It is Settled!

A series of lessons from the Bible

by Howell Lasseter

Moses in Egypt

With the conclusion of last week's article, our study has covered almost 2200 years of time during the age known as the Patriarchal Age. Jacob, and the family he brought with him, were settled in the land of Goshen. In about 1635 B.C., Joseph, who had become a very important man under Pharaoh, died. Some time after this, the Pharaoh who had elevated Joseph to the high position in the Egyptian government, died also. Still later, a new king arose who did not know or appreciate Joseph and Jacob's descendants. This king placed great burdens upon the descendants of Jacob. Read of this in Exodus 1:1-14.

The king of Egypt decreed that the midwives who took care of the Hebrew women were to kill all the boy babies at birth. (You will remember that, sometime after Jesus' birth, a similar decree was made by Herod.) The midwives of Egypt feared God, and refused to obey this command of Pharaoh. Seeing that the male babies were being kept alive, the king then commanded that all boy babies be cast into the river.

During this time, a son was born to a Hebrew couple who were descendants of Levi. (This fact will be pertinent later on.) This son was hid three months; when he could no longer be hid, his mother made an ark of bulrushes, and placed him in the ark in the river. When Pharaoh's daughter came to the river to bathe, she found the child. The child's mother was hired by Pharaoh's daughter to nurse and care for him. When he became older, he became the son of Pharaoh's daughter, and she named him Moses. Please read Exodus 2:1-10.

Nearly 40 years transpire between Exodus 2:10 and 2:11. Moses knew that he was not an Egyptian, but rather a Hebrew. When he saw an Egyptian smiting a Hebrew, Moses killed the Egyptian. He thought this was done in secret, but the next day he learned the deed was known. Because Pharaoh knew about it, it was necessary for Moses to flee for his life.

The next 40 years of Moses' life is spent in the land of Midian (Exodus 2:15). On his arrival in Midian, he sat down by a well, one used by the shepherds to water their flocks. A man by the name of Reuel was priest of Midian. (Exodus 2:18 names him Reuel; in Exodus 3:1, his name is given as Jethro; Numbers 10:20 lists his name as Raguel.) He had 7 daughters, and he sent them to water his flocks at the well. Moses helped them, and when the daughters arrived home earlier than usual, Reuel asked them why. The daughters told him an Egyptian had helped them. Moses was brought to Reuel (also named Jethro), was content to dwell with him, and was given one of the daughters for his wife. What was her name?___________________ (Exodus 2:21) These events transpired under the Patriarchal Age. Another young man, whose name is mentioned in Exodus 2:24, had a similar experience at a watering well. What was his name?__________________ Read Genesis 29:1-20.

In our next lesson, as we come to the end of this age, we will notice "Let my people go."