Exodus – Chapter 2

Old Testament25 Verses

Chapter Summary

"After this there went a man of the house of Levi; and took a wife of his own kindred." — so begins Exodus 2. The chapter centers on Moses, Pharaoh and Abraham. Across its 25 verses, two threads run through the text: family and covenant relationships and God's protection and deliverance. Read slowly, this chapter rewards the kind of prayerful attention the Church calls lectio divina.

1After this there went a man of the house of Levi; and took a wife of his own kindred.

2And she conceived, and bore a son: and seeing him a goodly child, hid him three months.

3And when she could hide him no longer, she took a basket made of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and pitch: and put the little babe therein, and laid him in the sedges by the river's brink,

4His sister standing afar off, and taking notice what would be done.

5And behold the daughter of Pharao came down to wash herself in the river: and her maids walked by the river's brink. And when she saw the basket in the sedges she sent one of her maids for it: and when it was brought,

6She opened it, and seeing within it an infant crying, having compassion on it, she said: This is one of the babes of the Hebrews.

7And the child's sister said to her: Shall I go, and call to thee a Hebrew woman, to nurse the babe?

8She answered: Go. The maid went and called her mother.

9And Pharao's daughter said to her: Take this child, and nurse him for me: I will give thee thy wages. The woman took and nursed the child: and when he was grown up, she delivered him to Pharao's daughter.

10And she adopted him for a son, and called him Moses, saying: Because I took him out of the water.

11In those days, after Moses was grown up, he went out to his brethren: and saw their affliction, and an Egyptian striking one of the Hebrews, his brethren.

12And when he had looked about this way and that way, and saw no one there, he slew the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.

13And going out the next day, he saw two Hebrews quarrelling: and he said to him that did the wrong: Why strikest thou thy neighbour?

14But he answered: Who hath appointed thee prince and judge over us? wilt thou kill me, as thou didst yesterday kill the Egyptian? Moses feared, and said: How is this come to be known?

15And Pharao heard of this word, and sought to kill Moses: but he fled from his sight, and abode in the land of Madian, and he sat down by a well.

16And the priest of Madian had seven daughters, who came to draw water: and when the troughs were filled, desired to water their father's flocks.

17And the shepherds came and drove them away: and Moses arose, and defending the maids, watered their sheep.

18And when they returned to Raguel their father, he said to them: Why are ye come sooner than usual?

19They answered: A man of Egypt delivered us from the hands of the shepherds: and he drew water also with us, and gave the sheep to drink.

20But he said: Where is he? why have you let the man go? call him that he may eat bread.

21And Moses swore that he would dwell with him. And he took Sephora his daughter to wife:

22And she bore him a son, whom he called Gersam, saying: I have been a stranger in a foreign country. And she bore another, whom he called Eliezer, saying: For the God of my father, my helper, hath delivered me out of the hand of Pharao.

23Now after a long time the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel groaning, cried out because of the works: and their cry went up unto God from the works.

24And he heard their groaning, and remembered the covenant which he made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

25And the Lord looked upon the children of Israel, and he knew them.

Important Verses in Exodus 2

After this there went a man of the house of Levi; and took a wife of his own kindred.

Exodus 2:1

His sister standing afar off, and taking notice what would be done.

Exodus 2:4

And the child's sister said to her: Shall I go, and call to thee a Hebrew woman, to nurse the babe?

Exodus 2:7

And the Lord looked upon the children of Israel, and he knew them.

Exodus 2:25

Historical Context

Exodus addresses israel in every generation, commanded to remember the Passover as a perpetual memorial within the broader story of God's covenant people. Chapter 2 of 40 belongs to the early movement of the book, where the narrative or argument is still unfolding. It is a narrative passage recounting concrete events in salvation history with 25 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. Moses, Pharaoh, Abraham and Isaac appear at the center of the events recorded here. The passage starts with these words: "After this there went a man of the house of Levi; and took a wife of his own kindred." The final verse reads: "And the Lord looked upon the children of Israel, and he knew them. " Read against its original backdrop, Exodus recounts the defining event of the Old Testament: God's liberation of Israel from slavery in Egypt under Pharaoh, most likely Ramesses II. Catholic tradition dates the book to the period described in its introduction: Describes events of the 13th century BC; reached final written form between the 10th and 5th centuries BC.

Who Wrote It

Traditionally attributed to Moses, with later inspired editing

When It Was Written

Describes events of the 13th century BC; reached final written form between the 10th and 5th centuries BC

Catholic Commentary

In this 25-verse narrative, the sacred author records events that advance the story of liberation, law, and worship. A pivotal line is verse 1: "After this there went a man of the house of Levi; and took a wife of his own kindred." The passage repeatedly touches on family and covenant relationships.

According to Catholic interpretation, this chapter contributes to the book's portrait of liberation, law, and worship. the Church sees the Exodus as prefiguring Baptism and the Eucharist (CIC 1221, 1363). The Catechism and the liturgy frequently draw on such passages to nourish faith and moral life (CIC 385).

Applied to the life of faith, the passage supports the Church's conviction that God delivers His people from slavery. Whether read privately or heard in the liturgy, Exodus 2 calls for a response of faith, repentance, and charity.

Main Teachings

  • The family is the first school of faith, where love, obedience, and forgiveness are learned.
  • The Lord is a refuge and deliverer for all who call upon Him in trouble.
  • God binds Himself to His people by covenant, and He never breaks His word.

People in This Chapter

Moses6 mentionsPharaoh5 mentionsAbraham1 mentionIsaac1 mentionJacob1 mention

Reflection for Today

The Catholic Church understands Exodus Chapter 2 as revealing God's providential care through Moses, whom Catholic Tradition sees as a type of Christ. The Catechism teaches that Moses is "the most striking" prefiguration of Christ in the Old Testament (CIC 2575). Just as Moses was saved from water to become Israel's deliverer, Christ passed through the waters of death to become humanity's Savior.

The faith of Moses' mother, who hid him and then placed him in the Nile, demonstrates trust in God's providence even in desperate circumstances. The Church Fathers praised her courage and saw in the basket a type of the ark of salvation. Pharaoh's daughter's compassion, reaching across ethnic and political boundaries to save a Hebrew child, shows that God's grace works through unexpected instruments.

According to Catholic teaching, Moses' forty years in Midian represent a period of divine formation. The Church Fathers saw this as God's way of preparing His servant through humility and patience. St. Gregory of Nyssa wrote extensively on Moses' life as a model of spiritual growth, showing how God uses our failures and exiles to shape us for His purposes. The chapter's conclusion—"God heard their groaning and remembered his covenant"—reveals that God is faithful to His promises and hears the cries of His people.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Exodus Chapter 2 about?

Exodus 2 contains 25 verses. It opens with "After this there went a man of the house of Levi; and took a wife of his own kindred." and closes with "And the Lord looked upon the children of Israel, and he knew them. ". The book as a whole is narrative, law, and liturgical instruction.

What is a key verse in Exodus 2?

One of the most significant verses is verse 1: "After this there went a man of the house of Levi; and took a wife of his own kindred." It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who appears in Exodus Chapter 2?

This chapter mentions Moses, Pharaoh, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob.

Who wrote Exodus and when?

Traditionally attributed to Moses, with later inspired editing. Describes events of the 13th century BC; reached final written form between the 10th and 5th centuries BC.

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