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

11 One 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.

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

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

14 But 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.”

15 When 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׀ H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular One day בַּיָּמִ֣ים H3117 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural . . . הָהֵ֗ם H1992 Article | Pronoun - third person masculine plural after Moses מֹשֶׁה֙ H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular had grown up וַיִּגְדַּ֤ל H1431 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular he went out וַיֵּצֵ֣א H3318 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition his own people אֶחָ֔יו H251 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular and observed וַיַּ֖רְא H7200 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular their hard labor בְּסִבְלֹתָ֑ם H5450 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural He saw וַיַּרְא֙ H7200 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . אִ֣ישׁ H376 Noun - masculine singular an Egyptian מִצְרִ֔י H4713 Noun - proper - masculine singular beating מַכֶּ֥ה H5221 Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular . . . אִישׁ־ H376 Noun - masculine singular a Hebrew עִבְרִ֖י H5680 Noun - proper - masculine singular one of his own people מֵאֶחָֽיו׃ H251 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Or his brothers
Verse 12

Original words

After looking וַיִּ֤פֶן H6437 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular this way כֹּה֙ H3541 Adverb [and] that וָכֹ֔ה H3541 Conjunctive waw | Adverb and seeing וַיַּ֖רְא H7200 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction no אֵ֣ין H369 Adverb one אִ֑ישׁ H376 Noun - masculine singular he struck down וַיַּךְ֙ H5221 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the Egyptian הַמִּצְרִ֔י H4713 Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular and hid his body וַֽיִּטְמְנֵ֖הוּ H2934 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular in the sand בַּחֽוֹל׃ H2344 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 13

Original words

The next הַשֵּׁנִ֔י H8145 Article | Number - ordinal masculine singular day בַּיּ֣וֹם H3117 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular [Moses] went out וַיֵּצֵא֙ H3318 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular and saw וְהִנֵּ֛ה H2009 Conjunctive waw | Interjection two שְׁנֵֽי־ H8147 Number - masculine dual construct . . . אֲנָשִׁ֥ים H582 Noun - masculine plural Hebrews עִבְרִ֖ים H5680 Noun - proper - masculine plural fighting נִצִּ֑ים H5327 Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural He asked וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular the one in the wrong לָֽרָשָׁ֔ע H7563 Preposition-l, Article | Adjective - masculine singular Why לָ֥מָּה H4100 Interrogative are you attacking תַכֶּ֖ה H5221 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular your companion רֵעֶֽךָ׃ H7453 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 14

Original words

But the man replied וַ֠יֹּאמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Who מִ֣י H4310 Interrogative made שָֽׂמְךָ֞ H7760 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular you לְאִ֨ישׁ H376 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular ruler שַׂ֤ר H8269 Noun - masculine singular and judge וְשֹׁפֵט֙ H8199 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular over us עָלֵ֔ינוּ H5921 Preposition | first person common plural Are you אַתָּ֣ה H859 Pronoun - second person masculine singular planning אֹמֵ֔ר H559 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular to kill me הַלְהָרְגֵ֙נִי֙ H2026 Preposition | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | first person common singular as כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative you killed הָרַ֖גְתָּ H2026 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the Egyptian הַמִּצְרִ֑י H4713 Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular Then Moses מֹשֶׁה֙ H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular was afraid וַיִּירָ֤א H3372 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular and thought וַיֹּאמַ֔ר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular This thing I have done הַדָּבָֽר׃ H1697 Article | Noun - masculine singular has surely אָכֵ֖ן H403 Adverb become known נוֹדַ֥ע H3045 Verb - 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 Pharaoh פַּרְעֹה֙ H6547 Noun - proper - masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker - הַדָּבָ֣ר H1697 Article | Noun - masculine singular heard וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע H8085 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular about this matter הַזֶּ֔ה H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular he sought וַיְבַקֵּ֖שׁ H1245 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to kill לַהֲרֹ֣ג H2026 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker Moses מֹשֶׁ֑ה H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular But Moses מֹשֶׁה֙ H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular fled וַיִּבְרַ֤ח H1272 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular from מִפְּנֵ֣י H6440 Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct Pharaoh פַרְעֹ֔ה H6547 Noun - proper - masculine singular and settled וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב H3427 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular in the land בְּאֶֽרֶץ־ H776 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct of Midian מִדְיָ֖ן H4080 Noun - proper - masculine singular where he sat down וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב H3427 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular beside עַֽל־ H5921 Preposition a well הַבְּאֵֽר׃ H875 Article | Noun - feminine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.