Bible Strands
Exodus 2:15
When 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.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator reports Pharaoh’s reaction to Moses’ flight from Egypt, placing Moses in Midian at a well immediately after his violent act in Egypt. This moment marks the transition from Moses’ impulsive leadership in Egypt to his exiled status in a foreign land.
The words — The Hebrew verb וַיִּשְׁמַע (va/i.yish.Ma') translates literally as “and he heard,” while וַיְבַקֵּשׁ (va/y.va.Kesh) means “and he sought.” These terms frame Pharaoh’s awareness of the incident and his active pursuit of vengeance.
The thread — Moses’ flight to Midian appears in Acts 7:29, while Hebrews 11:27 interprets his departure as faith-driven perseverance rather than fear. The well setting also parallels the foreign land encounters in Genesis 24:11.
Why it lands — The text records a historical sequence of pursuit and flight before any theological interpretation is applied. It requires the reader to acknowledge the immediate consequences of violent action and the reality of divine providence working through exile.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.
Cross-references
- Acts 7:29 At this remark, Moses fled to the land of Midian, where he lived as a foreigner and had two sons.
- Hebrews 11:27 By faith Moses left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw Him who is invisible.
- Genesis 24:11 As evening approached, he made the camels kneel down near the well outside the town at the time when the women went out to draw water.
- Genesis 29:2 He looked and saw a well in the field, and near it lay three flocks of sheep, because the sheep were watered from this well. And a large stone covered the mouth of the well.
- 1 Kings 19:1 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything that Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.
- 1 Kings 19:13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
- Proverbs 22:3 The prudent see danger and take cover, but the simple keep going and suffer the consequences.
- Matthew 10:23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next. Truly I tell you, you will not reach all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
- John 4:6 Since Jacob’s well was there, Jesus, weary from His journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
- Exodus 4:19 Now the LORD had said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all the men who sought to kill you are dead.”