The Meaning of Exodus 2:11 Explained

Exodus 2:11

KJV: And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren.

YLT: And it cometh to pass, in those days, that Moses is grown, and he goeth out unto his brethren, and looketh on their burdens, and seeth a man, an Egyptian, smiting a man, a Hebrew, one of his brethren,

Darby: And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked on their burdens; and he saw an Egyptian smiting a Hebrew, one of his brethren.

ASV: And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown up, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he saw an Egyptian smiting a Hebrew, one of his brethren.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it came to pass in those days,  when Moses  was grown,  that he went out  unto his brethren,  and looked  on their burdens:  and he spied  an Egyptian  smiting  an Hebrew,  one of his brethren. 

What does Exodus 2:11 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 2:11-25 - Moses Slays An Egyptian And Flees To Midian
Amid all the allurements of Pharaoh's court, the heart of Moses beat true to his own people. Neither the treasures of Egypt, nor the pleasures of sin; the attraction of human love, nor the glamour of the world's smile, could turn him aside from his own folk. A light shone for him over the humble huts of Goshen, before which that of Pharaoh's palaces paled. Some glimmering knowledge of the promised Christ appears to have been present to his mind; and he esteemed that hope to be greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. Hebrews 11:26.
He had, however, much to learn. By strength no man can prevail. The battle is not to the strong, nor the race to the swift. The salvation of Israel from their untold miseries must be due, from first to last, to the outstretched hand of their Almighty Protector. Hence the failure of Moses' first attempt. Instead of looking "this way and that," he must look upward. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 2

1  Moses is born, and placed in a basket in the reeds of Nile
5  He is found, and brought up by Pharaoh's daughter;
7  who employs his mother to nurse him
11  He kills an Egyptian
13  He reproves a Hebrew
15  He flees into Midian, and marries Zipporah
22  Gershom is born
23  God respects the Israelites' cry

What do the individual words in Exodus 2:11 mean?

And it came to pass in days those that when was grown Moses that he went out to his brothers and looked at their burdens and he saw - an Egyptian beating - a Hebrew of his brothers
וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֗ם וַיִּגְדַּ֤ל מֹשֶׁה֙ וַיֵּצֵ֣א אֶל־ אֶחָ֔יו וַיַּ֖רְא בְּסִבְלֹתָ֑ם וַיַּרְא֙ אִ֣ישׁ מִצְרִ֔י מַכֶּ֥ה אִישׁ־ עִבְרִ֖י מֵאֶחָֽיו

וַיְהִ֣י ׀  And  it  came  to  pass 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
בַּיָּמִ֣ים  in  days 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הָהֵ֗ם  those 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.
וַיִּגְדַּ֤ל  that  when  was  grown 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: גָּדַל  
Sense: to grow, become great or important, promote, make powerful, praise, magnify, do great things.
מֹשֶׁה֙  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
וַיֵּצֵ֣א  that  he  went  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
אֶחָ֔יו  his  brothers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
וַיַּ֖רְא  and  looked 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
בְּסִבְלֹתָ֑ם  at  their  burdens 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: סִבְלֹות  
Sense: burden, forced labour, compulsory service, burden bearing.
וַיַּרְא֙  and  he  saw 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אִ֣ישׁ  - 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
מִצְרִ֔י  an  Egyptian 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִצְרִי  
Sense: Egyptian—an inhabitant or citizen of Egypt.
מַכֶּ֥ה  beating 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָכָה  
Sense: to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill.
אִישׁ־  - 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
עִבְרִ֖י  a  Hebrew 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עִבְרִי  
Sense: a designation of the patriarchs and the Israelites adj.
מֵאֶחָֽיו  of  his  brothers 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.