< Exodus 2 >

1 And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took a daughter of Levi.
Now a man of the tribe of Levi married a woman of Levi.
2 And the woman conceived, and bore a son; and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.
The woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a healthy boy, she hid him for three months.
3 And when she could no longer hide him, she took for him a box of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch; and she put the child therein, and laid it amidst the flags by the brink of the river.
But when she could no longer hide him, she took a papyrus basket and sealed it with bitumen and pitch. Then she put the child in it and placed it among the reeds in the water along the side of the river.
4 And his sister placed herself afar off, to ascertain what would be done to him.
His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.
5 And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the side of the river; and when she saw the box among the flags, she sent her maid and fetched it.
Pharaoh's daughter came down to bathe at the river while her attendants walked along by the riverside. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her attendant to get it.
6 And she opened it, and saw the child, and, behold, it was a weeping boy; and she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children.
When she opened it, she saw the child. Behold, the baby was crying. She had compassion on him and said, “This is certainly one of the Hebrews' children.”
7 Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse for thee the child?
Then the baby's sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, “Should I go and find you a Hebrew woman to nurse the child for you?”
8 And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go; and the maiden went and called the mother of the child.
Pharaoh's daughter said to her, “Go.” So the young girl went and got the child's mother.
9 And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take away this child, and nurse him for me, and I will give thee thy wages; and the woman took the child, and nursed him.
Pharaoh's daughter said to the baby's mother, “Take this child and nurse him for me, and I will pay you wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him.
10 And the child grew up, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became to her as a son; and she called his name Moses; and she said, Because out of the water have I drawn him.
When the child grew older, she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses and said, “Because I drew him from the water.”
11 And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown up, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdensome labors; and he saw an Egyptian man smiting a Hebrew man, one of his brethren.
When Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and observed their hard work. He saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his own people.
12 And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no one by, he smote the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.
He looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no one there, he killed the Egyptian and hid his body in the sand.
13 And when he went out the second day, behold, two Hebrew men were striving together; and he said unto him that was in the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow?
He went out the next day, and, behold, two Hebrew men were fighting. He said to the one who was in the wrong, “Why are you hitting your companion?”
14 And he said, Who made thee a chief and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou hast killed the Egyptian! And Moses feared, and said, Surely the thing is become known.
But the man said, “Who made you a leader and judge over us? Are you planning to kill me as you killed that Egyptian?” Then Moses became afraid and said, “What I did has certainly become known to others.”
15 And Pharaoh heard this thing, and he sought to slay Moses; but Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and tarried in the land of Midian, and he sat down by a well.
Now when Pharaoh heard about it, he tried to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. There 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.
Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came, drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock.
17 And the shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses arose and helped them, and watered their flock.
The shepherds came and tried to drive them away, but Moses went and helped them. Then he watered their flock.
18 And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, Wherefore are ye come home so soon today?
When the girls went to Reuel their father, he said, “Why are you home so early today?”
19 And they said, An Egyptian man delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds; and he also drew water for us, and watered the flock.
They said, “An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds. He even drew water for us and watered the flock.”
20 And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? wherefore have ye left the man? call him, that he may eat bread.
He said to his daughters, “So where is he? Why did you leave the man? Call him so he can eat a meal with us.”
21 And Moses was content to dwell with the man; and he gave Zipporah his daughter to Moses.
Moses agreed to stay with the man, who also gave him his daughter Zipporah in marriage.
22 And she bore a son, and he called his name Gershom; for he said, I have been a stranger in a foreign land.
She bore a son, and Moses called his name Gershom; he said, “I have been a resident in a foreign land.”
23 And it came to pass in this long time, that the king of Egypt died; and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried; and their complaint came up unto God by reason of the bondage.
A long time later, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned because of the slave labor. They cried out for help, and their pleas went up to God because of their bondage.
24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
When God heard their groaning, God called to mind his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God took cognizance of them.
God saw the Israelites, and he understood their situation.

< Exodus 2 >