Exodus

Exodus 2:15–22

¹⁵When Pharaoh heard about this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian, where he sat down beside a well.

¹⁶Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father’s flock. ¹⁷And when some shepherds came along and drove them away, Moses rose up to help them and watered their flock.

¹⁸When the daughters returned to their father Reuel,^f he asked them, “Why have you returned so early today?”

¹⁹“An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds,” they replied. “He even drew water for us and watered the flock.”

²⁰“So where is he?” their father asked. “Why did you leave the man behind? Invite him to have something to eat.”

²¹Moses agreed to stay with the man, and he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage. ²²And she gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom,^g saying, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land.”

Footnotes

f 2:18 Reuel was also called Jethro; see Exodus 3:1|EXO 3:1.
g 2:22 Gershom sounds like the Hebrew for foreigner.

Read all of Exodus 2

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Exodus 2:15

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When Pharaoh	פַּרְעֹה֙	par·‘ōh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H6547 Pharaoh
heard	וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע	way·yiš·ma‘	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H8085 hear
about this matter	הַזֶּ֔ה	haz·zeh	Article; Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
he sought	וַיְבַקֵּ֖שׁ	way·ḇaq·qêš	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1245 seek
to kill	לַהֲרֹ֣ג	la·hă·rōḡ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H2026 kill, slay
Moses	מֹשֶׁ֑ה	mō·šeh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H4872 Moses
But Moses	מֹשֶׁה֙	mō·šeh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H4872 Moses
fled	וַיִּבְרַ֤ח	way·yiḇ·raḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1272 go through, flee
from	מִפְּנֵ֣י	mip·pə·nê	Preposition-m; Noun - common plural construct	H6440 face, before
Pharaoh	פַרְעֹ֔ה	p̄ar·‘ōh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H6547 Pharaoh
and settled	וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב	way·yê·šeḇ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3427 sit, remain, dwell
in the land	בְּאֶֽרֶץ־	bə·’e·reṣ-	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct	H776 earth, land
of Midian	מִדְיָ֖ן	miḏ·yān	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H4080 Midjan
where he sat down	וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב	way·yê·šeḇ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3427 sit, remain, dwell
beside	עַֽל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
a well	הַבְּאֵֽר׃	hab·bə·’êr	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H875 well, pit

Exodus 2:16

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Now the priest	וּלְכֹהֵ֥ן	ū·lə·ḵō·hên	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3548 priest
of Midian	מִדְיָ֖ן	miḏ·yān	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H4080 Midjan
had seven	שֶׁ֣בַע	še·ḇa‘	Number - feminine singular	H7651 seven
daughters	בָּנ֑וֹת	bā·nō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural	H1323 daughter
and they came	וַתָּבֹ֣אנָה	wat·tā·ḇō·nāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine plural	H935 come in, come, go in, go
to draw water	וַתִּדְלֶ֗נָה	wat·tiḏ·le·nāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine plural	H1802 draw
and fill	וַתְּמַלֶּ֙אנָה֙	wat·tə·mal·le·nāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine plural	H4390 be full, fill
the troughs	הָ֣רְהָטִ֔ים	hā·rə·hā·ṭîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H7298 trough
to water	לְהַשְׁק֖וֹת	lə·haš·qō·wṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H8248 quaff, irrigate, furnish a potion to
their father’s	אֲבִיהֶֽן׃	’ă·ḇî·hen	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person feminine plural	H1 father
flock	צֹ֥אן	ṣōn	Noun - common singular construct	H6629 small cattle, sheep and goats, flock, flocks

Exodus 2:17

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And when some shepherds	הָרֹעִ֖ים	hā·rō·‘îm	Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H7462 pasture, tend, graze
came along	וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ	way·yā·ḇō·’ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H935 come in, come, go in, go
and drove them away	וַיְגָרְשׁ֑וּם	way·ḡā·rə·šūm	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural; third person masculine plural	H1644 drive out, cast out
Moses	מֹשֶׁה֙	mō·šeh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H4872 Moses
rose up	וַיָּ֤קָם	way·yā·qām	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6965 arise, stand up, stand
to help them	וַיּ֣וֹשִׁעָ֔ן	way·yō·wō·ši·‘ān	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person feminine plural	H3467 deliver
and watered	וַיַּ֖שְׁקְ	way·yašq	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H8248 quaff, irrigate, furnish a potion to
their flock	צֹאנָֽם׃	ṣō·nām	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H6629 small cattle, sheep and goats, flock, flocks

Exodus 2:18

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When	וַתָּבֹ֕אנָה	wat·tā·ḇō·nāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine plural	H935 come in, come, go in, go
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
their father	אֲבִיהֶ֑ן	’ă·ḇî·hen	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person feminine plural	H1 father
Reuel	רְעוּאֵ֖ל	rə·‘ū·’êl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7467 Reuel
he asked them	וַיֹּ֕אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
Why	מַדּ֛וּעַ	mad·dū·a‘	Interrogative	H4069 wherefore?
have you returned	בֹּ֖א	bō	Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H935 come in, come, go in, go
so early	מִהַרְתֶּ֥ן	mi·har·ten	Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person feminine plural	H4116 hasten
today	הַיּֽוֹם׃	hay·yō·wm	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3117 day

Exodus 2:19

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
An Egyptian	מִצְרִ֔י	miṣ·rî	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H4713 Mitsrite
rescued us	הִצִּילָ֖נוּ	hiṣ·ṣî·lā·nū	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular; first person common plural	H5337 strip, plunder
from	מִיַּ֣ד	mî·yaḏ	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular construct	H3027 hand
the shepherds	הָרֹעִ֑ים	hā·rō·‘îm	Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H7462 pasture, tend, graze
they replied	וַתֹּאמַ֕רְןָ	wat·tō·mar·nā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine plural	H559 utter, say
He even	וְגַם־	wə·ḡam-	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
drew water	דָּלֹ֤ה	dā·lōh	Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute	H1802 draw
for us	לָ֔נוּ	lā·nū	Preposition; first person common plural
and watered	וַיַּ֖שְׁקְ	way·yašq	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H8248 quaff, irrigate, furnish a potion to
the flock	הַצֹּֽאן׃	haṣ·ṣōn	Article; Noun - common singular	H6629 small cattle, sheep and goats, flock, flocks

Exodus 2:20

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So where is he	וְאַיּ֑וֹ	wə·’ay·yōw	Conjunctive waw; Interrogative; third person masculine singular	H335 where?
asked	וַיֹּ֥אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
Why	לָ֤מָּה	lām·māh	Preposition-l; Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
did you leave the man	הָאִ֔ישׁ	hā·’îš	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
behind	עֲזַבְתֶּ֣ן	‘ă·zaḇ·ten	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person feminine plural	H5800 leave, forsake, loose
Invite	קִרְאֶ֥ן	qir·’en	Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine plural	H7121 call, proclaim, read
him	ל֖וֹ	lōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular
to have something to eat	וְיֹ֥אכַל	wə·yō·ḵal	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H398 eat

Exodus 2:21

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Moses	מֹשֶׁ֖ה	mō·šeh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H4872 Moses
agreed	וַיּ֥וֹאֶל	way·yō·w·’el	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H2974 shew willingness, be pleased, determine, undertake
to stay	לָשֶׁ֣בֶת	lā·še·ḇeṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H3427 sit, remain, dwell
with	אֶת־	’eṯ-	Preposition	H854 with
the man	הָאִ֑ישׁ	hā·’îš	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
and he gave	וַיִּתֵּ֛ן	way·yit·tên	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
his daughter	בִתּ֖וֹ	ḇit·tōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H1323 daughter
Zipporah	צִפֹּרָ֥ה	ṣip·pō·rāh	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H6855 Tsipporah
to Moses in marriage	לְמֹשֶֽׁה׃	lə·mō·šeh	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H4872 Moses

Exodus 2:22

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And she gave birth to	וַתֵּ֣לֶד	wat·tê·leḏ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H3205 bear, bring forth, beget
a son	בֵּ֔ן	bên	Noun - masculine singular	H1121 son
and	וַיִּקְרָ֥א	way·yiq·rā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7121 call, proclaim, read
Gershom	גֵּרְשֹׁ֑ם	gê·rə·šōm	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1647 Gereshom
saying	אָמַ֔ר	’ā·mar	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
I have become	הָיִ֔יתִי	hā·yî·ṯî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
a foreigner	גֵּ֣ר	gêr	Noun - masculine singular	H1616 sojourner
in a foreign	נָכְרִיָּֽה׃פ	nā·ḵə·rî·yāh	Adjective - feminine singular	H5237 foreign, alien
land	בְּאֶ֖רֶץ	bə·’e·reṣ	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land