1 AND there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. [ Background on Moses, and the circumstances that result in his life being preserved. Owing to the circumstances described in ch. 1 ]

2 And the woman conceived, and bare a son: [ How hard must this be knowing that it is the same as loosing a child at child birth. Since it wa a male child. The penalty for disobedience was death to the midwife as well as the family. ] and when she saw him that he was a goodly [ "goodly", Everett Fox, in his Five Books of Moses says "The parallel in Genesis is 'God saw the light: that it was good' (Gen. 1:4). goodly, [meaning] handsome (so Ibn Ezra, among others), although others interpret the Hebrew tov as 'healthy,' given the context. What is important is the Genesis connection just mentioned." ] child, she hid him three months. [ A Levite couple (v. 1) conceives and bears a child, the mother hides him as long as possible. ]

3 And when she could not longer hide him, [ Could be translated as treasure up. It has been three months which she has endeavored to keep him quiet, no crying, if so the soldiers would have checked in to see the nature of the child male or female. ] 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. [ Is forced to put him into the river. She does so by placing him in a basket among reeds. It is likely Moses’ mother deliberately intended for what happened to happen. She probably deliberately set the basket down in the river, sitting still among bulrushes (v. 3), near to where she knew a group of Egyptian woman would be congregating and thereby hope they would take mercy on him, as opposed to floating him down the river and hoping fate would spare him. The baby being “a goodly child” (v. 2), or pleasant looking with an agreeable disposition, probably didn’t hurt any either. The daughter of Pharaoh found the floating basket in the bulrushes where it was left (v. 5), and Miriam was there waiting to see what happened (v. 4). This was no act of blind faith, sending the child down the river in the hopes someone would rescue him. According to Josephis he says that Moses's father had seen a dream that his son was going to do great things for the Lord. So here we have his mother and father simply trusting God, they have done all that they can do. ]

4 And his sister [ Miriam. ] stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him. [ Moses older sister is assigned to watch to see what happens to him. ]

5 ¶ 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. [ The Pharaoh’s daughter and her entourage come to bathe in the river, where she sees the basket and has it brought to her by a servant. ]

6 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. [ She has mercy on the crying baby, which she recognizes as a Hebrew. ]

7 Then said his sister to Pharaoh’s daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, [ So the idea is that since Moses would be in need of nourishment, his sister, Miriam asked the Pharaoh's daught would you like me to go find a Hebrew woman who can nurse the baby? After all, all of the Hebrew woman who have had male children have had to dispose of them so surely I can find a woman who ahs plenty of milk to give the child. ] that she may nurse the child for thee? [ Miriam approaches and offers to get a nursemaid for the baby. ]

8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, [ Moses's sister. ] Go. And the maid [ Miriam. ] went and called the child’s mother. [ Moses's mother. ]

9 And Pharaoh’s daughter said unto her, [ Moses's mother. ] Take this child [ Moses. ] away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it. [ Which offer is accepted, with wages attached, and the baby ends up being nursed by his own mother. We see the hand of the Lord in their lives as they have trusted in the Lord as seen in the vision of his father. ]

10 And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: [ “Moses”, the Jewish Publication society (JPS) translation states, “Hebrew Moshesh from Egyptian for “born of”; here associated with mashah “drawn out”. The name clearly has predictive implications as it is Moses who draws Israel out of Egypt.” Clearly, this is from the Hebrew perspective. From the perspective of the daughter of Pharaoh, drawing him out of the water was symbolic to her of his birth to her, or a similitude of the birthing process, since he is an adopted son and not by natural child birth. ] and she said, Because I drew him out of the water. [ Moses in Hebrew means "to draw out". While enjoying the legal protection of an Egyptian. After the baby is weaned, his mother brings him to Pharaoh’s daughter and she adopts him as her own son. She names him after the event wherein she found him. Note the irony of the entire situation. Pharaoh commands all Hebrew male babies to be thrown into the Nile so as to avoid being militarily subverted, but it is his own daughter who rescues the one who ultimately confronts and humiliates Pharaoh. The downfall of Egypt can be traced back to Pharaoh’s own family. ]

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. [ Moses, aware of his Hebrew heritage, sees his brothers being oppressed and has sympathy on them. He witnesses a Hebrew being viciously beaten by his Egyptian taskmaster. ]

12 And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man [ Everett Fox states "Although some have interpreted this as ‘no man around to help,' the expression taken in context would seem to indicate that Moshe was afraid of being seen. This incident reveals Moshe's concern and early leanings toward being a liberator, but also demonstrates his youthful lack of forethought. In fact, it will take God, not Moshe's own actions, to set the liberation process in motion." ] , he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand. [ Looks around to see if there is anyone else to intervene, and there is no one, so he kills the Egyptian and hides his body. ]

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 [ At issue here is whether or not Moses is a murderer. The KJV “smiting” is the Hebrew “nachaw” and Strong’s has this entry: 05221 nakah {naw-kaw’} a primitive root; TWOT - 1364; v AV - smite 348, slay 92, kill 20, beat 9, slaughter 5, stricken 3, given 3, wounded 3, strike 2, stripes 2, misc 13; 500 1) to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill 1a) (Niphal) to be stricken or smitten 1b) (Pual) to be stricken or smitten 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to smite, strike, beat, scourge, clap, applaud, give a thrust 1c2) to smite, kill, slay (man or beast) 1c3) to smite, attack, attack and destroy, conquer, subjugate, ravage 1c4) to smite, chastise, send judgment upon, punish, destroy 1d) (Hophal) to be smitten 1d1) to receive a blow 1d2) to be wounded 1d3) to be beaten 1d4) to be (fatally) smitten, be killed, be slain 1d5) to be attacked and captured 1d6) to be smitten (with disease) 1d7) to be blighted (of plants) The Hebrew suggests the “smiting” here was not simply a couple of slaps across the face, but rather was a life-threatening beating and Moses stepped in and killed the would-be murderer. Thus, Moses would not be guilty of murder, but acting as a vigilante. ] thou thy fellow? [ The next day Moses sees two Hebrews fighting and he reprimands them for fighting amongst themselves. Even though Moses has been raised among Egyptians, he clearly has a strong sense of Hebrew identity and feels brotherhood with them, so much so that he insists they not fight among themselves. ]

14 And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? [ Who made you a prince, you are one of us, nothing more. As if they knew who he really was, and maybe they did. They know that Moses in not an Egyptian. ] intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known. [ The one who is reprimanded for beating his fellow Hebrew questions Moses’ authority for censuring him, and then insinuates, or perhaps even threatens, blackmail for his killing the Egyptian the day before. Moses realizes word has spread concerning the events of the preceding day and is fearful. The lack of respect the censured Hebrew shows Moses indicates he either held no authority through his association with the Egyptians, or whatever authority he held was impeached by his killing the Egyptian. Either way, the Hebrew rejects his censure and threatens him with the knowledge of what Moses had done the day before. Whatever sense of brotherhood Moses felt was clearly not reciprocated by this individual, perhaps suggesting Moses was not considered a Hebrew among the Hebrews because of his association with the Egyptians, as v. 19 clearly suggests that in all outward appearance he was an Egyptian and not a Hebrew. Perhaps the Hebrews didn’t even know Moses was a Hebrew, but saw knew him only as an Egyptian, even though he protected a Hebrew from an Egyptian. ]

15 Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, [ That Moses, the same lad that had been growing up under his roof was really a Hebrew. He must have been made, he would have felt betrayed by his own daughter saving the Hebrew boy when everyone else killed their son's. How embarrassing for the Pharaoh. And Pharaoh's do not like to be embarrassed. ] 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. [ News spreads to Pharaoh and he intends to have Moses put to death over the matter, but Moses flees to the land of Midian. ]

16 Now the priest of Midian [ Which would place them under the abrahamic covenant. House of israel but not from the brith right line through Joseph. ] had seven daughters: and they came and drew ^bwater, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. [ Being at the well (v. 15), Moses witnesses conflict between Shepherds and the daughters of Jethro over watering of flocks. Moses intercedes on behalf of the women, and assists them in watering their 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? [ When the women return so quickly from their chores, their father questions them. ]

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. [ They tell him concerning Moses’ actions, they do not know who Moses is at this point. He looks like an Egyptian. ]

20 And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? [ Where are you manners. Most likely that the girls are a little giddish with a boy around, he was most likely pretty cute as he had been taken care of in the kings home. So they were just being young girls romancing as girls a little over Moses, while being shy. ] why is it that ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread. [ Jethro then insists they get Moses and bring him back so he may be thanked for his deeds. He tookm care of you so the least we can do is provide for him. ]

21 And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. [ Moses agrees to settle with Jethro’s family and he marries Jethro’s daughter Zipporah (whihc means bird). Pretty quick romance here. ]

22 And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: [ Means driven out or to dismiss. ] for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land. [ v11-22 These verses portray the young man Moses as a zealot for justice, one who in his younger years will lash out with physical force at the unjust when needs be. These two accounts are undoubtably included in order to contrast his impassioned and somewhat reckless youth, with his later calling as a wise and much more deliberate prophet of God. But they do serve to show his strong sense of justice, and his willingness to apply it to all, Egyptian, Hebrew and Midianite alike. Another thing to be noticed is the two stories present Moses as a man in between two nations. When confronting the fighting Hebrews in v. 14, they question his authority as he is in fact just another Hebrew and has killed an Egyptian. Then in v. 19 they mistake him for a an Egyptian and not a Hebrew. So Moses is presented as neither, he is a misfit. A Hebrew raised as an Egyptian, rejected by his fellows who were in slavery as he was raised in privilege, but now on the run from Pharaoh he ends up dwelling in Midian being thought of as an Egyptian. Why would this be noteworthy? Consider the way Moses rails on Israel and Canaanite alike in his attacks on immorality. He is impartial to his audience, without the slightest hint of favoritism for the Hebrews. Would the events in his life shape his actions? His impartiality in judgment later in life, certainly would have been influenced by his detachment in his younger years. ]

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 [ The “cry” here is the same kind of cry God hears in the sodom account, a cry of the innocent suffering injustice and oppression (cf. Gen. 18:22, also cp, Isa. 5:7). This kind of outcry raises the ire of an impassioned God, and results in Him taking action for His people, cf. 3:7 (or in the case of the Isaiah reference, He takes action against His people). ] , and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.

24 And God heard [ Notice where God is and what he is foing for the children of Israel in these next two verses. Heard them, remembered his covenant with them,looked upon them and had respect for them. ] 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 [ He acknowledged, he took notice. Concerned for them. Comes from the translation of the word yada which means to know. ] unto them.