The Meaning of Exodus 2:14 Explained

Exodus 2:14

KJV: And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known.

YLT: and he saith, 'Who set thee for a head and a judge over us? to slay me art thou saying it, as thou hast slain the Egyptian?' and Moses feareth, and saith, 'Surely the thing hath been known.'

Darby: And he said, Who made thee ruler and judge over us? dost thou intend to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? Then Moses feared, and said, Surely the matter is known.

ASV: And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? Thinkest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely the thing is known.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he said,  Who made  thee  a prince  and a judge  over us? intendest  thou to kill  me, as thou killedst  the Egyptian?  And Moses  feared,  and said,  Surely  this thing  is known. 

What does Exodus 2:14 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 2:14 mean?

and he said who made you - a prince and a judge over us to kill me you intend as you killed - the Egyptian and feared Moses and said surely is known this thing
וַ֠יֹּאמֶר מִ֣י שָֽׂמְךָ֞ לְאִ֨ישׁ שַׂ֤ר וְשֹׁפֵט֙ ؟ עָלֵ֔ינוּ הַלְהָרְגֵ֙נִי֙ אַתָּ֣ה אֹמֵ֔ר כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר הָרַ֖גְתָּ אֶת־ ؟ הַמִּצְרִ֑י וַיִּירָ֤א מֹשֶׁה֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר אָכֵ֖ן נוֹדַ֥ע הַדָּבָֽר

וַ֠יֹּאמֶר  and  he  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
שָֽׂמְךָ֞  made  you 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular, second person masculine singular
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
לְאִ֨ישׁ  - 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
שַׂ֤ר  a  prince 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: סָרַר 
Sense: prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain.
וְשֹׁפֵט֙  and  a  judge 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁפַט  
Sense: to judge, govern, vindicate, punish.
؟ עָלֵ֔ינוּ  over  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
הַלְהָרְגֵ֙נִי֙  to  kill  me 
Parse: Preposition, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, first person common singular
Root: הָרַג  
Sense: to kill, slay, murder, destroy, murderer, slayer, out of hand.
אֹמֵ֔ר  intend 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הָרַ֖גְתָּ  you  killed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: הָרַג  
Sense: to kill, slay, murder, destroy, murderer, slayer, out of hand.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
؟ הַמִּצְרִ֑י  the  Egyptian 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִצְרִי  
Sense: Egyptian—an inhabitant or citizen of Egypt.
וַיִּירָ֤א  and  feared 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
מֹשֶׁה֙  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
וַיֹּאמַ֔ר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אָכֵ֖ן  surely 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אָכֵן 
Sense: surely, truly, indeed.
נוֹדַ֥ע  is  known 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
הַדָּבָֽר  this  thing 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.