25 verses
The narrative follows Moses from his birth and rescue as a Hebrew child, through his youth as an Egyptian servant and subsequent flight to Midian, to his marriage and the beginning of Israel’s lament that sets the stage for divine intervention.
In the Nile river Moses is hidden in a basket by his mother and found by Pharaoh’s daughter, who adopts him and names him Moses. He grows up as an Egyptian servant and, after witnessing the oppression of his people, kills an Egyptian and later an Israelite, prompting Pharaoh to order his execution. Moses flees to Midian, where he meets Reuel’s daughters and helps them water their flock, earning their favor. He marries Zipporah, bears a son Gershom, and settles there. Meanwhile, the Egyptian king dies, prompting Israel’s lament that God hears and remembers His covenant with the Patriarchs, foreshadowing future deliverance.
mixed
The chapter juxtaposes hope in Moses’ rescue with fear and tension in his youth, while culminating in a sense of divine remembrance.