1
The Birth of Moses and the God's
Deliverer for His People
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married
a Levite woman.
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him
for three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child
adrift on the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was
bathing in the Nile.
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby
inside, crying.
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she
named Moses ("drawn out of the water").
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian
beating a Hebrew.
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him
in the sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape
Pharaoh's wrath.
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to
water their father's flock.
2
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the
women, watering their flock.
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or
"stranger"), for Moses was an alien in Midian.
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of
deliverance)
Key Points and Themes
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as
deliverer
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the
Promised Land
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to
them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent
chapters
This chapter provides the pivotal origin story of Moses, the central human figure
through whom God will dramatically rescue His people from bondage in Egypt.
Despite Pharaoh's cruel attempts to diminish the Hebrew population, God preserves
and prepares a deliverer in Moses from his miraculous infancy.
The Birth of Moses - God's Deliverer for His People
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married a
Levite woman.
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him for
three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child adrift on
the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
3
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in
the Nile.
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby inside,
crying.
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she named
Moses ("drawn out of the water").
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian beating
a Hebrew.
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him in the
sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh's
wrath.
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
4
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to water
their father's flock.
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the women,
watering their flock.
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or "stranger"),
for Moses was an alien in Midian.
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of deliverance)
Key Points and Themes
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as deliverer
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the Promised
Land
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent chapters
The Birth of Moses - God's Deliverer for His People
5
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married a
Levite woman.
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him for
three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child adrift on
the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in
the Nile.
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby inside,
crying.
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she named
Moses ("drawn out of the water").
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
6
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian beating
a Hebrew.
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him in the
sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh's
wrath.
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to water
their father's flock.
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the women,
watering their flock.
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or "stranger"),
for Moses was an alien in Midian.
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of deliverance)
Key Points and Themes
7
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as deliverer
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the Promised
Land
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent chapters
The Birth of Moses - God's Deliverer for His People
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married a
Levite woman.
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him for
three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child adrift on
the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in
the Nile.
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby inside,
crying.
8
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she named
Moses ("drawn out of the water").
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian beating
a Hebrew.
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him in the
sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh's
wrath.
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to water
their father's flock.
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the women,
watering their flock.
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or "stranger"),
for Moses was an alien in Midian.
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
9
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of deliverance)
Key Points and Themes
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as deliverer
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the Promised
Land
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent chapters
The Birth of Moses - God's Deliverer for His People
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married a
Levite woman.
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him for
three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child adrift on
the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
10
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in
the Nile.
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby inside,
crying.
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she named
Moses ("drawn out of the water").
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian beating
a Hebrew.
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him in the
sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh's
wrath.
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to water
their father's flock.
11
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the women,
watering their flock.
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or "stranger"),
for Moses was an alien in Midian.
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of deliverance)
Key Points and Themes
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as deliverer
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the Promised
Land
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent chapters
The Birth of Moses - God's Deliverer for His People
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married a
Levite woman.
12
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him for
three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child adrift on
the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in
the Nile.
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby inside,
crying.
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she named
Moses ("drawn out of the water").
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian beating
a Hebrew.
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him in the
sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
13
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh's
wrath.
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to water
their father's flock.
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the women,
watering their flock.
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or "stranger"),
for Moses was an alien in Midian.
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of deliverance)
Key Points and Themes
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as deliverer
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the Promised
Land
14
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent chapters
The Birth of Moses - God's Deliverer for His People
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married a
Levite woman.
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him for
three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child adrift on
the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in
the Nile.
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby inside,
crying.
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she named
Moses ("drawn out of the water").
15
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian beating
a Hebrew.
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him in the
sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh's
wrath.
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to water
their father's flock.
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the women,
watering their flock.
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or "stranger"),
for Moses was an alien in Midian.
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of deliverance)
16
Key Points and Themes
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as deliverer
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the Promised
Land
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent chapters
The Birth of Moses - God's Deliverer for His People
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married a
Levite woman.
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him for
three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child adrift on
the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in
the Nile.
17
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby inside,
crying.
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she named
Moses ("drawn out of the water").
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian beating
a Hebrew.
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him in the
sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh's
wrath.
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to water
their father's flock.
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the women,
watering their flock.
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or "stranger"),
for Moses was an alien in Midian.
18
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of deliverance)
Key Points and Themes
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as deliverer
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the Promised
Land
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent chapters
The Birth of Moses - God's Deliverer for His People
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married a
Levite woman.
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him for
three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child adrift on
the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
19
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in
the Nile.
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby inside,
crying.
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she named
Moses ("drawn out of the water").
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian beating
a Hebrew.
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him in the
sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh's
wrath.
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
20
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to water
their father's flock.
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the women,
watering their flock.
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or "stranger"),
for Moses was an alien in Midian.
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of deliverance)
Key Points and Themes
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as deliverer
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the Promised
Land
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent chapters
The Birth of Moses - God's Deliverer for His People
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
21
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married a
Levite woman.
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him for
three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child adrift on
the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in
the Nile.
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby inside,
crying.
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she named
Moses ("drawn out of the water").
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian beating
a Hebrew.
22
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him in the
sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh's
wrath.
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to water
their father's flock.
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the women,
watering their flock.
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or "stranger"),
for Moses was an alien in Midian.
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of deliverance)
Key Points and Themes
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as deliverer
23
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the Promised
Land
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent chapters
The Birth of Moses - God's Deliverer for His People
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married a
Levite woman.
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him for
three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child adrift on
the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in
the Nile.
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby inside,
crying.
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
24
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she named
Moses ("drawn out of the water").
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian beating
a Hebrew.
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him in the
sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh's
wrath.
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to water
their father's flock.
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the women,
watering their flock.
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or "stranger"),
for Moses was an alien in Midian.
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
25
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of deliverance)
Key Points and Themes
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as deliverer
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the Promised
Land
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent chapters
The Birth of Moses - God's Deliverer for His People
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married a
Levite woman.
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him for
three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child adrift on
the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
26
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in
the Nile.
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby inside,
crying.
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she named
Moses ("drawn out of the water").
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian beating
a Hebrew.
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him in the
sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh's
wrath.
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to water
their father's flock.
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the women,
watering their flock.
27
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or "stranger"),
for Moses was an alien in Midian.
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of deliverance)
Key Points and Themes
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as deliverer
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the Promised
Land
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent chapters
The Birth of Moses - God's Deliverer for His People
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married a
Levite woman.
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him for
three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
28
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child adrift on
the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in
the Nile.
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby inside,
crying.
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she named
Moses ("drawn out of the water").
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian beating
a Hebrew.
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him in the
sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh's
wrath.
29
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to water
their father's flock.
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the women,
watering their flock.
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or "stranger"),
for Moses was an alien in Midian.
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of deliverance)
Key Points and Themes
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as deliverer
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the Promised
Land
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent chapters
30
The Birth of Moses - God's Deliverer for His People
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married a
Levite woman.
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him for
three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child adrift on
the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in
the Nile.
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby inside,
crying.
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she named
Moses ("drawn out of the water").
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
31
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian beating
a Hebrew.
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him in the
sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh's
wrath.
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to water
their father's flock.
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the women,
watering their flock.
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or "stranger"),
for Moses was an alien in Midian.
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of deliverance)
Key Points and Themes
32
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as deliverer
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the Promised
Land
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent chapters
The Birth of Moses - God's Deliverer for His People
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married a
Levite woman.
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him for
three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child adrift on
the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in
the Nile.
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby inside,
crying.
33
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she named
Moses ("drawn out of the water").
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian beating
a Hebrew.
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him in the
sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh's
wrath.
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to water
their father's flock.
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the women,
watering their flock.
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or "stranger"),
for Moses was an alien in Midian.
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
34
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of deliverance)
Key Points and Themes
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as deliverer
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the Promised
Land
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent chapters
The Birth of Moses - God's Deliverer for His People
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married a
Levite woman.
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him for
three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child adrift on
the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
35
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in
the Nile.
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby inside,
crying.
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she named
Moses ("drawn out of the water").
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian beating
a Hebrew.
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him in the
sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh's
wrath.
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to water
their father's flock.
36
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the women,
watering their flock.
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or "stranger"),
for Moses was an alien in Midian.
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of deliverance)
Key Points and Themes
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as deliverer
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the Promised
Land
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent chapters
The Birth of Moses - God's Deliverer for His People
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married a
Levite woman.
37
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him for
three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child adrift on
the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in
the Nile.
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby inside,
crying.
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she named
Moses ("drawn out of the water").
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian beating
a Hebrew.
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him in the
sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
38
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh's
wrath.
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to water
their father's flock.
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the women,
watering their flock.
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or "stranger"),
for Moses was an alien in Midian.
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of deliverance)
Key Points and Themes
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as deliverer
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the Promised
Land
39
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent chapters
The Birth of Moses - God's Deliverer for His People
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married a
Levite woman.
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him for
three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child adrift on
the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in
the Nile.
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby inside,
crying.
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she named
Moses ("drawn out of the water").
40
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian beating
a Hebrew.
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him in the
sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh's
wrath.
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to water
their father's flock.
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the women,
watering their flock.
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or "stranger"),
for Moses was an alien in Midian.
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of deliverance)
41
Key Points and Themes
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as deliverer
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the Promised
Land
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent chapters
The Birth of Moses - God's Deliverer for His People
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married a
Levite woman.
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him for
three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child adrift on
the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in
the Nile.
42
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby inside,
crying.
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she named
Moses ("drawn out of the water").
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian beating
a Hebrew.
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him in the
sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh's
wrath.
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to water
their father's flock.
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the women,
watering their flock.
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or "stranger"),
for Moses was an alien in Midian.
43
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of deliverance)
Key Points and Themes
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as deliverer
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the Promised
Land
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent chapters
The Birth of Moses - God's Deliverer for His People
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married a
Levite woman.
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him for
three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child adrift on
the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
44
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in
the Nile.
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby inside,
crying.
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she named
Moses ("drawn out of the water").
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian beating
a Hebrew.
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him in the
sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh's
wrath.
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
45
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to water
their father's flock.
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the women,
watering their flock.
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or "stranger"),
for Moses was an alien in Midian.
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of deliverance)
Key Points and Themes
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as deliverer
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the Promised
Land
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent chapters
The Birth of Moses - God's Deliverer for His People
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
46
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married a
Levite woman.
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him for
three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child adrift on
the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in
the Nile.
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby inside,
crying.
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she named
Moses ("drawn out of the water").
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian beating
a Hebrew.
47
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him in the
sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh's
wrath.
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to water
their father's flock.
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the women,
watering their flock.
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or "stranger"),
for Moses was an alien in Midian.
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of deliverance)
Key Points and Themes
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as deliverer
48
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the Promised
Land
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent chapters
The Birth of Moses - God's Deliverer for His People
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married a
Levite woman.
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him for
three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child adrift on
the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in
the Nile.
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby inside,
crying.
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
49
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she named
Moses ("drawn out of the water").
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian beating
a Hebrew.
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him in the
sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh's
wrath.
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to water
their father's flock.
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the women,
watering their flock.
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or "stranger"),
for Moses was an alien in Midian.
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
50
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of deliverance)
Key Points and Themes
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as deliverer
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the Promised
Land
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent chapters
The Birth of Moses - God's Deliverer for His People
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married a
Levite woman.
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him for
three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child adrift on
the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
51
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in
the Nile.
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby inside,
crying.
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she named
Moses ("drawn out of the water").
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian beating
a Hebrew.
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him in the
sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh's
wrath.
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to water
their father's flock.
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the women,
watering their flock.
52
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or "stranger"),
for Moses was an alien in Midian.
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of deliverance)
Key Points and Themes
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as deliverer
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the Promised
Land
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent chapters
The Birth of Moses - God's Deliverer for His People
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married a
Levite woman.
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him for
three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
53
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child adrift on
the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in
the Nile.
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby inside,
crying.
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she named
Moses ("drawn out of the water").
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian beating
a Hebrew.
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him in the
sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh's
wrath.
54
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to water
their father's flock.
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the women,
watering their flock.
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or "stranger"),
for Moses was an alien in Midian.
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of deliverance)
Key Points and Themes
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as deliverer
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the Promised
Land
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent chapters
55
The Birth of Moses - God's Deliverer for His People
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married a
Levite woman.
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him for
three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child adrift on
the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in
the Nile.
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby inside,
crying.
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she named
Moses ("drawn out of the water").
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
56
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian beating
a Hebrew.
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him in the
sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh's
wrath.
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to water
their father's flock.
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the women,
watering their flock.
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or "stranger"),
for Moses was an alien in Midian.
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of deliverance)
Key Points and Themes
57
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as deliverer
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the Promised
Land
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent chapters
The Birth of Moses - God's Deliverer for His People
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married a
Levite woman.
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him for
three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child adrift on
the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in
the Nile.
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby inside,
crying.
58
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she named
Moses ("drawn out of the water").
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian beating
a Hebrew.
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him in the
sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh's
wrath.
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to water
their father's flock.
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the women,
watering their flock.
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or "stranger"),
for Moses was an alien in Midian.
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
59
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of deliverance)
Key Points and Themes
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as deliverer
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the Promised
Land
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent chapters
The Birth of Moses - God's Deliverer for His People
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married a
Levite woman.
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him for
three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child adrift on
the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
60
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in
the Nile.
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby inside,
crying.
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she named
Moses ("drawn out of the water").
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian beating
a Hebrew.
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him in the
sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh's
wrath.
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to water
their father's flock.
61
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the women,
watering their flock.
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or "stranger"),
for Moses was an alien in Midian.
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of deliverance)
Key Points and Themes
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as deliverer
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the Promised
Land
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent chapters
The Birth of Moses - God's Deliverer for His People
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married a
Levite woman.
62
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him for
three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child adrift on
the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in
the Nile.
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby inside,
crying.
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she named
Moses ("drawn out of the water").
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian beating
a Hebrew.
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him in the
sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
63
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh's
wrath.
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to water
their father's flock.
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the women,
watering their flock.
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or "stranger"),
for Moses was an alien in Midian.
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of deliverance)
Key Points and Themes
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as deliverer
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the Promised
Land
64
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent chapters
The Birth of Moses - God's Deliverer for His People
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married a
Levite woman.
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him for
three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child adrift on
the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in
the Nile.
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby inside,
crying.
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she named
Moses ("drawn out of the water").
65
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian beating
a Hebrew.
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him in the
sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh's
wrath.
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to water
their father's flock.
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the women,
watering their flock.
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or "stranger"),
for Moses was an alien in Midian.
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of deliverance)
66
Key Points and Themes
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as deliverer
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the Promised
Land
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent chapters
The Birth of Moses - God's Deliverer for His People
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married a
Levite woman.
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him for
three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child adrift on
the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in
the Nile.
67
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby inside,
crying.
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she named
Moses ("drawn out of the water").
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian beating
a Hebrew.
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him in the
sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh's
wrath.
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to water
their father's flock.
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the women,
watering their flock.
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or "stranger"),
for Moses was an alien in Midian.
68
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of deliverance)
Key Points and Themes
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as deliverer
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the Promised
Land
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent chapters
The Birth of Moses - God's Deliverer for His People
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married a
Levite woman.
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him for
three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child adrift on
the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
69
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in
the Nile.
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby inside,
crying.
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she named
Moses ("drawn out of the water").
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian beating
a Hebrew.
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him in the
sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh's
wrath.
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
70
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to water
their father's flock.
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the women,
watering their flock.
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or "stranger"),
for Moses was an alien in Midian.
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of deliverance)
Key Points and Themes
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as deliverer
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the Promised
Land
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent chapters
The Birth of Moses - God's Deliverer for His People
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
71
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married a
Levite woman.
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him for
three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child adrift on
the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in
the Nile.
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby inside,
crying.
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she named
Moses ("drawn out of the water").
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian beating
a Hebrew.
72
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him in the
sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh's
wrath.
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to water
their father's flock.
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the women,
watering their flock.
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or "stranger"),
for Moses was an alien in Midian.
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of deliverance)
Key Points and Themes
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as deliverer
73
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the Promised
Land
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent chapters
The Birth of Moses - God's Deliverer for His People
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married a
Levite woman.
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him for
three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child adrift on
the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in
the Nile.
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby inside,
crying.
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
74
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she named
Moses ("drawn out of the water").
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian beating
a Hebrew.
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him in the
sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh's
wrath.
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to water
their father's flock.
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the women,
watering their flock.
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or "stranger"),
for Moses was an alien in Midian.
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
75
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of deliverance)
Key Points and Themes
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as deliverer
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the Promised
Land
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent chapters
The Birth of Moses - God's Deliverer for His People
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married a
Levite woman.
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him for
three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child adrift on
the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
76
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in
the Nile.
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby inside,
crying.
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she named
Moses ("drawn out of the water").
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian beating
a Hebrew.
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him in the
sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh's
wrath.
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to water
their father's flock.
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the women,
watering their flock.
77
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or "stranger"),
for Moses was an alien in Midian.
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of deliverance)
Key Points and Themes
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as deliverer
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the Promised
Land
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent chapters
The Birth of Moses - God's Deliverer for His People
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married a
Levite woman.
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him for
three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
78
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child adrift on
the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in
the Nile.
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby inside,
crying.
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she named
Moses ("drawn out of the water").
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian beating
a Hebrew.
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him in the
sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh's
wrath.
79
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to water
their father's flock.
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the women,
watering their flock.
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or "stranger"),
for Moses was an alien in Midian.
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of deliverance)
Key Points and Themes
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as deliverer
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the Promised
Land
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent chapters
80
The Birth of Moses - God's Deliverer for His People
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married a
Levite woman.
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him for
three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child adrift on
the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in
the Nile.
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby inside,
crying.
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she named
Moses ("drawn out of the water").
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
81
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian beating
a Hebrew.
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him in the
sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh's
wrath.
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to water
their father's flock.
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the women,
watering their flock.
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or "stranger"),
for Moses was an alien in Midian.
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of deliverance)
Key Points and Themes
82
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as deliverer
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the Promised
Land
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent chapters
The Birth of Moses - God's Deliverer for His People
I. A Levite Family Defies Pharaoh's Decree (2:1-4)
The chapter opens by introducing a man from the house of Levi who married a
Levite woman.
When the woman bore a son, they saw that "he was a fine child" and hid him for
three months to protect him from Pharaoh's infanticide decree.
Unable to hide him any longer, the mother made a basket and set the child adrift on
the Nile river, with his sister watching over him.
"His sister stationed herself at a distance to learn what would happen to him."
(Pivotal moment)
II. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds and Names the Baby (2:5-10)
The basket came to rest among the reeds where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing in
the Nile.
She saw the basket, had a servant fetch it, and discovered the Hebrew baby inside,
crying.
83
Filled with compassion, she decided to spare the child's life, in defiance of her
father's cruel decree.
The baby's sister seized the opportunity and offered to find a Hebrew nurse,
bringing the child's own mother. (Clever stratagem)
Pharaoh's daughter paid the mother wages to nurse her own son, whom she named
Moses ("drawn out of the water").
III. Moses Flees to Midian After Killing an Egyptian (2:11-15)
The narrative then skips ahead, with Moses now grown, seeing an Egyptian beating
a Hebrew.
Moses looked around, saw no one else, and killed the Egyptian, burying him in the
sand.
The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to break it up. One
rebuffed him, asking "Who made you a prince and judge over us?"
Realizing the previous killing was known, Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh's
wrath.
IV. Moses Marries Zipporah and Has a Son (2:16-22)
In Midian, Moses sat down by a well where 7 daughters of a priest came to water
their father's flock.
Some shepherds tried to drive them away, but Moses stood up for the women,
watering their flock.
Their father Reuel (also called Jethro) took Moses in, giving him his daughter
Zipporah as a wife.
Zipporah bore Moses a son whom he named Gershom ("sojourner" or "stranger"),
for Moses was an alien in Midian.
V. God Hears Israel's Groaning (2:23-25)
84
After some time, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under
slavery.
God heard their cries and was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
"God saw the people of Israel—and God knew." (Reassuring promise of deliverance)
Key Points and Themes
Moses' birth and miraculous preservation as an infant set up his role as deliverer
His defiance of authority previews standing up against Pharaoh's oppression
His status as a stranger/sojourner in Midian echoes Israel's awaiting the Promised
Land
God hears the cries of His people and remembers His covenant promises to them
The stage is set for God to call Moses and liberate Israel in subsequent chapters
Conclusion
This chapter provides the pivotal origin story of Moses, the central human figure
through whom God will dramatically rescue His people from bondage in Egypt.
Despite Pharaoh's cruel attempts to diminish the Hebrew population, God preserves
and prepares a deliverer in Moses from his miraculous infancy.
Moses' early life experiences - from his compassion for his oppressed brethren, to
his status as a sojourner in a foreign land, to his willingness to defend others
against injustice - all foreshadow his upcoming role as the human instrument of the
Israelites' liberation. God is sovereignly arranging the circumstances and personnel
in this chapter to set the stage for one of the Bible's most remarkable narratives of
redemption that will unfold in Exodus.
