Chapter
Verse

Exodus 2:15

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.
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.
NASB When Pharaoh heard about this matter, he tried to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the presence of Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian, and he sat down by a well.
CSB When Pharaoh heard about this, he tried to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in the land of Midian, and sat down by a well.
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.
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.
NKJV 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.

What does Exodus 2:15 mean?

Moses has attempted to break up a fight between two Hebrews, and learned that his own murder of a violent Egyptian was not a secret (Exodus 2:11–12). Soon afterwards, Pharaoh hears of the crime Moses had committed and seeks to have him killed. Moses chose to flee to save his own life. As a result, the location of the narrative shifts from Egypt to the land of Midian. Midian is a name first mentioned in Genesis 25:2 as the son of Abraham and his wife Keturah. Midian had five sons who lived east of where Abraham lived (Genesis 25:4–6). The Midianites lived near the Moabites (Genesis 36:35) and were involved in buying Joseph and selling him into Egyptian slavery (Genesis 37:28–36). Their land was in the northwest Arabian Peninsula.

Moses is specifically said to have rested by a well. This would be a natural stopping point due to the need for water in a desert area. However, in this context, the well serves as a setting connecting Moses with his future wife, Zipporah, and her father. This man is Reuel, also named Jethro, and a priest of Midian. Through this family, Moses would have children, including his firstborn son Gershom, mentioned in Exodus 2:22, who would become the leader of the Gershomites.
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