A Man Grows Up Within the Space of a Single Chapter

Hello readers! My family is still here spending their vacation with me, but no one else is awake yet so I'm good to go.

Shemot (Exodus) 2:1-4 "And a man of the house of Levi went and took as wife a daughter of Levi. So the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months. But when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river's bank. And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him."

First off, yes the mother and father were related. I'd guess they were more like distant cousins than anything particularly close, but that's not for me to know. Second, it looks like Pharaoh's law concerning the death of all newborn males is still in effect. Third, remember that ark means box. So she made him a box of bulrushes (which appear to be cattails when looked up in Google Images), covered it with asphalt and pitch (remember Noah's ark, how he covered it in pitch to make it waterproof), and put him in the ark and the ark in the reeds. It doesn't say she left, but since his sister is watching over him, it's implied that she's gone. Sounds like a fine example of bad parenting, yes? No. Mom knew that if he was found in her house, he would die for sure. Found in some reeds, possibly by an Egyptian, and he might just make it. A mother does what she needs to do.

Shemot 2:5-6 "Then the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river. And her maidens walked along the riverside; and when she saw the ark among the reeds, she sent her maid to get it, and behold, the baby wept. So she had compassion on him, and said, 'This is one of the Hebrew's children.'"

It says she has compassion for him, but is she the kind of daughter who would kill him to honor her father, or is she the kind of daughter who would save him to honor her heart?

Shemot 2:7 "Then his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, 'Shall I go and call a nurse for you from the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for you?'"

Who can guess who the girl has in mind? Also, looks like we're about to find out what's going to happen to the baby.

Shemot 2:8-10 "And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, 'Go.' So the maiden went and called the child's mother. Then Pharaoh's daughter said to her, 'Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.' So the woman took the child and nursed him. And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. So she called his name Moses, saying, 'Because I drew him out of the water.'"

Yay! Question: Why tell the story of a single baby of a particular family unless he is significant in some way? I'll admit I've read this story several times, so I know what's going to happen, but I'd like to know what you think of this. Comment box!!

Shemot 2:11-15 "Now it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren. So he looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. And when he went out the second day, behold, two Hebrew men were fighting, and he said to the one who did the wrong, 'Why are you striking your companion?' Then he said, 'Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?' So Moses feared and said, 'Surely this thing is known!' When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian, and he sat down by a well."

The question arises: Did Moses know he was Hebrew, or did he think he was Egyptian? It says he went out to his brethren but we know they were his family. He may or may not. Either way, it's apparent that he sympathizes with the Hebrews, and that makes him a threat to Pharaoh.

Shemot 2:16-17 "Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. And they came and drew water, and they filled the troughs to water their father's flock. Then the shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock."

This passage is a little confusing, but Moses was helping the girls, not the shepherds, as we'll soon see.

Shemot 2:18-20 "When they came to Reuel their father, he said, 'How is it that you have come so soon today?' And they said, 'An Egyptian delivered us from the hand of the shepherds, and he also drew enough water for us and watered the flock.' So he said to his daughters, 'And where is he? Why is it that you have left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread.'"

The guy just did your job for you and you didn't even bring him by to feed him? Remember Genesis, when the two angels came to let Abraham and Sarah know they would have a child? Abraham made sure they angels were fed (he asked someone to kill a cow for them if I recall correctly and another person to make them cakes) before he even knew they were angels or what kind of news they had. As far as he knew, they were two wandering strangers. Where's that old testament hospitality, girls?

Shemot 2:21-25 "Then Moses was content to live with the man, and he gave Zipporah his daughter to Moses. And she bore him a son. He called his name Gershom, for he said, 'I have been a stranger in a foreign land.' Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to Elohim because of the bondage. So Elohim heard their groaning, and Elohim remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And Elohim looked upon the children of Israel, and Elohim acknowledged them."

Sounds like good things are coming up soon for the children of Israel, in spite of their current distress. It also sounds like the new Pharaoh is probably following in the footsteps of his father.

Homework: Listen to "The Orphan" by Newsboys, and check out the movie The Prince of Egypt.