Moses Is Adopted by Pharaoh’s Daughter — Exodus 2:1–10
A man and woman from the tribe of Levi married and had a baby boy. According to the biblical account, the child was Moses.
Because Pharaoh had commanded that Hebrew baby boys be thrown into the Nile, Moses’ mother, Jochebed, hid him for three months. But as the baby grew, hiding him became increasingly difficult.
Finally, Jochebed prepared a small basket from bulrushes, made it waterproof, placed her son inside, and set the basket among the reeds along the riverbank.
Moses’ sister, Miriam, stayed nearby and watched to see what would happen.
Soon, Pharaoh’s daughter came down to the river to bathe. She noticed the basket among the reeds and discovered the crying baby inside.
She realized that he was a Hebrew child and felt compassion for him.
Miriam courageously approached Pharaoh’s daughter and asked whether she should find a Hebrew woman to nurse the baby. When the princess agreed, Miriam brought Moses’ own mother, Jochebed.
This meant Jochebed was able to care for and nurse her own son while he was under Pharaoh’s daughter’s protection.
When the child was older, he was brought to Pharaoh’s daughter, who adopted him as her son. She called him Moses, saying that she had drawn him out of the water.
Moses Flees Egypt After Killing an Egyptian — Exodus 2:11–15
Moses grew up within Pharaoh’s household, but he never forgot that he was a Hebrew.
One day, Moses witnessed an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave. Seeing the suffering of his own people, Moses intervened. He killed the Egyptian and then hid his body in the sand.
The following day, Moses discovered that his actions were known. When Pharaoh learned what had happened, he wanted Moses killed.
Fearing for his life, Moses escaped from Egypt and fled to the land of Midian.
Moses Begins a New Life in Midian — Exodus 2:16–22
In Midian, Moses came to a well where he encountered the seven daughters of the priest of Midian. Some shepherds attempted to drive the women away from the well, but Moses stepped in and defended them.
When the daughters returned home and told their father, Reuel, about the Egyptian who had helped them, Reuel invited Moses into his home.
Moses accepted the invitation and remained with Reuel in Midian. Eventually, Moses married Zipporah, one of Reuel’s daughters.
His life had changed completely. The man who had grown up in Pharaoh’s household was now living as a foreigner in Midian.
Yet, without Moses realizing it, this period of quiet preparation would become an important part of God’s plan.
God Begins to Act for Israel — Exodus 2:23–25
Meanwhile, back in Egypt, the suffering of the Israelites continued.
The Pharaoh who had oppressed them eventually died, and another king came to power. But the change in leadership did not bring freedom or relief to the Hebrews.
The Israelites continued to suffer under slavery, and their cries rose to God.
God heard their groaning.
He remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God saw the suffering of His people and knew what they were experiencing.
The next stage of Israel’s deliverance was about to begin.
Application: Compassion Grows When We Draw Near to Suffering
It is easy to remain indifferent to someone else’s suffering when we only observe their situation from a distance.
But when we personally encounter the weak, vulnerable, and suffering, their pain becomes much harder to ignore.
Pharaoh’s daughter may have known about the command to destroy Hebrew baby boys. But when she personally encountered a helpless crying baby floating in a basket, the cruelty of that command became real to her.
Her compassion led her to protect the very child Pharaoh had ordered to be killed.
This gives us an important lesson: we should not remain distant from people who are suffering.
Jesus repeatedly moved toward people who were hurting, vulnerable, rejected, and overlooked. When we take the time to encounter people personally, we begin to understand their circumstances rather than simply judging them from a distance.
The suffering person is not merely a problem or a situation.
They are a soul loved by God.
Sometimes, compassion begins simply by being willing to come close enough to see another person’s pain.
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