Exodus 2:2

2 The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was 1beautiful, she hid him for three months.

Exodus 2:2 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 2:2

And the woman conceived, and bare a son
Which was not her first child, nor indeed her first son, for she had both Aaron and Miriam before this: this son, which was Moses, was born, as the Jews say F20, in the thirty seventh year after the death of Levi, A. M. 2365, (or, as others, 2368,) on a Wednesday, the seventh of the month Adar, in the third hour of the day: some say it was on the twenty fourth of Nisan; but, according to Bishop Usher F21, he was born forty one years after the death of Levi, A. M. 2433, and in the year before Christ 1571,

and when she saw him that he was a goodly child;
exceeding fair and beautiful, as Stephen expresses it, ( Acts 7:20 ) , the Jews say F23 his form was like an angel of God, and Trogus F24, an Heathen writer, says his beautiful form recommended him: this engaged the affections of his parents to him, and who, from hence, might promise themselves that he would be a very eminent and useful person, could his life be preserved:

she hid him three months;
in her bedchamber, some Jewish writers say {y}; others F26, in a house under ground, that is, in the cellar; however, it was in his father's house, ( Acts 7:20 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F20 Shatshalet Hakabala, fol. 5. 2. Tzemach David, par. 1. fol. 7. 1.
F21 Annal. Vet. Test. p. 18.
F23 Pirke Eliezer, c. 48. fol. 57. 2.
F24 Justin e Trogo, l. 36. c. 2.
F25 Chronicon Mosis, fol. 3. 2.
F26 Pirke Eliezer, ut supra. (c.48. fol. 57.2)

Exodus 2:2 In-Context

1 Now a man from the house of Levi went and married a daughter of Levi.
2 The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was beautiful, she hid him for three months.
3 But when she could hide him no longer, she got him a wicker basket and covered it over with tar and pitch. Then she put the child into it and set it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile.
4 His sister stood at a distance to find out what would happen to him.
5 The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the Nile, with her maidens walking alongside the Nile; and she saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid, and she brought it to her.

Cross References 1

  • 1. Acts 7:20; Hebrews 11:23

Footnotes 2

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