Bible story for kids · Exodus 1 and 2
Baby Moses in a basket
God’s people, the Israelites, lived in Egypt. The king of Egypt, Pharaoh, was afraid of them because there were so many. He made them work as slaves.
Then Pharaoh gave a terrible order: every baby boy born to the Israelites must be thrown into the Nile River.
One Israelite mother had a baby boy. She hid him for three months. When she could not hide him any longer, she made a basket and coated it so water could not get in.
She put the baby in the basket and set it in the tall reeds by the river. His big sister watched from far away to see what would happen.
Pharaoh’s daughter came to the river to bathe. She saw the basket and sent her servant to get it. When she opened it, the baby was crying. She felt sorry for him.
The baby’s sister ran up. “Shall I go and find a Hebrew woman to feed the baby for you?” The princess said, “Go.” So the sister brought the baby’s own mother.
The baby’s mother took care of him until he was older. Then she brought him to the princess, and he became her son.
The princess named him Moses, because she drew him out of the water. When Moses grew up, God used him to lead his people out of Egypt.
From the Bible
When 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.”
Talk about it
- How do you think Moses’ mother felt when she put the basket in the river?
- Moses’ sister was brave. What did she do?
- God took care of baby Moses through other people. Who takes care of you?
Read Exodus 1 and 2 in the Bible
For grown-ups: what the text says
Exodus 2 does not name Moses’ mother or sister. Later chapters name them Jochebed (Exodus 6:20) and Miriam (Exodus 15:20; Numbers 26:59). Pharaoh’s order is in Exodus 1:22. Exodus 1:15-21 tells of two midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, who would not kill the babies: a good story to read next.