King James Bible
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.

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.

Young's Literal Translation
and she hath not been able any more to hide him, and she taketh for him an ark of rushes, and daubeth it with bitumen and with pitch, and putteth the lad in it, and putteth it in the weeds by the edge of the River;

Exodus 2:3 Additional Translations
Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

An ark of bulrushes - תבת גמא tebath gome, a small boat or basket made of the Egyptian reed called papyrus, so famous in all antiquity. This plant grows on the banks of the Nile, and in marshy grounds; the stalk rises to the height of six or seven cubits above the water, is triangular, and terminates in a crown of small filaments resembling hair, which the ancients used to compare to a thyrsus. This reed was of the greatest use to the inhabitants of Egypt, the pith contained in the stalk serving them for food, and the woody part to build vessels with; which vessels frequently appear on engraved stones and other monuments of Egyptian antiquity. For this purpose they made it up like rushes into bundles, and by tying them together gave their vessels the necessary figure and solidity. "The vessels of bulrushes or papyrus," says Dr. Shaw, "were no other than large fabrics of the same kind with that of Moses, Exodus 2:3, which from the late introduction of planks and stronger materials are now laid aside." Thus Pliny, lib. vi., cap. 16, takes notice of the naves papyraceas armamentaque Nili, "ships made of papyrus and the equipments of the Nile:" and lib. xiii., cap. 11, he observes, Exodus ipsa quidem papyro navigia texunt: "Of the papyrus itself they construct sailing vessels." Herodotus and Diodorus have recorded the same fact; and among the poets, Lucan, lib. iv., ver. 136: Conseritur bibula Memphitis cymba papyro, "The Memphian or Egyptian boat is constructed from the soaking papyrus." The epithet bibula is particularly remarkable, as corresponding with great exactness to the nature of the plant, and to its Hebrew name גמא gome, which signifies to soak, to drink up. See Parkhurst sub voce.

She laid it in the flags - Not willing to trust it in the stream for fear of a disaster; and probably choosing the place to which the Egyptian princess was accustomed to come for the purpose specified in the note on the following verse.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

could not.

Exodus 1:22 And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born you shall cast into the river...

Matthew 2:13,16 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appears to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise...

Acts 7:19 The same dealt subtly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children...

an ark.

Isaiah 18:2 That sends ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes on the waters, saying, Go, you swift messengers...

bulrushes. Gome, is the papyrus, so famous in all antiquity. It grows on the banks of the Nile, and in marshy grounds; the stalk rises to the height of six or seven cubits above the water, is triangular, and terminates in a crown of small filaments, resembling hair. This reed was of the greatest use to the Egyptians; the pith serving them for food, and the woody part to build vessels with; which vessels frequently appear on various monuments of Egyptian antiquity. That boats were made of this reed is also attested by Pliny and others.

with slime.

Genesis 6:14 Make you an ark of gopher wood; rooms shall you make in the ark, and shall pitch it within and without with pitch.

Genesis 11:3 And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone...

Genesis 14:10 And the vale of Siddim was full of slime pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there...

Exodus 2:3 Parallel Commentaries
Able Ark Baby Bank Basket Bitumen Brink Bulrushes Child Coated Covered Daubed Earth Flags Hide Longer Nile Papyrus Pitch Placing Plants Plastered Reeds Resin River's Slime Stems Sticky Tar Therein Water Water-PlantsAble Ark Baby Bank Basket Bitumen Brink Bulrushes Child Coated Covered Daubed Earth Flags Hide Longer Nile Papyrus Pitch Placing Plants Plastered Reeds Resin River's Slime Stems Sticky Tar Therein Water Water-PlantsTHE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica®.

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