Reuel asked his daughters. “Why did you leave him? Invite him to have something to eat.”^(N)

²¹ Moses agreed to stay with the man, who gave his daughter Zipporah^(O) to Moses in marriage. ²² Zipporah gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom,^[a](P) saying, “I have become a foreigner^(Q) in a foreign land.”

²³ During that long period,^(R) the king of Egypt died.^(S) The Israelites groaned in their slavery^(T) and cried out, and their cry^(U) for help because of their slavery went up to God. ²⁴ God heard their groaning and he remembered^(V) his covenant^(W) with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. ²⁵ So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned^(X) about them.

³ But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus^(A) basket^[a] for him and coated it with tar and pitch.^(B) Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds^(C) along the bank of the Nile.

Signs for Moses

4 Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen^(A) to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?”

² Then the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?”

“A staff,”^(B) he replied.

³ The Lord said, “Throw it on the ground.”

Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake,^(C) and he ran from it. ⁴ Then the Lord said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. ⁵ “This,” said the Lord, “is so that they may believe^(D) that the Lord, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you.”

⁶ Then the Lord said, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” So Moses put his hand into his cloak, and when he took it out, the skin was leprous^[a]—it had become as white as snow.^(E)

⁷ “Now put it back into your cloak,” he said. So Moses put his hand back into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored,^(F) like the rest of his flesh.

⁸ Then the Lord said, “If they do not believe^(G) you or pay attention to the first sign,^(H) they may believe the second. ⁹ But if they do not believe these two signs or listen to you, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. The water you take from the river will become blood^(I) on the ground.”

¹⁰ Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”^(J)

¹¹ The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute?^(K) Who gives them sight or makes them blind?^(L) Is it not I, the Lord? ¹² Now go;^(M) I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”^(N)

¹³ But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.”^(O)

¹⁴ Then the Lord’s anger burned^(P) against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet^(Q) you, and he will be glad to see you. ¹⁵ You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth;^(R) I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. ¹⁶ He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth^(S) and as if you were God to him.^{(T) 17} But take this staff^(U) in your hand^(V) so you can perform the signs^(W) with it.”