Exodus 2:12

12 And he loked round aboute: and when he sawe that there was no man by, he slewe the Egiptian and hyd hi in the sonde.

Exodus 2:12 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 2:12

And he looked this way, and that way
All around, to observe if there were any within sight who could see what he did; which did not arise from any consciousness of any evil he was about to commit, but for his own preservation, lest if seen he should be accused to Pharaoh, and suffer for it:

and when he saw that there was no man;
near at hand, that could see what he did, and be a witness against him:

he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand;
in a sandy desert place hard by, where having slain him with his sword, he dug a hole, and put him into it; (See Gill on Acts 7:24). Of the slaughter of the Egyptian, and the following controversy about it, Demetrius ^F7, an Heathen writer, treats of in perfect agreement with the sacred Scriptures.

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FOOTNOTES:

F7 Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 19. p. 439.

Exodus 2:12 In-Context

10 And whe the childe was growne, she brought it vnto Pharaos doughter, and it was made hir sonne, and she called it Moses, because (sayde she) I toke him out of the water.

11 And it happened in these dayes when Moses was waxte great, that he went out vnto his brethern ad loked on their burthens, and spied an Egiptian smytynge one of his brethern an Ebrue.

12 And he loked round aboute: and when he sawe that there was no man by, he slewe the Egiptian and hyd hi in the sonde.

13 And he went out a nother daye: and beholde, two Ebrues stroue to gether. And he sayde vnto him that dyd the wronge: wherfore smytest thou thine neyghboure?

14 And he answered: who hath made the a ruelar or a iudge ouer vs? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egiptian? Then Moses feared and sayde: of a suertie the thinge is knowne.