Exodus 2

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Now a certain man of the house of Levi married a Levite woman,	1 There was a man descended from Levi who had taken a woman of Levi as his wife.
2 who conceived and bore a son. Seeing that he was a goodly child, she hid him for three months.	2 She conceived and gave birth to a son and, seeing what a fine child he was, she kept him hidden forthree months.
3 When she could hide him no longer, she took a papyrus basket, daubed it with bitumen and pitch, and putting the child in it, placed it among the reeds on the river bank.	3 When she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him; coating it with bitumen and pitch,she put the child inside and laid it among the reeds at the River's edge.
4 His sister stationed herself at a distance to find out what would happen to him.	4 His sister took up position some distance away to see what would happen to him.
5 Pharaoh's daughter came down to the river to bathe, while her maids walked along the river bank. Noticing the basket among the reeds, she sent her handmaid to fetch it.	5 Now Pharaoh's daughter went down to bathe in the river, while her maids walked along the riverside.Among the reeds she noticed the basket, and she sent her maid to fetch it.
6 On opening it, she looked, and lo, there was a baby boy, crying! She was moved with pity for him and said, "It is one of the Hebrews' children."	6 She opened it and saw the child: the baby was crying. Feeling sorry for it, she said, 'This is one of thelittle Hebrews.'
7 Then his sister asked Pharaoh's daughter, "Shall I go and call one of the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?"	7 The child's sister then said to Pharaoh's daughter, 'Shal I go and find you a nurse among the Hebrewwomen to nurse the child for you?'
8 "Yes, do so," she answered. So the maiden went and called the child's own mother.	8 'Yes,' said Pharaoh's daughter, and the girl went and cal ed the child's own mother.
9 Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will repay you." The woman therefore took the child and nursed it.	9 Pharaoh's daughter said to her, 'Take this child away and nurse it for me. I shal pay you myself fordoing so.' So the woman took the child away and nursed it.
10 When the child grew, she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, who adopted him as her son and called him Moses; for she said, "I drew him out of the water."	10 When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter who treated him like a son; shenamed him Moses 'because', she said, 'I drew him out of the water.'
11 On one occasion, after Moses had grown up, when he visited his kinsmen and witnessed their forced labor, he saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his own kinsmen.	11 It happened one day, when Moses was grown up, that he went to see his kinsmen. While he waswatching their forced labour he also saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his kinsmen.
12 Looking about and seeing no one, he slew the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.	12 Looking this way and that and seeing no one in sight, he kil ed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.
13 The next day he went out again, and now two Hebrews were fighting! So he asked the culprit, "Why are you striking your fellow Hebrew?"	13 On the following day he came back, and there were two Hebrews, fighting. He said to the man whowas in the wrong, 'What do you mean by hitting your kinsman?'
14 But he replied, "Who has appointed you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?" Then Moses became afraid and thought, "The affair must certainly be known."	14 'And who appointed you', the man retorted, 'to be prince over us and judge? Do you intend to kil meas you kil ed the Egyptian?' Moses was frightened. 'Clearly that business has come to light,' he thought.
15 Pharaoh, too, heard of the affair and sought to put him to death. But Moses fled from him and stayed in the land of Midian. As he was seated there by a well,	15 When Pharaoh heard of the matter, he tried to put Moses to death, but Moses fled from Pharaoh. Hewent into Midianite territory and sat down beside a wel .
16 seven daughters of a priest of Midian came to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father's flock.	16 Now there was a priest of Midian with seven daughters. They used to come to draw water and fil thetroughs to water their father's flock.
17 But some shepherds came and drove them away. Then Moses got up and defended them and watered their flock.	17 Some shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses sprang to their help and watered their flock.
18 When they returned to their father Reuel, he said to them, "How is it you have returned so soon today?"	18 When they returned to their father Reuel, he said to them, 'Why are you back so early today?'
19 They answered, "An Egyptian saved us from the interference of the shepherds. He even drew water for us and watered the flock!"	19 'An Egyptian protected us from the shepherds,' they said, 'and he even drew water for us and wateredthe flock.'
20 "Where is the man?" he asked his daughters. "Why did you leave him there? Invite him to have something to eat."	20 'And where is he?' he asked his daughters. 'Why did you leave the man there? Ask him to eat with us.'
21 Moses agreed to live with him, and the man gave him his daughter Zipporah in marriage.	21 Moses agreed to stay on there with the man, who gave him his daughter Zipporah in marriage.
22 She bore him a son, whom he named Gershom; for he said, "I am a stranger in a foreign land."	22 She gave birth to a son, whom he named Gershom 'because', he said, 'I am an alien in a foreign land.'
23 A long time passed, during which the king of Egypt died. Still the Israelites groaned and cried out because of their slavery. As their cry for release went up to God,	23 During this long period the king of Egypt died. The Israelites, groaning in their slavery, cried out forhelp and from the depths of their slavery their cry came up to God.
24 he heard their groaning and was mindful of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.	24 God heard their groaning; God remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
25 He saw the Israelites and knew. . . .	25 God saw the Israelites and took note.