The Birth of Moses
1 During this time a man from the tribe of Levi married a woman of his own tribe, 2 and she bore him a son. When she saw what a fine baby he was, she hid him for three months. 3 But when she could not hide him any longer, she took a basket made of reeds and covered it with tar to make it watertight. She put the baby in it and then placed it in the tall grass at the edge of the river. 4 The baby's sister stood some distance away to see what would happen to him.
5 The king's daughter came down to the river to bathe, while her servants walked along the bank. Suddenly she noticed the basket in the tall grass and sent a slave woman to get it. 6 The princess opened it and saw a baby boy. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. “This is one of the Hebrew babies,” she said.
7 Then his sister asked her, “Shall I go and call a Hebrew woman to nurse the baby for you?”
8 “Please do,” she answered. So the girl went and brought the baby's own mother. 9 The princess told the woman, “Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you.” So she took the baby and nursed him. 10 Later, when the child was old enough, she took him to the king's daughter, who adopted him as her own son. She said to herself, “I pulled him out of the water, and so I name him Moses.”
Moses Escapes to Midian
11 When Moses had grown up, he went out to visit his people, the Hebrews, and he saw how they were forced to do hard labor. He even saw an Egyptian kill a Hebrew, one of Moses' own people. 12 Moses looked all around, and when he saw that no one was watching, he killed the Egyptian and hid his body in the sand. 13 The next day he went back and saw two Hebrew men fighting. He said to the one who was in the wrong, “Why are you beating up a fellow Hebrew?”
14 The man answered, “Who made you our ruler and judge? Are you going to kill me just as you killed that Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and said to himself, “People have found out what I have done.” 15-16 When the king heard about what had happened, he tried to have Moses killed, but Moses fled and went to live in the land of Midian.
One day, when Moses was sitting by a well, seven daughters of Jethro, the priest of Midian, came to draw water and fill the troughs for their father's sheep and goats. 17 But some shepherds drove Jethro's daughters away. Then Moses went to their rescue and watered their animals for them. 18 When they returned to their father, he asked, “Why have you come back so early today?”
19 “An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds,” they answered, “and he even drew water for us and watered our animals.”
20 “Where is he?” he asked his daughters. “Why did you leave the man out there? Go and invite him to eat with us.”
21 So Moses decided to live there, and Jethro gave him his daughter Zipporah in marriage, 22 who bore him a son. Moses said to himself, “I am a foreigner in this land, and so I name him Gershom.”
23 Years later the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites were still groaning under their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry went up to God, 24 who heard their groaning and remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 25 He saw the slavery of the Israelites and was concerned for them.
1 Then there went a man of the house of Leui, and tooke to wife a daughter of Leui, 2 And the woman coceiued and bare a sonne: and when she saw that he was faire, she hid him three moneths. 3 But when she could no longer hide him, she tooke for him an arke made of reede, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and laide the childe therein, and put it among the bulrushes by the riuers brinke. 4 Now his sister stood a farre off, to wit what would come of him. 5 Then ye daughter of Pharaoh came downe to wash her in the riuer, and her maidens walked by the riuers side: and when shee sawe the arke among the bulrushes, she sent her maide to fet it. 6 Then she opened it, and sawe it was a childe: and beholde, the babe wept: so she had compassion on it, and sayde, This is one of the Ebrewes children. 7 Then said his sister vnto Pharaohs daughter, Shall I go and cal vnto thee a nurce of the Ebrew women to nurce thee the childe? 8 And Pharaohs daughter sayde to her, Goe. So the maide went and called the childes mother, 9 To whome Pharaohs daughter sayde, Take this childe away, and nurce it for me, and I wil reward thee. Then the woman tooke the childe and nurced him. 10 Nowe the childe grewe, and she brought him vnto Pharaohs daughter, and he was as her sonne, and she called his name Moses, because, said she, I drewe him out of the water. 11 And in those dayes, when Moses was growen, he went forth vnto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: also he sawe an Egyptian smiting an Ebrewe one of his brethren. 12 And he looked rounde about, and when he sawe no man, hee slewe the Egyptian, and hid him in the sande. 13 Againe he came forth the second day, and behold, two Ebrewes stroue: and he said vnto him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellowe? 14 And hee answered, Who made thee a man of authoritie, and a iudge ouer vs? Thinkest thou to kill mee, as thou killedst the Egyptian? Then Moses feared and sayde, Certainly this thing is knowen. 15 Now Pharaoh heard this matter, and sought to slay Moses: therefore Moses fled from Pharaoh, and dwelt in the lande of Midian, and hee sate downe by a well. 16 And the Priest of Midian had seue daughters, which came and drewe water, and filled the troghes, for to water their fathers sheepe. 17 Then the shepherds came and droue them away: but Moses rose vp and defended them, and watered their sheepe. 18 And whe they came to Reuel their father, he said, Howe are ye come so soone to day? 19 And they saide, A man of Egypt deliuered vs from the hand of the shepherdes, and also drew vs water ynough, and watered the sheepe. 20 Then he saide vnto his daughters, And where is he? why haue ye so left the man? call him that he may eate bread. 21 And Moses agreed to dwell with the man: who gaue vnto Moses Zipporah his daughter: 22 And she bare a sonne, whose name he called Gershom: for he said, I haue bene a stranger in a strange lande. 23 Then in processe of time, the King of Egypt dyed, and the children of Israel sighed for the bondage and cryed: and their crie for the bondage came vp vnto God. 24 Then God heard their mone, and God remembred his couenant with Abraham, Izhak, and Iaakob. 25 So God looked vpon the children of Israel, and God had respect vnto them.