Chapter
Verse

Exodus 2:10

ESV When the child grew older, she brought him to Pharaoh 's daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, "Because," she said, "I drew him out of the water."
NIV When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, "I drew him out of the water."
NASB And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. And she named him Moses, and said, 'Because I drew him out of the water.'
CSB When the child grew older, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, "Because," she said, "I drew him out of the water."
NLT Later, when the boy was older, his mother brought him back to Pharaoh’s daughter, who adopted him as her own son. The princess named him Moses, for she explained, 'I lifted him out of the water.'
KJV And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.
NKJV And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. So she called his name Moses, saying, “Because I drew him out of the water.”

What does Exodus 2:10 mean?

Pharaoh's daughter officially took over care for Moses when he was done nursing (Exodus 2:9). It would have been extremely difficult for Moses' mother to give her son away. However, this option was far better than the alternative of losing him to an early death (Exodus 1:22).

Of great importance in this verse is the origin of Moses' name. Whether or not Moses' biological mother named him, Scripture gives the baby no name until now. Instead, Pharaoh's daughter chooses a name that matches his story. She names him Moses because she "drew him out of the water." The Hebrew word "Moses" sounds like the word for "draw out." Moses is Mosheh while "draw out" is meshitihu from the root word mashah. This word play may not be exact, however, as Pharaoh's daughter likely spoke Egyptian rather than Hebrew. She might have been thinking of something more traditionally Egyptian, or it might have been a pun on a Hebrew word she knew. The significance for Jewish readers was that the name Moses sounded like the word "draw out;" this connected with his providential escape from an early death.
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