Exodus 2:11-22 (Vespers, 1st reading)
- 11
- Now it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren.
- 12
- So he looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.
- 13
- And when he went out the second day, behold, two Hebrew men were fighting, and he said to the one who did the wrong, “Why are you striking your companion?”
- 14
- Then he said, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” So Moses feared and said, “Surely this thing is known!”
- 15
- When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian; and he sat down by a well.
- 16
- Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. And they came and drew water, and they filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.
- 17
- Then the shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.
- 18
- When they came to Reuel their father, he said, “How is it that you have come so soon today?”
- 19
- And they said, “An Egyptian delivered us from the hand of the shepherds, and he also drew enough water for us and watered the flock.”
- 20
- So he said to his daughters, “And where is he? Why is it that you have left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread.”
- 21
- Then Moses was content to live with the man, and he gave Zipporah his daughter to Moses.
- 22
- And she bore him a son. He called his name Gershom, for he said, “I have been a stranger in a foreign land.”