Moses was born in the year of the world 2433. His parents lived in
Egypt. Before his birth, Pharaoh, king of Egypt, being fearful of
their increase, had given orders to have every male infant of the
Hebrews murdered. The father and mother of Moses were Hebrews, and,
like other parents, they loved their child too much to have him
injured. Besides, they thought they saw something very promising in
his appearance, as if he would make a great and good man, if he were
rightly trained: they therefore kept him hid three months.
When they could hide him no longer, his mother, Jochebed, made an ark
or chest of bulrushes, and having pitched it that it might be water
proof, she put Moses into it, and laid it near the banks of the river
Nile, and prayed to God for the safety of her child.
He had not lain long in this condition, when Pharaoh's daughter, coming
to wash, observed the ark, and directed one of her maids to fetch it;
and opening it, she found the child. She was struck with the beauty of
the babe, and was affected at its weeping; for the poor child cried,
being separated from its mother: supposing it to be one of the Hebrews'
children, the princess resolved to bring it up as a child of her own.
[Illustration]
Miriam, the sister of Moses, then about ten or twelve years of age,
who waited near by, asked Pharaoh's daughter if she might not find a
nurse for her, and being allowed to do it, she called Jochebed, the
child's mother. Thus her prayer was answered, and she had the care of
the child besides.
He was named _Moses_, which signifies being taken out of the water. He
was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and was treated in
all respects as if he were the son of the princess.
After he became of age, while walking forth one day, he observed with
indignation the oppression of his brethren; and seeing an Egyptian
smiting a Hebrew, he became so excited, that he interfered, and killed
the Egyptian. Fearful of the consequences of this rash act, he fled
into the land of Midian, where he became a shepherd.
As Moses led his flocks one day near to the north or west side of Mount
Sinai, the Lord appeared to him in a bush, burning but not consumed.
Moses was astonished at the sight, and went near to see the miracle.
[Illustration]
And the Lord spoke to him out of the bush, and told him to put off his
shoes before he came any nearer, as the spot was sacred on account of
the presence of God. We should never go into the presence of God, or
engage in his worship, without being solemn and attentive.
God then declared himself to Moses to be the God of Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob, and told him that, on account of the promise he had made,
and in view of what his oppressed people suffered from the cruel
Egyptians, he now intended to deliver them, and bring them into
Canaan, and would make Moses the instrument of this.
The Hebrews, at the command of God, and under the direction of Moses,
left Egypt at last in great haste, and took their journey to the
south-east. Pharaoh and his people were soon sorry that they had
consented to let them go, and followed with a great army to bring
them back, and nearly overtook them on the west side of the Red Sea.
