Exodus 2

1. AND a man [whose name was Amram, the son of Kehath, the son of Levi, Exodus 6:6,18. Numbers 26:59.] of the house of Levi [i.e. Of the Family and Tribe of Levi] went, and took [viz. to wife, i.e. Married] a daughter of Levi. [born to Levi himself, called Jochebed, Num.26.59. Kehats sister, Amram, her own husbands aunt, that is , his fathers sister , Exod.6.20. such marriages were forbidden afterwards, Levit.18.12.]

2. And the woman conceived, and bare a son: when she saw, that he was fair, [Heb. Good, see Gen.6. on verse 2.] then she hid him three months.

3. Yet when she was able to hide him no longer, [for the Israelites did live intermixed with and among the Egyptians, Exod.3.22. and the Kings command was strict, and the transgressing of it dangerous, Exod.1.22. Heb.11.23.] then she took for him a coffer, [or, chest, box] of bull-rushes [of which the Egyptians were wont to make light boats, Isa.18.2.] and limited it with lime, and with pitch, and she put the lad in there, and put it in the bull-rushes, at the bank of the river. [Heb.lip; this the mother did, that the childe might the sooner be heard and seen and found.]

4. And his sister [By name Mirriam, Exod.15.20. Num.26.59.] put her self afar off, to know what should be done with him.

5. And Pharao's daughter went down to wash her self in the river, and her damsels walked by the rivers side ; [Heb.hand] when she saw the coffer in the midst of the bull-rushes, she sent her maid servant there for to fetch it. [Heb. and took it.]

6. When she opened it, she saw that lad, [Heb. and she saw him, the lad, (or, male-infant)] and behold, the lad wept : and she was moved with compassion over the same, and shee said, This is one of the Hebrewes male-infants.

7. Then said his sister to Pharao's daughter, Shall I goe and call a nurse [Heb. a suckling woman] of the Hebrew women to thee, to suckle that lad?

8. And the daughter of Pharao said unto her, go; and the young maid went, and called the lads mother.

9. Then Pharaos daughter said unto her, Take this lad, and suckle it me, I will give (thee) thy wages ; and the woman took the lad, and suckled it.

10. And when the lad was grown up, she brought him to Pharao's daughter, and he became a son to her : [i.e. And she took him for her son : caising him to be brought up in all the wisdome of the Egyptians, Acts 7:21.] and she called his name Moseh,[i.e. drawn forth, viz. out of the water.] and said ; for I have drawn him out of the water.

11. And it came to passe in those days, when Moseh was grown up, [Moseh was at this time forty years of age ; mighty in words and deeds, Acts 7:21.] that he went forth to his brethren, and viewed their burthens : and he saw that an Egyptian man smote an Hebrew man, of his brethren. [i.e. kins-men, or countrey-men.]

12. And he looked hitherwards, and he saw that there was no body, he smote [or, slew] the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand. [This Moseh did, to make his brethren understand, that God would deliver them through his hand ; but they understood it not, Acts 7:25.]

13. The second day he went forth away, and behold, the two Hebrew men were striving together : and he said to the unrighteous; [i.e. to the wrong-doer, or to him that was in the wrong .] why dost thou smite thy neighbour?

14. Then he said, who hath set thee Chief (or, President) [Heb. a man, a Prince, i.e a Princely; or principal man] and Judge over us? Sayest thou (this) to kill me, as thou hast killed the Egyptian? then Moseh was afraid, and said, verily, this matter, (or fact, businesse) is made known.

15. Now when Pharao heard this matter,[i.e. the killing of the Egyptian by Moseh.] he sought to put Moseh to death: but Moseh fled before the face of Pharao, and dwelt in the land of Midian, [Acts 7:29. Madian. See Gen. 25. verse 2.] and he sate by a well of water.

16. And the Prist [Oth. The Prince or Ruler, President. See of the Hebrew word Cohen, Gen.41.45. his name was Jethro, Exo.3.10. and Hobab, Num.10.29.] in Midian had seven daughters, which came to draw (water), and filled the troughs to water their fathers flock.

17. Then the herdsmen came and drove them away: howbeit Moseh stood up and delivered them, and watered their flocks.

18. And when they came to their father [i.e. grandfather; so the word is taken, 2 Kings 14:3. and 16.2.and 18.3.] Rehuel, [This was a Midianite, Hobabs or Jethro's father,Num.10.29.] he said ; wherefore are ye return'd so soon to day? Heb. why have ye hastened to come to day?]

19. Then they said , An Egyptian man delivered us out of the hand of the herdsmen, and he likewise drew us (water) abundantly, [Heb. drawing he drew] and watered the flock.

20. And he said to his daughter, [i.e. grand-daughters, as appears by Num.10.29. See the Annot. On 1 Chronicles 1:50.] where is he now? Why did ye let the man goe thus? [viz.it being so late alreadie] call him, that he may eat bread. [i.e. that he may take his repast with us.See Gen.35.54.]

21. And Moseh agreed to dwell with the man : and hee gave Moseh his daughter [his grand-daughter, the daughter of his son Jethro,Exodus 3:1.] Zippora.

22. Who bare him a sonne, and he called his name Gersom : for he said ; I am become a stranger, in a strange Countrey ; [After these words there are divers others in our old Translation, not extant in the Hebrew text here, but inserted out of the Greek Translation, and extant elsewhere in the Hebrew text,viz.Exodus 18:4. whence they were borrowed.]

23. And it happened after many of these dayes, [viz.About forty years after, Exodus 7:7. Acts 7:30. Moseh lived forty years in Pharao's Court, forty years he was a stranger and Shepherd in Midian, and forty years he spent with the Israelites in the wildernesse.] when the king of Egypt was dead,[and with him all the rest that sought mosehs life, Exod.4.19. Whereby Moseh got liberty to return into Egypt.] that the children of Israel sighed and cryed over the service; and their cry over their service came up to God.

24. And God heard their groans, and God remembred his covenant [See Genesis 8. on verse 1.] with [i.e. made, or establisht with] Abraham, and with Isaac, and with Jacob.

25. And God looked on the children of Israel, and god knew them [i.e. he took notice of and pity on them to help and deliver them.]