Exodus 2

1 a man. Amram, the son of Kohath, and grandson of Levi. His wife’s name was Jochebed.

2 a son. Jochebed’s two other children, Miriam and Aaron, were born, probably, before the last edict of Pharaoh.—a goodly child. Heb., “fair to God” (Acts vii. 20); i.e., in God’s sight. Cp. Heb. xi. 23.

3 bulrushes. The papyrus (cyperus papyrus), of which boats were often made. The “flags” were another kind of cyperus, from which the Red Sea took its Hebrew name.—slime. The river mud, pitch, bitumen, rendering the vessel watertight.

4 sister. Probably Miriam.—to wit, to know (cp. Gen. xxiv. 21; 2 Cor. viii. 1).

5 to wash herself. “To bathe” (R.V.). Contrary to modern custom, but apparently permitted in ancient Egypt as monuments show.

10 became her son, by adoption; and thus received the training that fitted him for his special work. Josephus says that Moses was engaged in a campaign against the Ethiopians. Cp. Acts vii. 22.—Moses. An Egyptian word, meaning “drawn forth.”

11 unto his brethren. According to Acts vii. 23, Moses was now forty. It is plain, from Heb. xi. 24-27, that Moses now boldly espoused the cause of God’s people, renouncing the advantages of his rank among the Egyptians.

14. Who made thee, etc. “The reproach of the Christ,” Heb. xi. 26.

15. Midian. The Midianites were partly settled and partly nomadic; they were associated with the Ishmaelites (Gen. xxxvii. 25, 28), the Amalekites (Numb. xxiv. 20; Judg. vii. 12), and the Moabites (Numb. xxii. 7). They frequented the deserts south-east of Palestine. The tribe with which Moses was allied was called Kenites.

by a well. Cp. Gen. xxix. 10.

18. Reuel, or “Raguel,” Numb. x. 29. Perhaps the same as Jethro (ch. iii. 1); or, more likely, Jethro’s father, and their grandfather.

24. God heard. This means that God now interposed to deliver them. See on Gen. vi. 6. Observe the climax; “heard”; “remembered”; “looked upon”; “had respect unto” them (“took knowledge of them,” R.V.). Comp. Ps. ev. 42; cvi. 44, 45.