Focused Passage

Exodus 2:11-15

The Birth, Preservation, and Exile of Moses

Moses is born under a death decree, preserved through providence, raised in Pharaoh's household, exiled after failed intervention, and positioned in Midian while God hears Israel's groaning and remembers His covenant.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

11One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to his own people and observed their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people.

12After looking this way and that and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid his body in the sand.

13The next day Moses went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, “Why are you attacking your companion?”

14But the man replied, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you planning to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “This thing I have done has surely become known.”

15When Pharaoh heard about this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian, where he sat down beside a well.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 11

Original words

-וַיְהִ֣י׀H1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularOne dayבַּיָּמִ֣יםH3117Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural. . .הָהֵ֗םH1992Article | Pronoun - third person masculine pluralafter Mosesמֹשֶׁה֙H4872Noun - proper - masculine singularhad grown upוַיִּגְדַּ֤לH1431Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularhe went outוַיֵּצֵ֣אH3318Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionhis own peopleאֶחָ֔יוH251Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singularand observedוַיַּ֖רְאH7200Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartheir hard laborבְּסִבְלֹתָ֑םH5450Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine pluralHe sawוַיַּרְא֙H7200Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .אִ֣ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularan Egyptianמִצְרִ֔יH4713Noun - proper - masculine singularbeatingמַכֶּ֥הH5221Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular. . .אִישׁ־H376Noun - masculine singulara Hebrewעִבְרִ֖יH5680Noun - proper - masculine singularone of his own peopleמֵאֶחָֽיו׃H251Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Or his brothers
Verse 12

Original words

After lookingוַיִּ֤פֶןH6437Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthis wayכֹּה֙H3541Adverb[and] thatוָכֹ֔הH3541Conjunctive waw | Adverband seeingוַיַּ֖רְאH7200Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .כִּ֣יH3588Conjunctionnoאֵ֣יןH369Adverboneאִ֑ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularhe struck downוַיַּךְ֙H5221Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe Egyptianהַמִּצְרִ֔יH4713Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularand hid his bodyוַֽיִּטְמְנֵ֖הוּH2934Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singularin the sandבַּחֽוֹל׃H2344Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 13

Original words

The nextהַשֵּׁנִ֔יH8145Article | Number - ordinal masculine singulardayבַּיּ֣וֹםH3117Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular[Moses] went outוַיֵּצֵא֙H3318Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularand sawוְהִנֵּ֛הH2009Conjunctive waw | Interjectiontwoשְׁנֵֽי־H8147Number - masculine dual construct. . .אֲנָשִׁ֥יםH582Noun - masculine pluralHebrewsעִבְרִ֖יםH5680Noun - proper - masculine pluralfightingנִצִּ֑יםH5327Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine pluralHe askedוַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙H559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthe one in the wrongלָֽרָשָׁ֔עH7563Preposition-l, Article | Adjective - masculine singularWhyלָ֥מָּהH4100Interrogativeare you attackingתַכֶּ֖הH5221Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singularyour companionרֵעֶֽךָ׃H7453Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 14

Original words

But the man repliedוַ֠יֹּאמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularWhoמִ֣יH4310Interrogativemadeשָֽׂמְךָ֞H7760Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singularyouלְאִ֨ישׁH376Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularrulerשַׂ֤רH8269Noun - masculine singularand judgeוְשֹׁפֵט֙H8199Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularover usעָלֵ֔ינוּH5921Preposition | first person common pluralAre youאַתָּ֣הH859Pronoun - second person masculine singularplanningאֹמֵ֔רH559Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularto kill meהַלְהָרְגֵ֙נִי֙H2026Preposition | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | first person common singularasכַּאֲשֶׁ֥רH834Preposition-k | Pronoun - relativeyou killedהָרַ֖גְתָּH2026Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe Egyptianהַמִּצְרִ֑יH4713Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularThen Mosesמֹשֶׁה֙H4872Noun - proper - masculine singularwas afraidוַיִּירָ֤אH3372Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularand thoughtוַיֹּאמַ֔רH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularThis thing I have doneהַדָּבָֽר׃H1697Article | Noun - masculine singularhas surelyאָכֵ֖ןH403Adverbbecome knownנוֹדַ֥עH3045Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Cited in Acts 7:27 and Acts 7:35
  • LXX Are you planning to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday? Cited in Acts 7:28
Verse 15

Original words

When Pharaohפַּרְעֹה֙H6547Noun - proper - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object marker-הַדָּבָ֣רH1697Article | Noun - masculine singularheardוַיִּשְׁמַ֤עH8085Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularabout this matterהַזֶּ֔הH2088Article | Pronoun - masculine singularhe soughtוַיְבַקֵּ֖שׁH1245Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularto killלַהֲרֹ֣גH2026Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct-אֶת־H853Direct object markerMosesמֹשֶׁ֑הH4872Noun - proper - masculine singularBut Mosesמֹשֶׁה֙H4872Noun - proper - masculine singularfledוַיִּבְרַ֤חH1272Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularfromמִפְּנֵ֣יH6440Preposition-m | Noun - common plural constructPharaohפַרְעֹ֔הH6547Noun - proper - masculine singularand settledוַיֵּ֥שֶׁבH3427Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularin the landבְּאֶֽרֶץ־H776Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular constructof Midianמִדְיָ֖ןH4080Noun - proper - masculine singularwhere he sat downוַיֵּ֥שֶׁבH3427Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularbesideעַֽל־H5921Prepositiona wellהַבְּאֵֽר׃H875Article | Noun - feminine singular

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