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モーセの誕生

1-2 そのころ、あるヘブル人の若い男女が結婚しました。二人ともレビ族の出身で、やがて二人の間に男の子が生まれました。たとえようもなく、かわいらしい子でした。どうして、川へなど投げ込めるでしょう。母親は三か月の間、家に隠しておきました。 しかし、もうそれ以上は隠しきれません。彼女はパピルス(植物繊維)製のかごにタールを塗って防水し、その子を入れると、ナイル川のほとりの葦の茂みにそっと置きました。 その子の姉は、弟がどうなるのか遠くから見守っていました。

さて、それから何が起こったでしょう。ちょうどその時、王女が川へ水浴びに来たのです。侍女たちを従えて岸を歩いていると、葦の茂みの間に小さなかごがありました。王女は何かしらと思って侍女をやり、それを引いて来させました。 開けてみると、なんと中で子どもが泣いているではありませんか。「まあ、かわいそうに! きっとヘブル人の赤ちゃんだわ。」王女は思わず叫びました。

それを見ていたその子の姉は、この時とばかり王女のそばへ駆け寄りました。「王女様、その赤ちゃんを、お育てになりますか? でしたら、お乳をあげる人がいりますよね。だれかヘブル人の女の人を捜して来ましょうか。」

「よく気のつく子ね。そうしておくれ。」王女の返事を聞いて、少女はうれしくてたまらず家に飛んで帰り、母親を呼んで来ました。

「お礼は十分しますから、この子を連れて行って、私の子として育ててください。」王女はその子の実の母親とも知らず頼みました。もう何の遠慮もいりません。彼女は子どもを抱いて家に帰りました。

10 やがてその子は大きくなり、養子として正式に王女の屋敷へ引き取られました。王女はその子をモーセ〔「引き出す」の意〕と名づけました。水の中から引き出した子だったからです。

ミデヤンへ逃亡するモーセ

11 やがて、モーセはりっぱに成人しました。ある日、彼が同胞のヘブル人を訪ねた時、そこで目にしたのは、あまりにもひどい苦役でした。エジプト人が一人のヘブル人をなぐっているのを見て、同胞の苦しみを知ったモーセの血が騒ぎました。自分と同じヘブル人が痛めつけられているのを見過ごしにできませんでした。 12 急いであたりを見回し、だれも見ていないのを確かめると、そのエジプト人を殺して砂の中に隠しました。

13 次の日もまたヘブル人を訪ねましたが、今度はヘブル人同士がけんかをしていました。「同じヘブル人なのに仲間をなぐるとは、いったいどういうつもりだ。」モーセは悪いほうの男を責めました。

14 すると男は、「何だと? よけいなお世話だ。だいたい、そういうおまえこそ何者だ。まるで王様か裁判官みたいな口をきくじゃないか。昨日のエジプト人だけでは足りず、おれまで殺そうというのか」と言いました。あんなに用心したのに、昨日したことがばれていたのです。モーセは非常に不安になりました。 15 そして、心配したとおり、エジプト人殺害の話は王の耳にも達していたのです。王は、「直ちにモーセを捕らえ、処刑せよ」と命じました。窮地に立たされたモーセは、ミデヤン(アラビヤ半島の北西部、アカバ湾東沿岸)の地へ逃げて行きました。

モーセが井戸のかたわらに座っていると、 16 父親の羊の群れに水を飲ませるために、ミデヤンの祭司の娘が七人、水をくみにやって来ました。ところが、水おけに水をくみ始めると、 17 あとから来た羊飼いたちが娘たちを追い払おうとしました。モーセは立ち上がって彼女たちを助け、羊の群れに水を飲ませてやりました。

18 家に戻った娘たちに、父親のレウエルが尋ねました。「おや、今日はいつになく早いじゃないか。どうしたんだね。」

19 「いつものように羊飼いたちがじゃまをしてきたのだけど、一人のエジプト人が助けてくれたの。羊飼いを追い払って、羊に飲ませる水までくんでくれたのです。」

20 「ほほう、親切な人だな。で、その人はどこにいるのだ。ちゃんとお連れしたのかね。さあ呼んできて、お食事を差し上げなさい。」

21 モーセは、レウエルから彼のもとにとどまってほしいと言われ、申し出を受け入れることにしました。レウエルは、娘の一人チッポラを妻としてモーセに与えました。 22 やがて男の子が生まれ、ゲルショム〔「外国人」の意〕と名づけました。モーセが、「私はこの国では外国人だ」と言ったからです。

23 何年かして、エジプトの王が死にました。しかし、イスラエル人の重労働は少しも変わりませんでした。相変わらず奴隷として酷使され、うめき苦しんでいました。その苦しみに耐えかねて、泣きながら神に助けを求めました。その叫びは天に届き、 24 神は、子孫をカナンの地に連れ戻すという、アブラハム、イサク、ヤコブへの約束を思い起こしたのです。 25 神は天から一部始終をごらんになり、イスラエル人を救い出す時がいよいよ来たと考えました。

2 Moses is born and cast into the flags. 5 He is taken up of Pharaoh’s daughter and kept. 12 He killeth the Egyptian. 15 He fleeth and marrieth a wife. 23 The Israelites cry unto the Lord.

Then there went a [a]man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi.

And the woman conceived and bare a son: and when she saw that he was fair, (A)she hid him three months.

But when she could no longer hide him, she took for him an ark made of reed, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and [b]laid the child therein, and put it among the bulrushes by the river’s brink.

Now his sister stood afar off, to wit what would come of him.

¶ Then the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash her in the river, and her maidens walked by the river’s side: and when she saw the ark among the bulrushes, she sent her maid to fetch it.

Then she opened it, and saw it was a child, and behold, the babe wept: so she had compassion on it, and said, This is one of the Hebrews’ children.

Then said his sister unto Pharaoh’s daughter, Shall I go and call unto thee a nurse of the Hebrew women to nurse thee the child?

And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, Go. So the maid went and called the [c]child’s mother.

To whom Pharaoh’s daughter said, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will reward thee. Then the woman took the child, and nursed him.

10 Now the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh’s daughter, and he was as her son, and she called his name Moses, because, said she, I drew him out of the water.

11 ¶ And in those days, when Moses was [d]grown, he went forth unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: also he saw an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew one of his brethren.

12 And he looked [e]round about, and when he saw no man, he [f]slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.

13 Again he came forth the second day, and behold two Hebrews strove: and he said unto him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow?

14 And he answered, Who made thee a man of authority, and a judge over us? Thinkest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? Then Moses [g]feared and said, Certainly this thing is known.

15 Now Pharaoh heard this matter, and sought to slay Moses: therefore Moses fled from Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian, and he sat down by a well.

16 And the [h]Priest of Midian had seven daughters, which came and drew water, and filled the troughs, for to water their father’s sheep.

17 Then the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses rose up, and [i]defended them, and watered their sheep.

18 And when they came to Reuel their [j]father, he said, How are ye come so soon today?

19 And they said, A man of Egypt delivered us from the hand of the shepherds, and also drew us water enough, and watered the sheep.

20 Then he said unto his daughters, And where is he? why have ye so left the man? [k]call him that he may eat bread.

21 And Moses agreed to dwell with the man: who gave unto Moses Zipporah his daughter:

22 And she bare a son, (B)whose name he called Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land.

23 ¶ Then in process of time, the King of Egypt died, and the children of Israel sighed for the bondage and [l]cried: and their cry for the bondage came up unto God.

24 Then God heard their moan, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

25 So God looked upon the children of Israel, and God [m]had respect unto them.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 2:1 This Levite was called Amram, who married Jochebed, Exod. 6:20.
  2. Exodus 2:3 Committing him to the providence of God, whom she could not keep from the rage of the tyrant.
  3. Exodus 2:8 Man’s counsel cannot hinder that, which God hath determined shall come to pass.
  4. Exodus 2:11 That is, was forty years old, Acts 7:23.
  5. Exodus 2:12 Hebrew, thus and thus.
  6. Exodus 2:12 Being assured that God had appointed him to deliver the Israelites, Acts 7:25.
  7. Exodus 2:14 Though by his fear he showed his infirmity, yet faith covered it, Heb. 11:27.
  8. Exodus 2:16 Or, prince.
  9. Exodus 2:17 Hebrew, saved them.
  10. Exodus 2:18 Or, grandfather.
  11. Exodus 2:20 Wherein he declared a thankful mind, which would recompense the benefit done unto his.
  12. Exodus 2:23 God humbleth his by afflictions, that they should cry unto him, and receive the fruit of his promise.
  13. Exodus 2:25 He judgeth their causes or acknowledged them to be his.

The Birth of Moses

Now a man of the tribe of Levi(A) married a Levite woman,(B) and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine(C) child, she hid him for three months.(D) But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus(E) basket[a] for him and coated it with tar and pitch.(F) Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds(G) along the bank of the Nile. His sister(H) stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.

Then Pharaoh’s daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the riverbank.(I) She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her female slave to get it. She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. “This is one of the Hebrew babies,” she said.

Then his sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?”

“Yes, go,” she answered. So the girl went and got the baby’s mother. Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you.” So the woman took the baby and nursed him. 10 When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. She named(J) him Moses,[b] saying, “I drew(K) him out of the water.”

Moses Flees to Midian

11 One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people(L) were and watched them at their hard labor.(M) 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?”(N)

14 The man said, “Who made you ruler and judge over us?(O) 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(P) Moses, but Moses fled(Q) from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian,(R) where he sat down by a well. 16 Now a priest of Midian(S) had seven daughters, and they came to draw water(T) and fill the troughs(U) to water their father’s flock. 17 Some shepherds came along and drove them away, but Moses got up and came to their rescue(V) and watered their flock.(W)

18 When the girls returned to Reuel(X) 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.”(Y)

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

23 During that long period,(AC) the king of Egypt died.(AD) The Israelites groaned in their slavery(AE) and cried out, and their cry(AF) for help because of their slavery went up to God. 24 God heard their groaning and he remembered(AG) his covenant(AH) with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. 25 So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned(AI) about them.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 2:3 The Hebrew can also mean ark, as in Gen. 6:14.
  2. Exodus 2:10 Moses sounds like the Hebrew for draw out.
  3. Exodus 2:22 Gershom sounds like the Hebrew for a foreigner there.

And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi.

And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.

And 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.

And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him.

And 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.

And 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.

Then 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?

And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child's mother.

And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the women took the child, and nursed it.

10 And 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.

11 And 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.

12 And 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.

13 And 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?

14 And 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.

15 Now 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.

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 And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.

18 And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon to day?

19 And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock.

20 And 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.

21 And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter.

22 And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land.

23 And 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.

24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.

25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.