New King James Version
Exodus 2:15
15When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian; and he sat down by a well.
Exodus 2:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian, where he sat down by a well.
- English Standard Version (ESV)When 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)And sure enough, Pharaoh heard what had happened, and he tried to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in the land of Midian. When Moses arrived in Midian, he sat down beside a well.
Context of Exodus 2:15
13And when he went out the second day, behold, two Hebrew men were fighting, and he said to the one who did the wrong, “Why are you striking your companion?” 14Then 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!” When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt 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 they filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. 17Then the shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.
Read all of Exodus 2Exodus 2:15 word by word
וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע פַּרְעֹה֙ אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה וַיְבַקֵּ֖שׁ לַהֲרֹ֣ג אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיִּבְרַ֤ח מֹשֶׁה֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֔ה וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב בְּאֶֽרֶץ־מִדְיָ֖ן וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב עַֽל־הַבְּאֵֽר׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Now when Pharaohפַּרְעֹהpar‛ôh · PharaohH6547
- heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- this thingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
- he soughtבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
- to slayהָרַגhârag · to killH2026
- Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
- fledבָּרַחbârach · to fleeH1272
- from the faceפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
- and dweltיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- in the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- of Midianמִדְיָןmidyân · MidianH4080
- by a wellבְּאֵרbe'êr · wellH875
Cross-references for Exodus 2:15
- Exodus 4:19Now the Lord said to Moses in Midian, “Go, return to Egypt; for all the men who sought your life are dead.”
- Genesis 28:6Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Padan Aram to take himself a wife from there, and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, “You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan,”
- 1 Kings 19:1And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed all the prophets with the sword.
- Proverbs 22:3A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished.
- Jeremiah 26:21And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death; but when Urijah heard it, he was afraid and fled, and went to Egypt.
- Matthew 10:23When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
- Acts 7:29Then, at this saying, Moses fled and became a dweller in the land of Midian, where he had two sons.
- Hebrews 11:27By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.
- Genesis 25:2And she bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.
- Genesis 24:11And he made his camels kneel down outside the city by a well of water at evening time, the time when women go out to draw water.
- Genesis 29:2And he looked, and saw a well in the field; and behold, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks. A large stone was on the well’s mouth.
- John 4:6Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
Commentaries on Exodus 2:15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Pharaoh - sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh - How can this be reconciled with Hebrews 11:27; : By faith he (Moses) forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king? Very easily. The apostle speaks not of this forsaking of Egypt, but of his and the Israelites' final departure from it, and of the bold and courageous manner in which Moses treated Pharaoh and the Egyptians, disregarding his threatenings and the multitudes of them…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15No Egyptian king would have left; such an offence unpunished. But the position of Moses, as an adopted son of a princess, made it necessary even for a despotic sovereign to take unusual precautions. The land of Midian - The Midianites occupied an extensive district from the eastern coast of the Red Sea to the borders of Moab.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. 15Moses fled: Moses tried to rescue Israel by himself instead of relying on God. This made him a fugitive in Egypt, delaying God's plans for him. His actions dramatically changed his life (compare Numbers 20:9–13; Deuteronomy 3:23–29). Midian was on both sides of the Gulf of Aqaba, in the southern Sinai peninsula and the western edge of the Arabian peninsula. A major trade route from southern Arabia went through this dry and barren area. The people there…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh--His flight took place in the second year of Thothmes I. dwelt in the land of Midian--situated on the eastern shore of the gulf of the Red Sea and occupied by the posterity of Midian the son of Cush. The territory extended northward to the top of the gulf and westward far across the desert of Sinai. And from their position near the sea, they early combined trading with pastoral pursuits (Ge 37:28). The headquarters…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 2:15
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 King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries