Exodus 2 14

Exodus 2:14 kjv

And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known.

Exodus 2:14 nkjv

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!"

Exodus 2:14 niv

The man said, "Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?" Then Moses was afraid and thought, "What I did must have become known."

Exodus 2:14 esv

He answered, "Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?" Then Moses was afraid, and thought, "Surely the thing is known."

Exodus 2:14 nlt

The man replied, "Who appointed you to be our prince and judge? Are you going to kill me as you killed that Egyptian yesterday?" Then Moses was afraid, thinking, "Everyone knows what I did."

Exodus 2 verses

Exodus 2 14 Meaning

Exodus 2:14 records the sharp accusation and question posed to Moses by a fellow Hebrew, who knew that Moses had killed an Egyptian. This direct confrontation exposed Moses' secret act, challenged his self-assumed authority, and instilled fear in him, leading to his subsequent flight from Egypt. It signifies a pivotal moment where Moses' premature attempt to deliver his people by human strength is revealed and frustrated, setting the stage for God's divinely appointed timing and method of liberation.

Exodus 2 14 Context

Exodus 2:14 follows Moses' initial encounter with the oppression of his people and his violent response. Having witnessed an Egyptian taskmaster brutalizing a Hebrew slave (Ex 2:11), Moses, in an act of zealous indignation, killed the Egyptian and concealed his body. The next day, Moses attempted to mediate a dispute between two fighting Hebrews (Ex 2:13), but one of them retorted with the question in this verse. This immediate exposure of Moses' secret and the challenge to his perceived authority highlight the brokenness and disunity even among the enslaved Israelites. It forced Moses to realize the futility of his premature, humanly driven efforts and led directly to his flight into Midian, commencing a long period of divine preparation. This incident reveals that God's plan cannot be hastened by human might or secret actions, and underscores the precariousness of Moses' position as an adopted prince with a conflicted identity under Pharaoh's vigilant rule.

Exodus 2 14 Word analysis

• "Who" (Heb. mi, מִי): An interrogative pronoun expressing profound challenge and questioning of Moses' basis for authority, implying "By what right?" or "On whose command?"

• "made you" (Heb. samkhá, שׁמְךָ): Literally "placed you" or "appointed you." The accusation highlights that Moses' "appointment" did not come from any recognizable human or divine authority known to the Hebrew man.

• "a prince" (Heb. sar, שַׂר): Refers to a chief, leader, or official. It's ironic here; Moses assumed a role not yet given, though God would later make him the ultimate "prince" (Isa 63:11-12) and leader of Israel. The accusation implies usurpation of authority.

• "and a judge" (Heb. w’shofét, וְשׁוֹפֵט): One who adjudicates disputes, governs, or brings justice. Moses’ prior intervention was an act of judging. The term implies judicial authority, which the man explicitly denies Moses possesses over them.

• "over us?" (Heb. aleinu, עָלֵינוּ): Emphasizes that the man sees Moses' action as an unwarranted intrusion into their internal affairs, an overreach of ungranted authority among the oppressed. It signifies resistance to his intervention.

• "Do you intend to kill me" (Heb. hălăhărgenî ʼattâ ʼōmēr, הֲלַהֲרְגֵנִי אַתָּה אֹמֵר): A stark accusation and fear-filled question. It implies the man interprets Moses’ earlier murder of the Egyptian as a display of arbitrary, dangerous power that could be turned on anyone, even a fellow Hebrew.

• "as you killed the Egyptian?" (Heb. kaʼăsher harágta ʼet-hammiṣrî, כַּאֲשֶׁר הָרַגְתָּ אֶת־הַמִּצְרִי): This phrase reveals the fatal secret. The man, or at least others among the Hebrews, knew about the killing. It highlights that no human action, even if hidden, is truly secret from God or from observant witnesses.

• "Then Moses was afraid" (Heb. wayyîrāʼ Mōšeh, וַיִּירָא מֹשֶׁה): Shows Moses' human vulnerability. His fear is a response to the potential for exposure to Pharaoh, not directly to divine judgment. This fear contrasts with the fearless obedience he later demonstrates after divine empowerment.

• "and thought" (Heb. wayyōʼmer, וַיֹּאמֶר): While often meaning "said," here it clearly denotes an internal realization or speaking to himself. It highlights Moses' inner processing of the perilous situation.

• "Surely this thing is known!" (Heb. ʼākhēn nôdaʽ haddāvār, אָכֵן נוֹדַע הַדָּבָר): Literally "Indeed, the word/matter is known!" A profound realization of his exposed crime, leading directly to his flight. It emphasizes the truth that secrets done in the dark often come to light, especially when God's greater plan is involved.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "Who made you a prince and a judge over us?": This rhetorical question vehemently challenges Moses' self-appointed authority to intervene and rule, setting up the critical distinction between human presumption and God's eventual, undisputed divine appointment. It highlights a common struggle: the timing and source of legitimate leadership.
  • "Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?": This group of words starkly reveals that Moses' previous violent act, which he attempted to hide, was known among his people. It carries both a threat and a confession of the accuser's fear, directly triggering the crisis for Moses and proving that deeds done in secret can indeed be brought to light.
  • "Then Moses was afraid, and thought, 'Surely this thing is known!'": This climactic sequence captures Moses' internal turmoil and sudden realization of his exposed secret, causing immediate fear and compelling his flight from Pharaoh's certain wrath. It marks the abrupt end of his Egyptian life and the beginning of his divinely ordained forty years of desert preparation.

Exodus 2 14 Bonus section

• The wilderness sojourn that follows this verse, triggered by Moses' fear and flight, serves as a crucial period of God's molding and preparation, transforming Moses from a princely individual to the divinely humble and obedient shepherd of Israel. This experience highlights a common biblical pattern of leaders undergoing intense personal training before their divine mission begins (e.g., Joseph, David, Elijah, Paul).
• The accuser's retort in Ex 2:14 directly foretells the rejection of Moses by his own people even after God empowers him, serving as a powerful foreshadowing for Israel's later rejection of God's chosen prophets and even the Messiah (as expounded upon in Acts 7:35-39).
• Moses' initial action of burying the Egyptian (Ex 2:12) indicates an attempt to hide his deed. This verse confirms the universal biblical truth that all secrets, whether hidden in the dark or by deliberate intent, are known to God and often revealed to humans when it serves His divine purposes.

Exodus 2 14 Commentary

Exodus 2:14 serves as a critical turning point in Moses' life, transitioning him from a zealous but unanointed "prince" to a humble servant prepared for God's divine calling. His previous act, though born from righteous anger, lacked divine timing and authorization, as demonstrated by the accusation of the Hebrew man. This exposure of Moses' hidden deed, combined with the challenge to his ungranted authority, illustrates the futility of human efforts when they preempt God's sovereign plan. The rejection by his own people underscores their disunity and foreshadows a recurring theme in Israel's history of rejecting divinely sent deliverers. Moses' fear and subsequent flight were not signs of cowardice, but a necessary, God-ordained retreat into the wilderness for forty years, where he would be divinely shaped and matured for the momentous task of leading Israel. This passage profoundly teaches that God's mighty acts of salvation unfold according to His perfect timing and through His supernaturally prepared and appointed instruments, not through human strength, wisdom, or secret endeavors.