Moses Kills the Egyptian and Flees
“And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren. And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand. And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? 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.” (Exodus 2:11-14)
Moses’ mother gave him to Pharaoh’s daughter. He became her son. Moses lived as an Egyptian, but deep in his heart, he was a Hebrew. His parents had done a good job teaching him about the true God, the God of Israel. In Egypt, a heathen land of false gods, their teaching stuck.
Apparently, Moses’ parents also taught him that he would be used by God to liberate his people. Acts 7:25 says that after Moses killed the Egyptian, “For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not.”
Was Moses guilty of murder by killing the Egyptian? A Google search of that question will produce a variety of answers. Was he morally right? Was Hebrew life so cheap that an Egyptian could legally abuse or kill a Hebrew? Maybe, but morality was likely not important to a leader who ordered babies thrown into the river. Wicked people in power do wicked things with power.
At any rate, Moses apparently knew he could get into trouble for what he was about to do, which was why “…he looked this way and that way,” before killing the Egyptian. Acts 7:24 says, “And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian:” The man he defended apparently told others what had happened, and the word got out.
The enslaved Hebrews may not have thought well of Moses, since he as a Hebrew lived in luxury and they lived in slavery. The man asked Moses, “intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian?” The man obviously knew Moses was not an Egyptian. He also asked, “Who made thee a prince and a judge over us?” You may have seen a bossy person in a workplace go about giving orders to people when he had no authority to do so, and a co-worker ask sarcastically, “Who put you in charge?”
Pharaoh heard what Moses had done and wanted him dead. It didn’t matter that Moses was Pharaoh’s adopted grandson. Pharaoh’s daughter obviously couldn’t help him now. His life of luxury was over. He fled to the land of Midian, east of Egypt. While there, he met seven sisters drawing water from a well for their father’s flock. Shepherds in the area drove them away. Moses stepped up and helped them. They brought him home to their father, and he married one of the sisters, Zipporah.
Pharaoh died. The Scripture also says, “…the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.” (Exodus 2:23-25) God was about to move in powerful ways in Moses’ life and the life of the Israelites to free them from Egyptian bondage.
The Bible contains fascinating and valuable lessons of history. Most importantly, the Bible tells how to have forgiveness of sins and eternal life by receiving Jesus as your personal Saviour. Please go to www.clevelandbaptist.org, click “Helpful Links,” then “How Do I Go to Heaven?” to learn more.
Brian Miller 11/13/2023