Moses is born into a Levite family, hidden, placed in a basket on the Nile, and rescued by Pharaoh's daughter. After killing an Egyptian and fleeing to Midian, he marries Zipporah. The chapter closes with Israel's cry reaching God, who remembers His covenant.
The word tevah ('basket') is the same rare word used for Noah's ark — the only two vessels in Scripture called by this name. Both preserve a chosen life through waters of death. The mother sees the child as ki tov ('good'), the same word God spoke over creation. The four climactic verbs of vv23-25 — God heard, remembered, saw, knew — form a comprehensive portrait of divine attention that drives the entire exodus.
We rendered tevah as 'basket' rather than 'ark' to avoid confusion with the much larger vessel in Genesis, though the verbal echo is theologically essential and noted in our translator notes. The verb zakhar ('remembered') in v24 does not imply God forgot; we considered 'called to mind' to clarify that this is covenant activation, not memory recovery. The name Mosheh, explained from mashah ('to draw out'), encodes his future mission — the child drawn from water will draw a nation through water.
The tevah links to Genesis 6:14. Moses at the well echoes the betrothal type-scenes of Genesis 24 and 29. Gershom's name ('sojourner there') connects to Abraham's self-description in Genesis 23:4. The covenant remembered in v24 reaches back to Genesis 15:13-14 and forward to the burning bush in chapter 3. **Tradition comparisons:** Targum Onkelos interprets this chapter with notable Aramaic renderings: Onkelos uses the passive 'it was heard before the LORD' rather than God actively hearing, a circumlocution that avoids implying God has ears while preserving the theological reality that Israel's crie... See the [Targum Onkelos on Exodus](/targum/exodus).
וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ אִ֖ישׁ מִבֵּ֣ית לֵוִ֑י וַיִּקַּ֖ח אֶת־בַּת־לֵוִֽי׃
A man from the house of Levi went and married a daughter of Levi.
KJV And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi.
וַתַּ֥הַר הָאִשָּׁ֖ה וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֑ן וַתֵּ֤רֶא אֹתוֹ֙ כִּי־ט֣וֹב ה֔וּא וַֽתִּצְפְּנֵ֖הוּ שְׁלֹשָׁ֥ה יְרָחִֽים׃
The woman conceived and bore a son. She saw that he was a fine child, and she hid him for three months.
KJV And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.
וְלֹא־יָכְלָ֣ה עוֹד֮ הַצְּפִינוֹ֒ וַתִּֽקַּֽח־לוֹ֙ תֵּ֣בַת גֹּ֔מֶא וַתַּחְמְרָ֥הֿ בַחֵמָ֖ר וּבַזָּ֑פֶת וַתָּ֤שֶׂם בָּהּ֙ אֶת־הַיֶּ֔לֶד וַתָּ֥שֶׂם בַּסּ֖וּף עַל־שְׂפַ֥ת הַיְאֹֽר׃
When she could no longer hide him, she took a papyrus basket and coated it with bitumen and pitch. She placed the child in it and set it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile.
KJV And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river’s brink.
The same rare word used for Noah's ark (Genesis 6:14). Only two vessels in the entire Bible are called tevah: one saved humanity through the flood, the other saves the deliverer of Israel through the Nile.
וַתֵּתַצַּ֥ב אֲחֹת֖וֹ מֵרָחֹ֑ק לְדֵעָ֕ה מַה־יֵּעָשֶׂ֖ה לֽוֹ׃
His sister stationed herself at a distance to see what would happen to him.
KJV And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him.
וַתֵּ֤רֶד בַּת־פַּרְעֹה֙ לִרְחֹ֣ץ עַל־הַיְאֹ֔ר וְנַעֲרֹתֶ֥יהָ הֹלְכֹ֖ת עַל־יַ֣ד הַיְאֹ֑ר וַתֵּ֤רֶא אֶת־הַתֵּבָה֙ בְּת֣וֹךְ הַסּ֔וּף וַתִּשְׁלַ֥ח אֶת־אֲמָתָ֖הּ וַתִּקָּחֶֽהָ׃
Then Pharaoh's daughter came down to bathe at the Nile, while her attendants walked along the riverbank. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her servant girl to fetch it.
KJV And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river’s side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it.
וַתִּפְתַּח֙ וַתִּרְאֵ֣הוּ אֶת־הַיֶּ֔לֶד וְהִנֵּה־נַ֖עַר בֹּכֶ֑ה וַתַּחְמֹ֣ל עָלָ֔יו וַתֹּ֕אמֶר מִיַּלְדֵ֥י הָֽעִבְרִ֖ים זֶֽה׃
She opened it and saw the child — a baby boy, crying. She felt compassion for him and said, "This is one of the Hebrew children."
KJV And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews’ children.
וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֲחֹתוֹ֮ אֶל־בַּת־פַּרְעֹה֒ הַאֵלֵ֗ךְ וְקָרָ֤אתִי לָךְ֙ אִשָּׁ֣ה מֵינֶ֔קֶת מִ֖ן הָעִבְרִיֹּ֑ת וְתֵינִ֥ק לָ֖ךְ אֶת־הַיָּֽלֶד׃
Then his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, "Shall I go and call a Hebrew woman to nurse the child for you?"
KJV Then said his sister to Pharaoh’s daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?
וַתֹּֽאמֶר־לָ֥הּ בַּת־פַּרְעֹ֖ה לֵ֑כִי וַתֵּ֙לֶךְ֙ הָֽעַלְמָ֔ה וַתִּקְרָ֖א אֶת־אֵ֥ם הַיָּֽלֶד׃
Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Go." So the girl went and called the child's mother.
KJV And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child’s mother.
וַתֹּ֧אמֶר לָ֣הּ בַּת־פַּרְעֹ֗ה הֵילִ֜יכִי אֶת־הַיֶּ֤לֶד הַזֶּה֙ וְהֵינִקִ֣הוּ לִ֔י וַאֲנִ֖י אֶתֵּ֣ן אֶת־שְׂכָרֵ֑ךְ וַתִּקַּ֧ח הָאִשָּׁ֛ה הַיֶּ֖לֶד וַתְּנִיקֵֽהוּ׃
Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Take this child and nurse him for me, and I will pay your wages." So the woman took the child and nursed him.
KJV And Pharaoh’s daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it.
וַיִּגְדַּ֣ל הַיֶּ֗לֶד וַתְּבִאֵ֙הוּ֙ לְבַת־פַּרְעֹ֔ה וַֽיְהִי־לָ֖הּ לְבֵ֑ן וַתִּקְרָ֤א שְׁמוֹ֙ מֹשֶׁ֔ה וַתֹּ֕אמֶר כִּ֥י מִן־הַמַּ֖יִם מְשִׁיתִֽהוּ׃
When the child grew older, she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, "Because I drew him out of the water."
KJV And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.
The name is explained from the verb mashah ('to draw out'). The child drawn from water will draw an entire nation through water. His rescue previews his mission.
וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֗ם וַיִּגְדַּ֤ל מֹשֶׁה֙ וַיֵּצֵ֣א אֶל־אֶחָ֔יו וַיַּ֖רְא בְּסִבְלֹתָ֑ם וַיַּרְא֙ אִ֣ישׁ מִצְרִ֔י מַכֶּ֥ה אִישׁ־עִבְרִ֖י מֵאֶחָֽיו׃
One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to his brothers and saw their forced labor. He saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his brothers.
KJV And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren.
וַיִּ֤פֶן כֹּה֙ וָכֹ֔ה וַיַּ֖רְא כִּ֣י אֵ֣ין אִ֑ישׁ וַיַּךְ֙ אֶת־הַמִּצְרִ֔י וַֽיִּטְמְנֵ֖הוּ בַּחֽוֹל׃
He looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.
KJV And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.
וַיֵּצֵא֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשֵּׁנִ֔י וְהִנֵּ֛ה שְׁנֵֽי־אֲנָשִׁ֥ים עִבְרִ֖ים נִצִּ֑ים וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לָֽרָשָׁ֔ע לָ֥מָּה תַכֶּ֖ה רֵעֶֽךָ׃
He went out the next day, and there were two Hebrew men fighting. He said to the one in the wrong, "Why are you striking your companion?"
KJV And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow?
וַ֠יֹּ֠אמֶר מִ֣י שָֽׂמְךָ֞ לְאִ֨ישׁ שַׂ֤ר וְשֹׁפֵט֙ עָלֵ֔ינוּ הַלְהׇרְגֵ֙נִי֙ אַתָּ֣ה אֹמֵ֔ר כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר הָרַ֖גְתָּ אֶת־הַמִּצְרִ֑י וַיִּירָ֤א מֹשֶׁה֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר אָכֵ֖ן נוֹדַ֥ע הַדָּבָֽר׃
The man replied, "Who made you a ruler and judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?" Then Moses was afraid and thought, "The matter is surely known."
KJV And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known.
וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע פַּרְעֹה֙ אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה וַיְבַקֵּ֖שׁ לַהֲרֹ֣ג אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיִּבְרַ֤ח מֹשֶׁה֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֔ה וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב בְּאֶֽרֶץ־מִדְיָ֖ן וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב עַֽל־הַבְּאֵֽר׃
When Pharaoh heard about this, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian, and he sat down by a well.
KJV Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.
וּלְכֹהֵ֥ן מִדְיָ֖ן שֶׁ֣בַע בָּנ֑וֹת וַתָּבֹ֣אנָה וַתִּדְלֶ֗נָה וַתְּמַלֶּ֙אנָה֙ אֶת־הָ֣רְהָטִ֔ים לְהַשְׁק֖וֹת צֹ֥אן אֲבִיהֶֽן׃
The priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came to draw water, filling the troughs to water their father's flock.
KJV Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.
וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ הָרֹעִ֖ים וַיְגָרְשׁ֑וּם וַיָּ֤קׇם מֹשֶׁה֙ וַיּ֣וֹשִׁעָ֔ן וַיַּ֖שְׁקְ אֶת־צֹאנָֽם׃
But shepherds came and drove them away. Moses rose up and defended them and watered their flock.
KJV And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.
וַתָּבֹ֕אנָה אֶל־רְעוּאֵ֖ל אֲבִיהֶ֑ן וַיֹּ֕אמֶר מַדּ֛וּעַ מִהַרְתֶּ֥ן בֹּ֖א הַיּֽוֹם׃
When they returned to Reuel their father, he said, "How is it that you have come back so soon today?"
KJV And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon to day?
וַתֹּאמַ֕רְןָ אִ֣ישׁ מִצְרִ֔י הִצִּילָ֖נוּ מִיַּ֣ד הָרֹעִ֑ים וְגַם־דָּלֹ֤ה דָלָה֙ לָ֔נוּ וַיַּ֖שְׁקְ אֶת־הַצֹּֽאן׃
They said, "An Egyptian man rescued us from the shepherds. He even drew water for us and watered the flock."
KJV And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock.
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֶל־בְּנֹתָ֖יו וְאַיּ֑וֹ לָ֤מָּה זֶּה֙ עֲזַבְתֶּ֣ן אֶת־הָאִ֔ישׁ קִרְאֶ֥ן ל֖וֹ וְיֹ֥אכַל לָֽחֶם׃
He said to his daughters, "Where is he? Why did you leave the man? Invite him to eat bread."
KJV And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? why is it that ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread.
וַיּ֥וֹאֶל מֹשֶׁ֖ה לָשֶׁ֣בֶת אֶת־הָאִ֑ישׁ וַיִּתֵּ֛ן אֶת־צִפֹּרָ֥ה בִתּ֖וֹ לְמֹשֶֽׁה׃
Moses agreed to stay with the man, and he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses.
KJV And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter.
וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֔ן וַיִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ גֵּרְשֹׁ֑ם כִּ֣י אָמַ֔ר גֵּ֣ר הָיִ֔יתִי בְּאֶ֖רֶץ נׇכְרִיָּֽה׃ {פ}
She bore a son, and he called his name Gershom, for he said, "I have been a sojourner in a foreign land."
KJV And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land.
Samaritan Pentateuch (4th c. BCE divergence)minor
"Gershom ... 'I have been a stranger in a foreign land'"
Minor orthographic variant in the spelling of Gershom. Content is identical.
וַיְהִי֩ בַיָּמִ֨ים הָֽרַבִּ֜ים הָהֵ֗ם וַיָּ֙מׇת֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם וַיֵּאָנְח֧וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל מִן־הָעֲבֹדָ֖ה וַיִּזְעָ֑קוּ וַתַּ֧עַל שַׁוְעָתָ֛ם אֶל־הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים מִן־הָעֲבֹדָֽה׃
During those many days the king of Egypt died. The sons of Israel groaned because of the slavery and cried out, and their cry for help rose up to God from the bondage.
KJV And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.
Za'aq is a covenant distress call — the cry of those in danger appealing to the one obligated to protect them. When Israel cries out, God responds because covenant binds Him to act.
וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶת־נַאֲקָתָ֑ם וַיִּזְכֹּ֤ר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־בְּרִית֔וֹ אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֖ם אֶת־יִצְחָ֥ק וְאֶֽת־יַעֲקֹֽב׃
God heard their cries of anguish and called to mind His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
KJV And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
God's response is grounded not in Israel's merit but in His own sworn commitment. The verb 'remembered' (zakhar) means He activates covenant obligations — moving from patient observation to decisive intervention.
Targum Onkelos (Aramaic, 1st-5th c. CE)anti-anthropomorphism
"And it was heard before the LORD their groaning, and the LORD remembered his covenant."
Onkelos uses the passive 'it was heard before the LORD' rather than God actively hearing, a circumlocution that avoids implying God has ears while preserving the theological reality that Israel's cries reached heaven.
וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיֵּ֖דַע אֱלֹהִֽים׃ {ס}
God saw the sons of Israel, and God knew.
KJV And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.