Exodus 2:12 Looking this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.

◄ Exodus 2:12 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
Looking this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.

English Standard Version
He looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.

New American Standard Bible
So he looked this way and that, and when he saw there was no one around, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.

King James Bible
And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Looking all around and seeing no one, he struck the Egyptian dead and hid him in the sand.

International Standard Version
Looking around and seeing no one else, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.

American Standard Version
And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he smote the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And when he had looked about this way and that way, and saw no one there, he slew the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.

Darby Bible Translation
And he turned this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he smote the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.

Young's Literal Translation
and he turneth hither and thither, and seeth that there is no man, and smiteth the Egyptian, and hideth him in the sand.

Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Commentary

2:11-15 Moses boldly owned the cause of God's people. It is plain from Heb 11. that this was done in faith, with the full purpose of leaving the honours, wealth, and pleasures of his rank among the Egyptians. By the grace of God he was a partaker of faith in Christ, which overcomes the world. He was willing, not only to risk all, but to suffer for his sake; being assured that Israel were the people of God. By special warrant from Heaven, which makes no rule for other cases, Moses slew an Egyptian, and rescued an oppressed Israelites. Also, he tried to end a dispute between two Hebrews. The reproof Moses gave, may still be of use. May we not apply it to disputants, who, by their fierce debates, divide and weaken the Christian church? They forget that they are brethren. He that did wrong quarreled with Moses. It is a sign of guilt to be angry at reproof. Men know not what they do, nor what enemies they are to themselves, when they resist and despise faithful reproofs and reprovers. Moses might have said, if this be the spirit of the Hebrews, I will go to court again, and be the son of Pharaoh's daughter. But we must take heed of being set against the ways and people of God, by the follies and peevishness of some persons that profess religion. Moses was obliged to flee into the land of Midian. God ordered this for wise and holy ends.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

12. he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand—This act of Moses may seem and indeed by some has been condemned as rash and unjustifiable—in plain terms, a deed of assassination. But we must not judge of his action in such a country and age by the standard of law and the notions of right which prevail in our Christian land; and, besides, not only is it not spoken of as a crime in Scripture or as distressing the perpetrator with remorse, but according to existing customs among nomadic tribes, he was bound to avenge the blood of a brother. The person he slew, however, being a government officer, he had rendered himself amenable to the laws of Egypt, and therefore he endeavored to screen himself from the consequences by concealment of the corpse.