Long ago, the Israelites lived in a land called Egypt. The king of Egypt was called Pharaoh, and he was very strict. He did not want the Israelites to have many children. One day he ordered that all newborn boys be taken away from Israel. That made people very sad.
A mother from Israel gave birth to a baby boy. She loved her baby very much and wanted to protect it. The mother already had a daughter named Miriam. Miriam was a great big sister. When the baby was three months old, the mom couldn’t hide it anymore. It was too dangerous.
Then the mother had an idea. She made a basket out of reeds, which was similar to a small, floating basket. She carefully placed the baby in it and put the basket in the river. Miriam stood on the shore and took care of her little brother.
Soon Pharaoh’s daughter came to the river to take a bath. She heard the baby crying and found the basket in the water. She saw the sweet baby and loved her immediately. Pharaoh’s daughter wanted to take care of the baby.
Miriam was brave. She went to Pharaoh’s daughter and said, “Shall I find an Israelite woman who can nurse the baby for you?” The Pharaoh’s daughter thought that was a good idea. Miriam immediately fetched her mom, and she was allowed to take care of her own baby!
When the boy grew up, she took him to Pharaoh’s daughter. She called him Moses, which means “pulled out of the water.” So Moses grew up in Pharaoh’s house, but Miriam and his mother had helped him stay safe.
Message of history
God takes care of us and gives us courageous friends and family to help and protect us.
Bible passage
The story of how Miriam saves Moses is written in 2. Moses 2:4-10 (Schlachter 2000):
“And his sister turned herself in to find out how he would fare. And Pharaoh’s daughter went down to bathe in the Nile, and her servants walked along the bank of the Nile. And when she saw the basket in the midst of the reeds, she sent her maid and had it fetched. And when she opened it, she saw the child; and behold, there was a boy who was weeping. Then she had compassion on him, and said, “It is one of the Hebrew children.” Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call a Hebrew nurse to nurse your child?” Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” Then the girl went and called the child’s mother. Then Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child with you and nurse it for me, and I will give you your reward.” And the woman took the child and nursed it. And when the child was grown, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and she became her son; and she gave him the name Moses, saying, “I have pulled him out of the water.”
