Exodus 2:1-9 ▼

1 A man of the family of Levi married the daughter of a descendant of Levi.

2 Later, the woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She saw that he was a beautiful child, and hid him for three months.

3 But when she was no longer able to hide him, she took a papyrus container, coated it with asphalt and pitch, placed the child in it, and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile.

4 Then his sister positioned herself some distance away in order to find out what would happen to him.

5 Then Pharaoh's daughter came down to the Nile River to bathe while her maids walked along the river bank. She saw the container among the reeds and sent a servant girl to get it.

6 When she opened it and saw the child, the little boy suddenly began crying. Filled with compassion for him, she exclaimed, |This is one of the Hebrew children!|

7 Then his sister asked Pharaoh's daughter, |Shall I go and call one of the nursing Hebrew women so she can nurse the child for you?|

8 Pharaoh's daughter told her, |Go,| so the young girl went and called the child's mother.

9 Pharaoh's daughter instructed her, |Take this child and nurse him for me, and I'll pay you a salary.| So the woman took the child and nursed him.