(KJV) Exodus 2¹

⥃The Birth and Adoption of Moses ^{[ Acts 7:20–22 † Hebrews 11:23 ]}

[1] And there went a man of the house² of Levi, and took [to wife] a daughter of Levi.³ [2] And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw⁴ him that he [was a] goodly [child], she hid him three months.⁵ [3] And when she could not⁶ longer hide him, she took for him an ark⁷ of bulrushes⁸, and daubed it with slime⁹ and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid [it] in the flags by the river’s brink. [4] And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him.¹⁰

[5] And the daughter¹¹ of Pharaoh came down to wash [herself¹²] at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river’s side; and when she¹³ saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. [6] And when she had opened [it], she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion¹⁴ on him, and said, This [is one] of the Hebrews’ children. [7] 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?¹⁵ [8] And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, Go¹⁶. And the maid went and called the child’s mother¹⁷. [9] And Pharaoh’s daughter said unto her, Take¹⁸ this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give [thee] thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it. [10] And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh’s daughter, and he¹⁹ became her son. And she called his name Moses²⁰: and she said, Because²¹ I drew him out of the water.

⥃The Rejection and Flight of Moses ^{[ Acts 7:23–29 ]}

[11] And it came to pass in those days, when Moses²² was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens²³: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren.²⁴ [12] And he looked²⁵ this way and that way, and when he saw that [there was] no man, he slew²⁶ the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand. [13] And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said²⁷ to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? [14] And he said, Who²⁸ made thee a prince²⁹³⁰ and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses³¹ feared, and said, Surely this thing is known. [15] Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled³² from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian³³: and he sat down³⁴ by a well. [16] Now the priest³⁵ of Midian had seven daughters: and they came³⁶ and drew [water], and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. [17] And the shepherds³⁷ came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered³⁸ their flock. [18] And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How [is it that] ye are come so soon to day?³⁹ [19] And they said, An Egyptian⁴⁰ delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also⁴¹ drew [water] enough for us, and watered the flock. [20] And he said unto his daughters, And where [is] he? why [is] it [that] ye have left the man? call him⁴², that he may eat bread. [21] And Moses was content⁴³ to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah⁴⁴ his daughter. [22] And she bare [him] a son, and he called his name Gershom⁴⁵: for he said⁴⁶, I have been a stranger in a strange land.

⥃God Hears the Cry of the Israelites

[23] And it came to pass in process⁴⁷ of time, that the king⁴⁸ of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed⁴⁹ by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry⁵⁰ came up unto God by reason of the bondage.⁵¹ [24] And God heard⁵² their groaning, and God remembered⁵³ his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. [25] And God looked⁵⁴ upon the children of Israel, and God⁵⁵ had respect⁵⁶ unto [them].