Exodus 2:12

"In those days, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his brothers and saw their burdens. He saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his brothers."

Key Reflection

This scene depicts Moses witnessing the oppression of his fellow Israelites by an Egyptian taskmaster, highlighting his growing awareness of the suffering of his people and setting the stage for his eventual leadership role in their liberation. This moment of observation and empathy foreshadows Moses' future actions as a deliverer and leader, illustrating how personal encounters with injustice can spark divine callings.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

The slaying of the Egyptian is not to be justified, or attributed to a divine inspiration, but it is to be judged with reference to the provocation, the impetuosity of Moses’ natural character, perhaps also to the habits developed by his training at the court of Pharaoh. The act involved a complete severance from the Egyptians, but, far from expediting, it delayed for many years the deliverance of the Israelites. Forty years of a very different training prepared Moses for the execution of that appointed work.

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