King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid [it] in the flags by the river's brink.
Complete Jewish Bible:
When she could no longer hide him, she took a papyrus basket, coated it with clay and tar, put the child in it and placed it among the reeds on the riverbank.
Berean Standard Bible:
But when she could no longer hide him, she got him a papyrus basket and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in the basket and set it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile.
American Standard Version:
And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch; and she put the child therein, and laid it in the flags by the river’s brink.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And when she could{H3201} not longer{H5750} hide{H6845} him, she took{H3947} for him an ark{H8392} of bulrushes{H1573}, and daubed{H2560} it with slime{H2564} and with pitch{H2203}, and put{H7760} the child{H3206} therein; and she laid{H7760} it in the flags{H5488} by the river's{H2975} brink{H8193}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Exodus 1:22
- And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.
Acts 7:19
- The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live.
Genesis 6:14
- Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.
Matthew 2:16
- ¶ Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.
Isaiah 18:2
- That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, [saying], Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled!
Matthew 2:13
- ¶ And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
Genesis 11:3
- And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Exodus 2:3
**Exodus 2:3 Summary:**
**Themes:**
1. **Divine Providence:** The story of Moses being placed in the ark of bulrushes illustrates God's protective care over His people, even in dire circumstances.
2. **Parental Love and Sacrifice:** Moses' mother demonstrates incredible love and courage by hiding her son to save him from Pharaoh's decree, despite the inevitable heartache of parting with him.
3. **Deliverance and Hope:** The ark symbolizes hope for the Israelites, as Moses, the future deliverer, is preserved through this act, foreshadowing the liberation of the Hebrew people from slavery.
**Historical Context:**
Set in the time of the Israelites' enslavement in Egypt, Exodus 2:3 occurs after Pharaoh has ordered the death of all newborn Hebrew boys due to his fear of the Israelites' growing numbers (Exodus 1:22). Moses, born to Hebrew parents from the tribe of Levi, is hidden by his mother for three months to protect him from this decree. The narrative reflects the oppression faced by the Israelites in Egypt and sets the stage for the Exodus, the foundational event of Israel's formation as a nation.
The verse describes how Moses' mother creatively uses an ark (a small vessel or basket) made of bulrushes (papyrus reeds) to keep her son safe. She waterproofs it with slime (possibly bitumen or another natural sealant) and pitch, then places the ark among the reeds by the Nile River's edge. This act leads to the subsequent discovery of Moses by Pharaoh's daughter, which ironically results in Moses being raised in the Egyptian court, positioning him uniquely to later lead his people out of bondage.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H3201
There are 182 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יָכֹל
Transliteration: yâkôl
Pronunciation: yaw-kole'
Description: or (fuller) יָכוֹל; a primitive root; to be able, literally (can, could) or morally (may, might); be able, any at all (ways), attain, can (away with, (-not)), could, endure, might, overcome, have power, prevail, still, suffer. - Strong's Number: H5750
There are 30 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עוֹד
Transliteration: ʻôwd
Pronunciation: ode
Description: or עֹד; from עוּד; properly, iteration or continuance; used only adverbially (with or without preposition), again, repeatedly, still, more; again, [idiom] all life long, at all, besides, but, else, further(-more), henceforth, (any) longer, (any) more(-over), [idiom] once, since, (be) still, when, (good, the) while (having being), (as, because, whether, while) yet (within). - Strong's Number: H6845
There are 30 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: צָפַן
Transliteration: tsâphan
Pronunciation: tsaw-fan'
Description: a primitive root; to hide (by covering over); by implication, to hoard or reserve; figuratively to deny; specifically (favorably) to protect, (unfavorably) to lurk; esteem, hide(-den one, self), lay up, lurk (be set) privily, (keep) secret(-ly, place). - Strong's Number: H3947
There are 909 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: לָקַח
Transliteration: lâqach
Pronunciation: law-kakh'
Description: a primitive root; to take (in the widest variety of applications); accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, [idiom] many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win. - Strong's Number: H8392
There are 25 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: תֵּבָה
Transliteration: têbâh
Pronunciation: tay-baw'
Description: perhaps of foreign derivation; a box; ark. - Strong's Number: H1573
There are 4 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: גֹּמֶא
Transliteration: gômeʼ
Pronunciation: go'-meh
Description: from גָּמָא; properly, an absorbent, i.e. the bulrush (from its porosity); specifically the papyrus; (bul-) rush. - Strong's Number: H2560
There are 6 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חָמַר
Transliteration: châmar
Pronunciation: khaw-mar'
Description: a primitive root; also as denominative (from חֵמָר); properly, to boil up; hence, to ferment (with scum); to glow (with redness); to smear with pitch; daub, befoul, be red, trouble. - Strong's Number: H2564
There are 3 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חֵמָר
Transliteration: chêmâr
Pronunciation: khay-mawr'
Description: from חָמַר; bitumen (as rising to the surface); slime(-pit). - Strong's Number: H2203
There are 2 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: זֶפֶת
Transliteration: zepheth
Pronunciation: zeh'-feth
Description: from an unused root (meaning to liquify); asphalt (from its tendency to soften in the sun); pitch. - Strong's Number: H7760
There are 550 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שׂוּם
Transliteration: sûwm
Pronunciation: soom
Description: or שִׂים; a primitive root; to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically); [idiom] any wise, appoint, bring, call (a name), care, cast in, change, charge, commit, consider, convey, determine, [phrase] disguise, dispose, do, get, give, heap up, hold, impute, lay (down, up), leave, look, make (out), mark, [phrase] name, [idiom] on, ordain, order, [phrase] paint, place, preserve, purpose, put (on), [phrase] regard, rehearse, reward, (cause to) set (on, up), shew, [phrase] stedfastly, take, [idiom] tell, [phrase] tread down, (over-)turn, [idiom] wholly, work. - Strong's Number: H3206
There are 76 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יֶלֶד
Transliteration: yeled
Pronunciation: yeh'-led
Description: from יָלַד; something born, i.e. a lad or offspring; boy, child, fruit, son, young man (one). - Strong's Number: H5488
There are 28 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: סוּף
Transliteration: çûwph
Pronunciation: soof
Description: probably of Egyptian origin; a reed, especially the papyrus; flag, Red (sea), weed. Compare סוּף. - Strong's Number: H2975
There are 48 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יְאֹר
Transliteration: yᵉʼôr
Pronunciation: yeh-ore'
Description: of Egyptian origin; a channel, e.g. a fosse, canal, shaft; specifically the Nile, as the one river of Egypt, including its collateral trenches; also the Tigris, as the main river of Assyria; brook, flood, river, stream. - Strong's Number: H8193
There are 164 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׂפָה
Transliteration: sâphâh
Pronunciation: saw-faw'
Description: or (in dual and plural) שֶׂפֶת; probably from סָפָה or שָׁפָה through the idea of termination (compare סוֹף); the lip (as a natural boundary); by implication, language; by analogy, a margin (of a vessel, water, cloth, etc.); band, bank, binding, border, brim, brink, edge, language, lip, prating, (sea-)shore, side, speech, talk, (vain) words.