Exodus 2
Modern English Version
The Birth of Moses
2 Now a man of the house of Levi went and married a daughter of Levi. 2 And the woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw him, that he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months. 3 When she could no longer hide him, she took for him a container made of bulrushes and daubed it with tar and with pitch. She then put the child in it and set it in the reeds by the river’s bank. 4 Then his sister stood afar off so that she might know what would happen to him.
5 The daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river while her maidens walked along by the river’s side, and when she saw the container among the reeds, she sent her maid, and she retrieved it. 6 When she opened it, she saw the child. He was crying. She had compassion on him and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.”
7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call for you a nursing woman of the Hebrew women so that she may nurse the child for you?”
8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” So the young girl 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.” So the woman took the child and nursed him. 10 Now the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses and said, “Because I drew him out of the water.”
11 In those days, when Moses was grown, he went out to his brothers and looked on their burdens; and he saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his brothers. 12 He looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 When he went out the next day, two men of the Hebrews struggled with each other; and he said to him that did the wrong, “Why do you strike your companion?”
14 He said, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Moses feared and said, “Surely this thing is known.”
Moses Flees to Midian
15 Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the presence of Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian, and he dwelled by a well. 16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. 17 Then 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, “Why is it you have come back so soon today?”
19 And they said, “An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds and also drew water for us and watered the flock.”
20 He said to his daughters, “So where is he? Why is it that you have left the man? Call him so that he may eat bread.”
21 Moses was content to dwell with the man, and he gave Zipporah, his daughter, to Moses. 22 Then she gave birth to a son, and he called his name Gershom, for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.”
23 In the passing of time the king of Egypt died. And the children of Israel sighed because of the bondage, and they cried out, and their cry came up to God on account of the bondage. 24 God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 25 God looked on the children of Israel, and God had concern for them.
Exodus 2
New King James Version
Moses Is Born(A)
2 And (B)a man of the house of Levi went and took as wife a daughter of Levi. 2 So the woman conceived and bore a son. And (C)when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months. 3 But when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of (D)bulrushes for him, daubed it with (E)asphalt and (F)pitch, put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds (G)by the river’s bank. 4 (H)And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him.
5 Then the (I)daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river. And her maidens walked along the riverside; and when she saw the ark among the reeds, she sent her maid to get it. 6 And when she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby wept. So she had compassion on him, and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.”
7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call a nurse for you from the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for you?”
8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” So the maiden went and called the child’s mother. 9 Then Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him. 10 And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became (J)her son. So she called his name [a]Moses, saying, “Because I drew him out of the water.”
Moses Flees to Midian(K)
11 Now it came to pass in those days, (L)when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren. 12 So he looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he (M)killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 And (N)when he went out the second day, behold, two Hebrew men (O)were fighting, and he said to the one who did the wrong, “Why are you striking your companion?”
14 Then he said, (P)“Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?”
So Moses (Q)feared and said, “Surely this thing is known!” 15 When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But (R)Moses fled from [b]the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of (S)Midian; and he sat down by (T)a well.
16 (U)Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. (V)And they came and drew water, and they filled the (W)troughs to water their father’s flock. 17 Then the (X)shepherds came and (Y)drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and (Z)watered their flock.
18 When they came to (AA)Reuel[c] their father, (AB)he said, “How is it that you have come so soon today?”
19 And they said, “An Egyptian delivered us from the hand of the shepherds, and he also drew enough water for us and watered the flock.”
20 So he said to his daughters, “And where is he? Why is it that you have left the man? Call him, that he may (AC)eat bread.”
21 Then Moses was content to live with the man, and he gave (AD)Zipporah his daughter to Moses. 22 And she bore him a son. He called his name (AE)Gershom,[d] for he said, “I have been (AF)a [e]stranger in a foreign land.”
23 Now it happened (AG)in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel (AH)groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and (AI)their cry came up to God because of the bondage. 24 So God (AJ)heard their groaning, and God (AK)remembered His (AL)covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 And God (AM)looked upon the children of Israel, and God (AN)acknowledged them.
Footnotes
- Exodus 2:10 Heb. Mosheh, lit. Drawn Out
- Exodus 2:15 the presence of Pharaoh
- Exodus 2:18 Jethro, Ex. 3:1
- Exodus 2:22 Lit. Stranger There
- Exodus 2:22 sojourner, temporary resident
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
