Read the Modern Pastor’s Version

A man from the household of Levi took to wife a woman who was also from the household of Levi. The woman conceived and gave birth to a son. When she saw him, she hid him for three months because she feared what her family might do if they found out he was born.

When she could no longer hide him, she took an ark made of bulrushes and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child inside and laid it among the reeds by the riverbank. His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.

The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, and when she saw the basket among the reeds, she sent her maid to fetch it. When she opened it, she saw the child crying, and her heart was moved with compassion. She said, "This is one of the Hebrews' children."

His sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, "Shall I go and call one of the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?" Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Go," and the maid went and called the child's mother. Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Take this child away and nurse it for me, and I will give you your wages." The woman took the child and nursed it.

The child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter. She had adopted him as her son, and she named him Moses, saying, "Because I drew him out of the water." In those days, when Moses was grown, he went out to his brothers and saw an Egyptian beating one of them, a Hebrew.

He looked around, saw no one was watching, and struck down the Egyptian, hiding him in the sand. When he went out the next day, two Hebrew men were arguing, and he asked the one who was wronging his fellow, "Why are you striking your companion?" The man replied, "Who made you a ruler and judge over us? Do you intend to kill me, just as you killed the Egyptian?"

Moses was afraid and said, "This thing is certainly known." When Pharaoh heard about Moses, he tried to kill him, but Moses fled from his presence and settled in Midian. There, he sat down beside a well.

The priest of Midian had seven daughters who came to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father's flock. And the shepherds came and drove them away. But Moses stood up to help them and watered their flock.

When they returned home, Reuel, the priest of Midian, asked his daughters how it was that they had arrived so quickly on that day. They replied, "An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock." Reuel said to his daughters, "Where is he? Why have you left the man? Call him."

Moses was content to dwell with Reuel, and in time, Reuel gave Moses his daughter Zipporah to be his wife. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son, whom Moses named Gershom, saying, "I have been a stranger in a strange land."

In due course, the king of Egypt passed away, and the Israelites groaned under their bondage, crying out to God because of their suffering. God heard their groaning and remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

God looked upon the Israelites with favor, seeing how they were oppressed in Egypt.