Exodus 2:11-22 - Moses Kills an Egyptian and Fleas to Midian

Exodus 2:11-21: 11One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and saw their forced labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his kinsfolk. 12He looked this way and that, and seeing no one he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13When he went out the next day, he saw two Hebrews fighting; and he said to the one who was in the wrong, “Why do you strike your fellow Hebrew?” 14He answered, “Who made you a ruler and judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “Surely the thing is known.” 15When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh. He settled in the land of Midian, and sat down by a well. 16The priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came to draw water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. 17But some shepherds came and drove them away. Moses got up and came to their defense and watered their flock. 18When they returned to their father Reuel, he said, “How is it that you have come back so soon today?” 19They said, “An Egyptian helped us against the shepherds; he even drew water for us and watered the flock.” 20He said to his daughters, “Where is he? Why did you leave the man? Invite him to break bread.” 21Moses agreed to stay with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah in marriage. 22She bore a son, and he named him Gershom; for he said, “I have been an alien residing in a foreign land.”

Background: The book of Exodus, from beginning to end, is viewed through two lens: deliverance from bondage and boundaries of community life, Exodus from slavery and the gift of the Law on Sinai. The people of Israel grew strong and numerous after Joseph’s brothers and their families came to find refuge there. They prospered and there was a wonderful time of wellbeing for many years. Even after Joseph died, his respect and influence endured until a leader arose who did not remember Joseph and what he had done for Egypt. The new ruler, fearful of the loss of power, distrusted the Hebrew people and decided to crush them leading to slavery and genocide…and to hope for a new start in the birth of Moses. In these often neglected verses we see that the route to freedom is often circuitous and law itself is complicated, almost as complicated as the human heart. They also remind us that God’s hand is at work toward freedom in the worst of times, circumstances and even in convoluted human hearts.

Moses: Moses is perhaps the greatest hero of the Hebrew Scriptures. As is the case with many of the characters in the Bible, Moses serves not only as a great historical figure, but also as a symbol for God’s saving work. It is through Moses that God brings about God’s will for redemption for the Hebrew people. Their lives have become quite harsh and God moves to bring them out of their bondage. As God does so often, God works out God’s will through the willing hands of human beings. And, as we see today, God works toward the good, toward redemption and healing, even when human beings act unwisely and have to start over from scratch.

Word Study
V. 11 – days – This is a complex word in Hebrew. It is used of a number of days, a year, a season of time, sometime, at the present, or now. The distinguishing attitude of this word is that it is used of a time that is light and not darkness, both literally or morally, and, from a New Testament lens, spiritually.
His people – This word refers to relatives both of blood or of affinity. It is sometimes translated as countryman.
Beating – This word means to hit, to pierce, to bludgeon, to kill, to route, to defeat or to beat.
Vs. 12 – kill – this is the same word used in verse 11 and translated as beating.
Vs. 13 – who was in the wrong – this is the translation of one Hebrew word, rasha. It means, wrong, bad, unrighteous, wicked in the sight of God. It might be helpfully translated as offender.
Fellow Hebrew – the word here is for companion, friend, or neighbor.
Vs. 14 – made – this word means to set, establish, constitute, or appoint. The general meaning is to place something somewhere.
Judge – arbitrator, one who ministers right or justice, one who vindicates.
Kill – this is a different word from the above. It strictly refers to homicide, murder.
Afraid – dread of coming things, terror. It can also mean awe.
Thing – In Hebrew dabar means word, matter or whole thing.
Vs. 15 – Heard – This is one of the big important words in Hebrew, shema. It means to hear with understanding and obedience in most cases. It means to hear intelligently, and, as here, to give ones undivided attention to something and then to act on it. The most sacred prayer and affirmation in Israel (Hear, O Israel, God is our Lord, God is one” begins with this word and the understanding that hearing with rapt, undivided attention, always leads to action. Here, rather than rapt attention to God in the situation, Pharoah is listening intently for threats or betrayals and acts immediately on what he hears.
Kill – another word for kill. It means to slay, destroy or execute.
Vs. 19 – hand – This phrase hinges on the Hebrew word yad. It means to deliver someone from the hand of power or strength. It is sometimes, as here I think, used for assistance in a situation of power imbalance.
Vs. 20 – leave – to loosen, relinquish, release, set free, forsake or abandon.
Invite – Qara means to call out loud, to cry out, to roar, to proclaim, to preach, to summon. It is a strong active word.
Vs. 21 – agreed – to be willing, to undertake, to make a beginning.
Vs 22 – alien – This is another of the ‘big’ words in Hebrew, ger. It means stranger, foreigner, pilgrim, alien. The ancestors understood showing hospitality to the ger to be sacrosanct. Not to do so is to abandon God and to miss God’s angel messengers.
Foreign – strange, unknown.

Questions for Personal Reflection

1. When Moses saw the violence against the Hebrew slave, he was livid! Can you think of a time when you saw someone in a powerless position being abused? How did you feel? Angry? Helpless? Sad? Vengeful? Ponder those feelings and where they originate in you.

2. Moses looks around before he strikes out. Can you think of a time when you acted in anger but were careful to hide your actions from others?

3. When Moses confronts the two men fighting, he tries to act for justice but his own past behavior gets in the way. Can you identify a time in your life, or in the community or church when past behavior made it difficult to be taken seriously in a situation of justice?

4. When Moses realizes that his murder is known in the community he flees. Have you ever found yourself trying to get away from your past? Ever taken a geographic cure?

5. Moses is welcomed in the wilderness of Midian and starts a new life there. He marries and begins to find his true home. He is no longer a stranger. Can you think of a time when you were forced to start over, a move to a new place, a change of jobs, a pandemic? How did you find what was most true about yourself in that time?