Exodus 2 6

Exodus 2:6 kjv

And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children.

Exodus 2:6 nkjv

And when she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby wept. So she had compassion on him, and said, "This is one of the Hebrews' children."

Exodus 2:6 niv

She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. "This is one of the Hebrew babies," she said.

Exodus 2:6 esv

When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby was crying. She took pity on him and said, "This is one of the Hebrews' children."

Exodus 2:6 nlt

When the princess opened it, she saw the baby. The little boy was crying, and she felt sorry for him. "This must be one of the Hebrew children," she said.

Exodus 2 6 Cross References

VerseTextReference
Gen 45:5And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.God's providence in preserving life (Joseph).
Ex 1:17But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live.Human defiance of evil decrees for compassion.
Ex 2:10When the child grew older, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, “Because I drew him out of the water.”Pharaoh's daughter's adoption and care.
Deut 10:18-19He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. Love the sojourner therefore, for you were sojourners...God's command to care for the vulnerable/foreign.
Psa 27:10For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in.God's provision for the abandoned.
Psa 68:5-6Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation. God settles the solitary in a home...God's role as protector of the helpless.
Psa 106:45He remembered for their sake his covenant and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love.God's compassion and remembrance of covenant.
Isa 49:15“Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you."God's unfailing compassion (maternal).
Lam 3:22The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;God's enduring mercies.
Hos 11:8How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I hand you over, O Israel? ... My heart is stirred within me; my compassion grows warm and tender.God's deep compassion and reluctance to abandon.
Zech 7:9-10“Thus says the Lord of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor...Divine call for human kindness and mercy.
Matt 9:36When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.Jesus' compassion for the distressed.
Luke 10:33But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.Example of compassion transcending prejudice.
Rom 9:15For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”God's sovereign choice in bestowing mercy.
Rom 12:15Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.Call to empathy and shared human experience.
Heb 11:23-24By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.Divine providence in Moses' early life.
Jam 2:13For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.Importance and power of showing mercy.
1 Pet 3:8Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.Call to cultivate compassion in believers.
Eze 16:6“And when I passed by you and saw you wallowing in your blood, I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’ I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’”God finding Israel as a helpless newborn (metaphor).
Phil 2:1-2So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy... complete my joy by being of the same mind.Paul’s exhortation for compassion in the church.

Exodus 2 verses

Exodus 2 6 Meaning

Exodus 2:6 narrates the pivotal moment when Pharaoh's daughter discovered the infant Moses hidden in an ark among the reeds. Upon opening it, she found the weeping baby. Moved by compassion, she recognized him as one of the Hebrew children destined for destruction, setting in motion God's divine plan for Israel's deliverance through unexpected means. This act of mercy directly defies her father's decree to kill all male Hebrew infants, highlighting the sovereign hand of God working through human empathy.

Exodus 2 6 Context

Exodus chapter 2 opens against the grim backdrop of Pharaoh's decree to throw all newborn Hebrew male infants into the Nile (Ex 1:22). Moses' parents, defying this order, hide him for three months (Ex 2:2). When they can no longer conceal him, they place him in a watertight basket, similar to a small ark, and set him among the reeds by the river's bank (Ex 2:3). His sister, Miriam, stands at a distance to observe what would happen (Ex 2:4). Into this tense scenario steps Pharaoh's daughter, arriving at the river for her bath with her maidens (Ex 2:5). The discovery described in verse 6 is the immediate and surprising culmination of these events, presenting a direct challenge to the tyrannical power and revealing a higher divine purpose at work. This particular moment is critical for the unfolding of Israel's history.

Exodus 2 6 Word analysis

  • She opened it: "It" refers to the tebah (תֵּבָה), the ark or basket. This is the same Hebrew word used for Noah's ark (Gen 6:14), suggesting a vessel of divine preservation amidst destruction by water. The act of opening is decisive, revealing the hidden life and setting the stage for interaction.
  • and saw the child: The word for "child" here is yeled (יֶלֶד), emphasizing his extreme youth and vulnerability. Her seeing is a literal act, but it's also the beginning of recognition and understanding.
  • and, behold: Hineh (הִנֵּה), an interjection that draws immediate attention to what follows. It signifies a striking, surprising, or important revelation. It emphasizes the immediacy and impact of the sight.
  • the babe wept: The word for "babe" is also yeled, reinforcing his infant state. "Wept" comes from the verb bachah (בָּכָה), which means to weep, cry, or lament. This is a primal sound of distress, universally eliciting a response. The timing of the cry, just as the basket is opened, seems divinely orchestrated, as it is a powerful appeal.
  • And she had compassion on him: This is wa-tahmol `alav (וַתַּחְמֹל עָלָיו). The verb chamal (חָמַל) means to spare, pity, have compassion, or feel sorrow for someone. This emotion is pivotal. It overrides fear, prejudice, and even royal decrees. It signifies a radical act of empathy.
  • and said: Her spoken words confirm her internal conviction and commit her to an action that contradicts her father's genocide.
  • This is one of the Hebrews' children: Her statement reveals her sharp insight. Despite the attempts to hide his identity, she immediately recognizes his origin and plight. The term "Hebrews" (`Ivrim עִבְרִים) was often used by Egyptians for Israelites, sometimes with a derogatory or distinguishing connotation. Her identification highlights the direct opposition between his heritage and her father's law. This shows her awareness of her father's cruel policy.

Exodus 2 6 Bonus section

The "ark" (תֵּבָה, tebah) connecting Moses' salvation to Noah's Ark highlights a deliberate theological motif of preservation amidst watery destruction, symbolic of God's chosen ones surviving through judgment. Pharaoh's daughter's act of compassion could be seen as an example of common grace, where even those outside the covenant community demonstrate virtues that align with God's character, despite their pagan context. Her intervention also demonstrates that God uses diverse individuals, often surprisingly positioned, to fulfill His will. It underlines a theme throughout Scripture where acts of simple humanity and empathy, when empowered by God, have monumental impacts, often turning the tide against evil decrees. This single compassionate act, motivated by a weeping infant, entirely shifts the course of world history, preserving the very lineage through which the Messiah would one day come.

Exodus 2 6 Commentary

Exodus 2:6 is a potent moment of divine intervention through human compassion. It unveils God's sovereignty working paradoxically: the future deliverer of Israel is saved by the very family persecuting His people. Pharaoh's daughter's chamal (compassion) stands in stark contrast to her father's brutality (Ex 1:16, 22). The infant Moses’ cry, a universal language of distress, elicits a response that defies cultural and political boundaries, showcasing a higher moral law. This is not merely a chance encounter; it is God's hand moving the heart of an unlikely rescuer. Her recognition, "This is one of the Hebrews' children," is both perceptive and profound, signifying an informed choice to protect a life marked for death. The entire episode underscores God's ability to turn hostile circumstances into opportunities for His redemptive plan, reminding us that acts of mercy, even from unexpected sources, can alter destinies. This also exemplifies how God often uses seemingly insignificant or helpless means (a crying baby in a basket) to set in motion great movements of salvation.