Exodus 2:3

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.

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}.

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.

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.

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 riverโ€™s brink.

Commentary

Context

Exodus 2:3 describes a pivotal moment in the early life of Moses, set against the backdrop of immense danger for the Hebrew people in Egypt. Pharaoh, feeling threatened by the growing Israelite population, had issued a cruel decree to kill all newborn Hebrew male infants by casting them into the Nile River. Moses' mother, Jochebed, had successfully hidden him for three months, but the time came when concealment was no longer possible. This verse details her desperate, yet divinely inspired, act to save her child, placing him in a specially prepared vessel on the very river that was intended to be his grave.

Key Themes

  • Parental Love and Sacrifice: Jochebed's actions exemplify profound maternal love and sacrifice. Unable to protect her child by conventional means, she took a bold, faith-filled risk, entrusting him to the waters.
  • Divine Providence and Protection: Despite the seemingly hopeless situation, God's hand is clearly at work. The construction of the ark and its placement were not random acts but part of God's sovereign plan to preserve His chosen deliverer. This highlights how God uses ordinary people and humble means to achieve extraordinary purposes.
  • Faith in Action: This act was a profound demonstration of the faith of Moses' parents, as celebrated in Hebrews 11:23. They believed God had a plan for their child, even when circumstances dictated otherwise.
  • Humble Beginnings of a Great Leader: The future leader and lawgiver of Israel, Moses, begins his journey in a fragile basket, foreshadowing his eventual role as a bringer of salvation to his people.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "ark" here is tebah (ืชึตึผื‘ึธื”), the very same term used for Noah's Ark in Genesis 6:14. This shared terminology is highly significant, suggesting a parallel theme of preservation and salvation through water. Just as Noah's family was saved from a global flood, Moses was saved from a genocidal decree, both by means of a divinely instructed "ark." The "bulrushes" were papyrus reeds, common in ancient Egypt and used for various purposes, including boat building. The "slime and pitch" refer to bitumen and tar, natural waterproofing agents used to seal the basket, making it buoyant and secure.

Practical Application

Exodus 2:3 offers powerful lessons for us today:

  • Trust in Desperate Times: When faced with seemingly impossible situations, this verse encourages us to trust in God's providence and act in faith, even if the solution seems unconventional or risky.
  • God's Sovereignty: It reminds us that God is at work even in the darkest circumstances, often using humble means to achieve His grand purposes. No situation is beyond His control or ability to redeem.
  • The Impact of Faith: Jochebed's single act of faith had monumental consequences, not just for her son, but for an entire nation. It underscores that our acts of faith, no matter how small they seem, can have far-reaching effects in God's plan.
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Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 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

    ยถ 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

    ยถ 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.
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