New English Translation
Exodus 2:5
5Then the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself by the Nile, while her attendants were walking alongside the river, and she saw the basket among the reeds. She sent one of her attendants, took it,
Exodus 2:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)Then Pharaoh’s daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the riverbank. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her female slave to get it.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her young women walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her servant woman, and she took it.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river. And her maidens walked along the riverside; and when she saw the ark among the reeds, she sent her maid to get it.
Context of Exodus 2:5
3But when she was no longer able to hide him, she took a papyrus basket for him and sealed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child in it and set it among the reeds along the edge of the Nile. 4His sister stationed herself at a distance to find out what would happen to him. Then the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself by the Nile, while her attendants were walking alongside the river, and she saw the basket among the reeds. She sent one of her attendants, took it, 6opened it, and saw the child – a boy, crying! – and she felt compassion for him and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.” 7Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get a nursing woman for you from the Hebrews, so that she may nurse the child for you?”
Read all of Exodus 2Exodus 2:5 word by word
וַתֵּ֤רֶד בַּת־פַּרְעֹה֙ לִרְחֹ֣ץ עַל־הַיְאֹ֔ר וְנַעֲרֹתֶ֥יהָ הֹלְכֹ֖ת עַל־יַ֣ד הַיְאֹ֑ר וַתֵּ֤רֶא אֶת־הַתֵּבָה֙ בְּת֣וֹךְ הַסּ֔וּף וַתִּשְׁלַ֥ח אֶת־אֲמָתָ֖הּ וַתִּקָּחֶֽהָRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the daughterבַּתbath · daughterH1323
- of Pharaohפַּרְעֹהpar‛ôh · PharaohH6547
- came downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
- to washרָחַץrâchats · to wash: washH7364
- at the riverיְאֹרye'ôr · NileH2975
- and her maidensנַעֲרָהna‛ărâh · maidenH5291
- walkedהָלַךְhâlak · to go: walkH1980
- sideיָדyâd · hand: toH3027
- and when she sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- the arkתֵּבָהtêbâh · arkH8392
- amongתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432
- the flagsסוּףsûph · reedH5488
- she sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
- her maidאָמָה'âmâh · maidservantH519
- to fetchלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
Cross-references for Exodus 2:5
- Acts 7:21and when he had been abandoned, Pharaoh’s daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son.
- 1 Kings 17:6The ravens would bring him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he would drink from the stream.
- Psalms 9:9Consequently the Lord provides safety for the oppressed; he provides safety in times of trouble.
- Psalms 12:5“Because of the violence done to the oppressed, because of the painful cries of the needy, I will spring into action,” says the Lord. “I will provide the safety they so desperately desire.”
- Psalms 46:1God is our strong refuge; he is truly our helper in times of trouble.
- Psalms 76:10Certainly your angry judgment upon men will bring you praise; you reveal your anger in full measure.
- Proverbs 21:1The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord like channels of water; he turns it wherever he wants.
- Jonah 2:10Then the Lord commanded the fish and it disgorged Jonah on dry land.
Commentaries on Exodus 2:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5And the daughter of Pharaoh - Josephus calls her Thermuthis, and says that "the ark was borne along by the current, and that she sent one that could swim after it; that she was struck with the figure and uncommon beauty of the child; that she inquired for a nurse, but he having refused the breasts of several, and his sister proposing to bring a Hebrew nurse, his own mother was procured." But all this is in Josephus's manner, as well as the long…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5The traditions which give a name to the daughter of Pharaoh are merely conjectural. Egyptian princesses held a very high and almost independent position under the ancient and middle empire, with a separate household and numerous officials. This was especially the case with the daughters of the first sovereigns of the 18th Dynasty. Many facts concur in indicating that the residence of the daughter of Pharaoh and of the family of Moses, was at Zoan, Tanis…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-10Verses 5-10 Come, see the place where that great man, Moses, lay, when he was a little child; it was in a bulrush basket by the river's side. Had he been left there long, he must have perished. But Providence brings Pharaoh's daughter to the place where this poor forlorn infant lay, and inclines her heart to pity it, which she dares do, when none else durst. God's care of us in our infancy ought to be often mentioned by us to his praise. Pharaoh cruelly…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5-6The Egyptians believed that the Nile River was a goddess. They thought she gave life and healing. In this way, the Nile was similar to how some people in modern India view the Ganges River. When Pharaoh’s daughter went down to bathe in the river, she was doing more than washing herself. She was likely taking part in her morning religious practice. When she found the baby floating on the river, she may have seen this as a sign from the Nile goddess. In her…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river--The occasion is thought to have been a religious solemnity which the royal family opened by bathing in the sacred stream. Peculiar sacredness was attached to those portions of the Nile which flowed near the temples. The water was there fenced off as a protection from the crocodiles; and doubtless the princess had an enclosure reserved for her own use, the road to which seems to have been…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 2:5
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
New English Translation — © 1996-2016 Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.
Commentaries