Exodus 2:2
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
And the woman conceived, and bore a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.
American King James Version (AKJV)
And the woman conceived, and bore a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.
American Standard Version (ASV)
And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.
Basic English Translation (BBE)
And she became with child and gave birth to a Son; and when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she kept him secretly for three months.
Webster's Revision
And the woman conceived, and bore a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.
World English Bible
The woman conceived, and bore a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months.
English Revised Version (ERV)
And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.
Clarke's Exodus 2:2 Bible Commentary
Bare a son - This certainly was not her first child, for Aaron was fourscore and three years old when Moses was but fourscore, see Exodus 7:7 : and there was a sister, probably Miriam, who was older than either; see below, Exodus 2:4, and see Numbers 26:59. Miriam and Aaron had no doubt been both born before the decree was passed for the destruction of the Hebrew male children, mentioned in the preceding chapter.
Goodly child - The text simply says כי טיב הוא ki tob hu, that he was good, which signifies that he was not only a perfect, well-formed child, but that he was very beautiful; hence the Septuagint translate the place, Ιδοντες δε αυτο αστειον, Seeing him to be beautiful, which St. Stephen interprets, Ην αστειος τῳ Θεῳ, He was comely to God, or divinely beautiful. This very circumstance was wisely ordained by the kind providence of God to be one means of his preservation. Scarcely any thing interests the heart more than the sight of a lovely babe in distress. His beauty would induce even his parents to double their exertions to save him, and was probably the sole motive which led the Egyptian princess to take such particular care of him, and to educate him as her own, which in all likelihood she would not have done had he been only an ordinary child.
Barnes's Exodus 2:2 Bible Commentary
Bare a son - Not her firstborn; Aaron and Miriam were older than Moses. The object of the writer is simply to narrate the events which led to the Exodus, and he mentions nothing that had no direct bearing upon his purpose.
A goodly child - See the marginal references. Probably Jochebed did not call in a midwife Exodus 1:15, and she was of course cautious not to show herself to Egyptians. The hiding of the child is spoken of as an act of faith in Hebrews 11:23. It was done in the belief that God would watch over the child.
Wesley's Exodus 2:2 Bible Commentary
2:2 Bare a son - It seems just at the time of his birth that cruel law was made for the murder of all the male - children of the Hebrews, and many no doubt perished by the execution of it. Moses's parents had Miriam and Aaron, both elder than he, born to them before that edict came out. Probably his mother had little joy of her being with child of him, now this edict was in force. Yet this child proves the glory of his father's house. Observe the beauty of providence: just when Pharaoh's cruelty rose to this height, the deliverer was born. She hid him three months - In some private apartment of their own house, though probably with the hazard of their lives had he been discovered. It is said, Hebrews 11:23 .That Moses's parents hid him by faith: some think they had a special revelation that the deliverer should spring from their loins; however, they believed the general promise of Israel's preservation, and in that faith hid their child.