The Baby in the Basket

Jacob's family, the children of Israel, grew into a great people in the land of Egypt. A new king arose who did not know about Joseph, and he was afraid of them. He made them slaves and gave them hard, bitter work. Then he gave a terrible order: every Hebrew baby boy must be thrown into the river.

One mother had a beautiful baby boy, and she hid him for three months. When she could not hide him any longer, she made a little basket of river reeds and coated it with pitch so it would float. She laid her baby inside and set the basket among the tall grass at the river's edge. His big sister stood a little way off, watching to see what would happen.

Pharaoh's daughter came down to the river to wash. She saw the basket and sent her maid to fetch it. When she opened it, the baby was crying — and her heart went out to him. "This is one of the Hebrews' children," she said.

Then the sister hurried over. "Shall I go and find a Hebrew woman to nurse the baby for you?" she asked. "Go," said Pharaoh's daughter. And the girl went and called — the baby's own mother! So the mother held her son safe in her arms again, and Pharaoh's daughter even paid her to care for him.

When the child grew, he became the son of Pharaoh's daughter. She named him Moses, saying, "Because I drew him out of the water."

The children of Israel still worked as slaves, and they cried out to God for help. And God heard them, and He remembered His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.