Why did Moses flee to Midian after Pharaoh sought to kill him? What Happened in Exodus 2:15? “Pharaoh heard about this matter and tried to kill Moses; but Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in the land of Midian, and he sat down by a well.” • Pharaoh learned that Moses had killed an Egyptian (Exodus 2:11-12). • The usual royal punishment for murder was swift execution, and Pharaoh was determined to make an example of Moses. • Moses had just discovered how deeply his own people, the Hebrews, distrusted him (Exodus 2:13-14). Having lost favor with both Egyptians and Hebrews, he faced isolation on every side. • Though the text notes he “fled,” Hebrews 11:27 adds an important lens: “By faith Moses left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw Him who is invisible.” Moses’s departure combined prudent fear of Pharaoh with active trust that God had a bigger purpose. Why Midian Specifically? • Outside Egyptian jurisdiction – Midian lay east of the Sinai Peninsula, beyond Pharaoh’s reach. • Shared ancestral ties – Midianites descended from Abraham through Keturah (Genesis 25:1-2), so Moses would find distant kin who still retained some knowledge of the true God (Exodus 18:1, 11). • A shepherd culture – Egyptians despised shepherds (Genesis 46:34). Midian provided the humble vocation God would use to reshape a former prince into a servant-leader (Exodus 3:1). • Providential meeting ground – At a Midianite well, Moses encountered Jethro’s family, received hospitality, married Zipporah, and gained a spiritual mentor who was “priest of Midian” (Exodus 2:16-21; 18:1-12). • Strategic wilderness training – The very desert where Moses herded sheep for forty years became the stage on which he would later lead Israel and receive the Law (Exodus 3–20). How God Used the Flight • Character formation – Solitude, hard labor, and obscurity stripped away Egypt’s royal pride and taught Moses humility (Numbers 12:3). • Skill development – Navigating desert terrain, locating water, and managing flocks directly prepared him to guide a nation through the same wilderness. • Spiritual deepening – The burning-bush encounter on Mount Horeb happened “after a long time” in Midian (Exodus 3:1-2). God met Moses when his heart was quiet enough to listen. • Prophetic pattern – Like later prophets (e.g., Elijah in 1 Kings 19, Paul in Galatians 1:17), Moses experienced a wilderness season between calling and commissioning. Key Takeaways for Today • God sometimes uses crisis to relocate His servants exactly where they need to be. • Fleeing danger can be both prudent and faith-filled when it aligns with God’s unfolding plan. • Hidden years are never wasted; God refines, instructs, and equips before public mission begins (Acts 7:29-30). • No place is beyond God’s reach—whether palace or desert well, He orchestrates circumstances to fulfill His covenant purposes. |
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