1Um homem da tribo de Levi casou-se com uma mulher da mesma tribo,2e ela engravidou e deu à luz um filho. Vendo que era bonito, ela o escondeu por três meses.3Quando já não podia mais escondê-lo, pegou um cesto feito de junco e o vedou com piche e betume. Colocou nele o menino e deixou o cesto entre os juncos, à margem do Nilo.4A irmã do menino ficou observando de longe para ver o que lhe aconteceria.5A filha do faraó descera ao Nilo para tomar banho. Enquanto isso, as suas servas andavam pela margem do rio. Nisso viu o cesto entre os juncos e mandou sua criada apanhá-lo.6Ao abri-lo, viu um bebê chorando. Ficou com pena dele e disse: “Este menino é dos hebreus”.7Então a irmã do menino aproximou-se e perguntou à filha do faraó: “A senhora quer que eu vá chamar uma mulher dos hebreus para amamentar e criar o menino?”8“Quero”, respondeu ela. E a moça foi chamar a mãe do menino.9Então a filha do faraó disse à mulher: “Leve este menino e amamente-o para mim, e eu pagarei você por isso”. A mulher levou o menino e o amamentou.10Tendo o menino crescido, ela o levou à filha do faraó, que o adotou e lhe deu o nome de Moisés, dizendo: “Porque eu o tirei das águas”.
Moisés Mata um Egípcio e Foge para Midiã
11Certo dia, sendo Moisés já adulto, foi ao lugar onde estavam os seus irmãos hebreus e descobriu como era pesado o trabalho que realizavam. Viu também um egípcio espancar um dos hebreus.12Correu o olhar por todos os lados e, não vendo ninguém, matou o egípcio e o escondeu na areia.13No dia seguinte saiu e viu dois hebreus brigando. Então perguntou ao agressor: “Por que você está espancando o seu companheiro?”14O homem respondeu: “Quem o nomeou líder e juiz sobre nós? Quer matar-me como matou o egípcio?” Moisés teve medo e pensou: “Com certeza tudo já foi descoberto!”15Quando o faraó soube disso, procurou matar Moisés, mas este fugiu e foi morar na terra de Midiã. Ali assentou-se à beira de um poço.16Ora, o sacerdote de Midiã tinha sete filhas. Elas foram buscar água para encher os bebedouros e dar de beber ao rebanho de seu pai.17Alguns pastores se aproximaram e começaram a expulsá-las dali; Moisés, porém, veio em auxílio delas e deu água ao rebanho.18Quando as moças voltaram a seu pai Reuel[1], este lhes perguntou: “Por que voltaram tão cedo hoje?”19Elas responderam: “Um egípcio defendeu-nos dos pastores e ainda tirou água do poço para nós e deu de beber ao rebanho”.20“Onde está ele?”, perguntou o pai a elas. “Por que o deixaram lá? Convidem-no para comer conosco.”21Moisés aceitou e concordou também em morar na casa daquele homem; este lhe deu por mulher sua filha Zípora.22Ela deu à luz um menino, a quem Moisés deu o nome de Gérson, dizendo: “Sou imigrante em terra estrangeira”.23Muito tempo depois, morreu o rei do Egito. Os israelitas gemiam e clamavam debaixo da escravidão; e o seu clamor subiu até Deus.24Ouviu Deus o lamento deles e lembrou-se da aliança que fizera com Abraão, Isaque e Jacó.25Deus olhou para os israelitas e viu a situação deles.
1Now a man from the house of Levi went and took as his wife a Levite woman. (Ex 6:20; Nm 26:59; 1 Cr 23:14)2The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months. (At 7:20; Hb 11:23)3When she could hide him no longer, she took for him a basket made of bulrushes[1] and daubed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child in it and placed it among the reeds by the river bank. (Ex 2:5; Is 19:6)4And his sister stood at a distance to know what would be done to him. (Ex 15:20; Nm 26:59)5Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her young women walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her servant woman, and she took it.6When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby was crying. She took pity on him and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.”7Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?”8And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother.9And 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.10When the child grew older, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, “Because,” she said, “I drew him out of the water.”[2] (2 Sm 22:17; Sl 18:16; At 7:21; Hb 11:24)
Moses Flees to Midian
11One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens, and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people.[3] (Ex 1:11; At 7:23; Hb 11:24)12He looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. (At 7:24)13When he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together. And he said to the man in the wrong, “Why do you strike your companion?” (At 7:23)14He answered, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid, and thought, “Surely the thing is known.” (Lc 12:14)15When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. And he sat down by a well. (Gn 24:11; Gn 29:2; At 7:29; Hb 11:27)16Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. (Gn 24:11; Gn 29:10; Ex 3:1; 1 Sm 9:11)17The shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and saved them, and watered their flock. (Gn 29:10)18When they came home to their father Reuel, he said, “How is it that you have come home so soon today?” (Ex 3:1; Ex 4:18; Ex 18:1; Ex 18:5; Ex 18:9; Ex 18:12; Nm 10:29)19They said, “An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds and even drew water for us and watered the flock.” (Ex 2:17)20He said to his daughters, “Then where is he? Why have you left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread.” (Gn 31:54; Gn 43:25)21And Moses was content to dwell with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah. (Ex 4:25; Ex 18:2)22She gave birth to a son, and he called his name Gershom, for he said, “I have been a sojourner[4] in a foreign land.” (Ex 18:3; At 7:29; Hb 11:13)
God Hears Israel’s Groaning
23During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. (Gn 18:20; Ex 3:9; Ex 7:7; Dt 26:7; At 7:23; At 7:30; Tg 5:4)24And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. (Gn 15:14; Gn 46:4; Ex 6:5; Sl 105:8; Sl 105:42; Sl 106:45)25God saw the people of Israel—and God knew. (Ex 3:7; Ex 3:16; Ex 4:31; Lc 1:25)