Exodus 2:3

Authorized King James Version

And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink.

Word-by-Word Analysis

וְלֹֽא

H3808

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles

יָכְלָ֣ה

H3201

And when she could

to be able, literally (can, could) or morally (may, might)

עוֹד֮

H5750

not longer

properly, iteration or continuance; used only adverbially (with or without preposition), again, repeatedly, still, more

הַצְּפִינוֹ֒

H6845

hide

to hide (by covering over); by implication, to hoard or reserve; figuratively to deny; specifically (favorably) to protect, (unfavorably) to lurk

וַתִּֽקַּֽח

H3947

him she took

to take (in the widest variety of applications)

לוֹ֙

תֵּ֣בַת

H8392

for him an ark

a box

גֹּ֔מֶא

H1573

of bulrushes

properly, an absorbent, i.e., the bulrush (from its porosity); specifically the papyrus

וַתַּחְמְרָ֥ה

H2560

and daubed

properly, to boil up; hence, to glow (with redness)

#10

בַֽחֵמָ֖ר

H2564

it with slime

bitumen (as rising to the surface)

#11

וּבַזָּ֑פֶת

H2203

and with pitch

asphalt (from its tendency to soften in the sun)

#12

וַתָּ֥שֶׂם

H7760

and put

to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)

#13

בָּהּ֙

#14

אֶת

H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

#15

הַיֶּ֔לֶד

H3206

the child

something born, i.e., a lad or offspring

#16

וַתָּ֥שֶׂם

H7760

and put

to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)

#17

בַּסּ֖וּף

H5488

it in the flags

a reed, especially the papyrus

#18

עַל

H5921

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

#19

שְׂפַ֥ת

H8193

brink

the lip (as a natural boundary); by implication, language; by analogy, a margin (of a vessel, water, cloth, etc.)

#20

הַיְאֹֽר׃

H2975

by the river's

a channel, e.g., a fosse, canal, shaft; specifically the nile, as the one river of egypt, including its collateral trenches; also the tigris, as the m

Analysis

The salvation theme here intersects with the metanarrative of redemption running from Genesis to Revelation. Biblical theology recognizes this as part of a unified storyline from the promise in Genesis 3:15 to its fulfillment in Christ. The phrase emphasizing divine revelation contributes to our systematic understanding of Christian doctrine and connects to the broader scriptural witness about God's saving work from the Exodus to the cross.

Historical Context

This passage must be understood within the political and social structures of the biblical period. The author writes to address believers seeking to understand God's will and purposes, making the emphasis on salvation particularly relevant. Historical documents from this period show cultural practices and social structures that would have been familiar to the original readers, illuminating the verse's original impact.

Questions for Reflection

How might the original audience's understanding of divine revelation differ from modern interpretations, and what bridges can be built between ancient meaning and contemporary application?
How does this verse's literary context within Exodus chapter 2 illuminate its theological significance, and what does this teach us about biblical interpretation?
How does the salvation theme in this verse connect to the overarching narrative of Scripture, and what does this reveal about God's character and purposes?

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