Second 40 years of the life of Moses

Exodus 2:11-7:7. The next 40 years in Moses’ life saw him living as a shepherd in Midian beyond the Jordan, the Sinai peninsula, and Arabian Petraea.

Midian in Hebrew means: contention.

God prepares Moses for his life’s calling to save Israel from the cruel Egyptian masters. During this time, Moses also married Zipporah, a daughter of a Midianite priest whose name, as we find out later, was Jethro.
During this time the King or Pharaoh of Egypt died – Exodus 2:23.

Timeline – covering the life of Moses.

Background Reading:

2nd set of three sets of 40 years

During this time the King of Egypt died – Exodus 2:23.

Moses Kills an Egyptian

2:11 Years later, after Moses had grown up, he went out to his own people, and took notice of their heavy burdens. He saw an Egyptian beating up a Hebrew, one of his own people. 12 Looking around and seeing no one else, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 Going out the next day, Moses noticed two Hebrew men fighting right in front of him. He told the one who was at fault, “Why did you strike your companion?”

14 The man replied, “Who appointed you to be an official judge over us? Are you planning to kill me like you killed the Egyptian?”

Then Moses became terrified and told himself, “Certainly this event has become known!”

Moses Flees to Midian
15 When Pharaoh heard about this matter, he tried to kill Moses. So Moses fled from Pharaoh, settled in the land of Midian, and sat down by a well. 16 Meanwhile, the seven daughters of a certain Midianite priest would come to draw water in order to fill water troughs for their father’s sheep. 17 Some shepherds came to drive them away, but Moses got up, came to their rescue, and watered their sheep. 18 When they returned to their father Reuel, he asked, “Why have you returned so quickly today?”

19 “An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds,” they replied, “and he even drew water for us and watered the sheep!”

20 “Then where is he?” He asked his daughters. “Why did you leave the man behind? Go invite him to have something to eat.”

21 Moses agreed to stay with the man, and he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage. 22 Later she gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom, because he used to say, “I became an alien in a foreign land.”

The Israelis Cry Out to God
23 The king of Egypt eventually died, and the Israelis groaned because of the bondage. They cried out, and their cry for deliverance from slavery ascended to God. 24 God heard their groaning and remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 25 God watched the Israelis and took notice of them.
Exodus 2:11-25

Continued Exodus 3:1-7:7.


Other slides in this module: