The Birth of Moses

1And a man of the house of Levi went and took a daughter of Levi. 2And the woman conceived, and bore a son. And she saw him that he was fair, and hid him three months. 3And when she could no longer hide him, she took for him an ark of reeds, and plastered it with resin and with pitch, and put the child in it, and laid [it] in the sedge on the bank of the river. 4And his sister stood afar off to see what would happen to him.

Pharaoh's Daughter Rescues Moses

5And the daughter of Pharaoh went down to bathe in the river; and her maids went along by the river's side. And she saw the ark in the midst of the sedge, and sent her handmaid and fetched it. 6And she opened [it], and saw the child, and behold, the boy wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is [one] of the Hebrews' children. 7And his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call thee a wet-nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee? 8And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the damsel went and called the child's mother. 9And Pharaoh's daughter said to 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. 10And when the child was grown, she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses, and said, Because I drew him out of the water.

Moses Kills an Egyptian

11And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked on their burdens; and he saw an Egyptian smiting a Hebrew, one of his brethren. 12And he turned this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he smote the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand. 13And he went out on the second day, and behold, two Hebrew men were quarrelling; and he said to him that was in the wrong, Why art thou smiting thy neighbour? 14And he said, Who made thee ruler and judge over us? dost thou intend to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? Then Moses feared, and said, Surely the matter is known.

Moses Flees to Midian

15And Pharaoh heard of this matter, and sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from before Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian. And he sat by the well.

16And the priest of Midian had seven daughters; and they came and drew [water], and filled the troughs, to water their father's flock. 17And the shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses rose and helped them, and watered their flock. 18And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, Why are ye come so soon to-day? 19And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew [water] abundantly for us, and watered the flock. 20And he said to his daughters, And where is he? why then have ye left the man behind? Call him, that he may eat bread. 21And Moses consented to remain with the man; and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. 22And she bore a son, and he called his name Gershom; for he said, I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.

God Hears the Israelites' Cry

23And it came to pass during those many days, that the king of Egypt died. And the children of Israel sighed because of the bondage, and cried; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage; 24and God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob; 25and God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged [them].