Exodus 2:6

The Egyptians believed that the Nile River was a goddess. They thought she gave life and healing. In this way, the Nile was similar to how some people in modern India view the Ganges River.

When Pharaoh’s daughter went down to bathe in the river, she was doing more than washing herself. She was likely taking part in her morning religious practice.

When she found the baby floating on the river, she may have seen this as a sign from the Nile goddess. In her view, the child was in the care of the goddess. This would have made the discovery very important to her.

It is also natural for someone to feel compassion for a crying baby. These reasons together may explain why she rescued the child. She understood that he was a Hebrew boy. Hebrews and Egyptians practiced circumcision in different ways, which likely helped her recognize this.

These factors may explain why she rescued the child, even though she could tell he was Hebrew. Hebrews and Egyptians had different circumcision practices.

Chapter 1 explained why Israel needed rescue. Chapter 2 shows how God prepared Moses, the rescuer. God used the threat to Hebrew baby boys to ensure that Moses was ready for his mission (see study note on 2:10).