English Standard Version
Exodus 2:14
14He answered, "Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?" Then Moses was afraid, and thought, "Surely the thing is known."
Exodus 2:14 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)The man said, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “What I did must have become known.”
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then he said, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” So Moses feared and said, “Surely this thing is known!”
- New Living Translation (NLT)The man replied, “Who appointed you to be our prince and judge? Are you going to kill me as you killed that Egyptian yesterday?” Then Moses was afraid, thinking, “Everyone knows what I did.”
Context of Exodus 2:14
12He looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13When he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together. And he said to the man in the wrong, "Why do you strike your companion?" He answered, "Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?" Then Moses was afraid, and thought, "Surely the thing is known." 15When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. And he sat down by a well. 16Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father's flock.
Read all of Exodus 2Exodus 2:14 word by word
וַ֠יֹּאמֶר מִ֣י שָֽׂמְךָ֞ לְאִ֨ישׁ שַׂ֤ר וְשֹׁפֵט֙ עָלֵ֔ינוּ הַלְהָרְגֵ֙נִי֙ אַתָּ֣ה אֹמֵ֔ר כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר הָרַ֖גְתָּ אֶת־הַמִּצְרִ֑י וַיִּירָ֤א מֹשֶׁה֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר אָכֵ֖ן נוֹדַ֥ע הַדָּבָֽר׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Who madeשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: makeH7760
- theeאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- a princeשַׂרώar · rulerH8269
- and a judgeשָׁפַטshâphaţ · to judgeH8199
- thou to killהָרַגhârag · to killH2026
- the Egyptianמִצְרִיmitsrîy · EgyptianH4713
- And Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
- fearedיָרֵאyârê' · to fearH3372
- Surelyאָכֵן'âkên · surelyH403
- this thingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
- is knownיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
Cross-references for Exodus 2:14
- Genesis 19:9But they said, "Stand back!" And they said, "This fellow came to sojourn, and he has become the judge! Now we will deal worse with you than with them." Then they pressed hard against the man Lot, and drew near to break the door down.
- Genesis 37:8His brothers said to him, "Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?" So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.
- Numbers 16:3They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, "You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?"
- Psalms 2:2The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying,
- Matthew 21:23And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?"
- Luke 12:14But he said to him, "Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?"
- Luke 19:14But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We do not want this man to reign over us.'
- Acts 7:26And on the following day he appeared to them as they were quarreling and tried to reconcile them, saying, 'Men, you are brothers. Why do you wrong each other?'
- Genesis 13:8Then Abram said to Lot, "Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are kinsmen.
- Proverbs 19:12A king's wrath is like the growling of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.
- Proverbs 29:25The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.
Commentaries on Exodus 2:14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14And Moses feared - He saw that the Israelites were not as yet prepared to leave their bondage; and that though God had called him to be their leader, yet his providence had not yet sufficiently opened the way; and had he stayed in Egypt he must have endangered his life. Prudence therefore dictated an escape for the present to the land of Midian.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-15Verses 11-15 Moses boldly owned the cause of God's people. It is plain from He 11. that this was done in faith, with the full purpose of leaving the honours, wealth, and pleasures of his rank among the Egyptians. By the grace of God he was a partaker of faith in Christ, which overcomes the world. He was willing, not only to risk all, but to suffer for his sake; being assured that Israel were the people of God. By special warrant from Heaven, which makes…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14“Who made you ruler and judge over us?”: The Hebrew man's arrogant question hints at how others would later treat Moses. They would not appreciate his efforts. For Moses to succeed, he would need to rely only on his belief in God's calling.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-1413-14. two men of the Hebrews strove together--His benevolent mediation in this strife, though made in the kindest and mildest manner, was resented, and the taunt of the aggressor showing that Moses' conduct on the preceding day had become generally known, he determined to consult his safety by immediate flight (He 11:27). These two incidents prove that neither were the Israelites yet ready to go out of Egypt, nor Moses prepared to be their leader (Jas…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 2:14
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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