The Egyptian Prince

Exodus 2:1-15

For three hundred fifty years after Jacob moved his family to Egypt, the Egyptian economy had been slowly deteriorating and to divert attention from government oppression, Pharaoh had begun to blame the Hebrews for economic hard times and accuse them of a lack of patriotism. The resulting racial tensions led to the enslavement of the Hebrews, and efforts to restrict population growth.

“And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink. And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him.” (Exodus 2:1-4)

Around 1730 BC., a man of Levi’s family married one of his cousins, and they had some children. Because of Pharaoh’s orders to kill any boy babies, they hid the boy for about three months. Finally, the baby had gained enough strength they were afraid his cries would be overheard and reported, so they made a basket of the same rushes the Egyptians used for their boats placed him in it in an area where he was unlikely to be heard or seen. His older sister was assigned the job of watching out for him.

“And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children.” (Exodus 2:5-6)

Pharaoh’s own daughter found the baby and recognized him for what he was. Like any normal adult she had an instinctive desire to hold and care for the baby, and as Pharaoh’s daughter, she was less afraid to disobey than others would have been. She didn’t immediately kill the baby.

“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?” (Exodus 2:7)

Seeing how the princess held and cared for her little brother, it was obvious she wouldn’t have the baby killed. Miriam approached her with an offer to find a Hebrew woman who would be able to nurse the child. There were no baby formulas like there are today.

“And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child's mother. And Pharaoh's daughter said unto 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.” (Exodus 2:8-9)

When her offer was accepted, Miriam called her mother and a deal was settled whereby the mother would be paid to raise her own son, at Pharaoh’s expense, and under his protection.

“And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.” (Exodus 2:10)

As soon as he was old enough to not require nursing, the baby was turned over to the princess, who adopted him as her son. She gave him the name “Moses“, or “rescued” and the fact of rescuing him created a special bond. Though he was of the slave people, he was raised as an Egyptian prince receiving the education and benefits of being a prince. Acts 7:22 tells us, “And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.”

“And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren. And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.” (Exodus 2:11-12)

Though he had been raised as an Egyptian, Moses never forgot his parents or his Hebrew heritage. The treatment of his people by the Egyptians always rankled. When he was forty years old, he witnessed a Hebrew man being abused by one of the Egyptians. Incensed, he killed the Egyptian after making sure no one was looking, and buried the body in the sand.

“And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow?” (Exodus 2:13)

Confident no one knew what he’d done, Moses returned to visit the Hebrews the next day. Though they were slaves, the Hebrews were still human and had conflicts among themselves. Assuming they would recognize his intent to help them as being from God. Moses intervened in an effort to settle their dispute.

“And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known. Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.” (Exodus 2:14-15)

Recognizing his guilt, the guilty party questioned whether Moses would kill him like he had killed the Egyptian, and challenged his authority to do anything. Moses had assumed no one knew but as Luke 8:17 tells us, “For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.” Before long, Pharaoh knew what had happened, and angry that Moses had betrayed his Egyptian upbringing, sought to kill him. Moses fled to the land of the Middianites to escape Pharaoh’s reach. Finding a well, he stopped to rest and consider his options.