Israel had twelve sons. Ten of his sons hated Joseph, the next to youngest son, because he was Israel's favorite. They sold Joseph into slavery in Egypt and Joseph eventually saved Egypt from starvation. Israel and all of Joseph's brothers and their families came to live in Egypt.

Joseph and all his brothers grew old and died in the land of Egypt, as did all those who had lived during their lifetimes. The children of Joseph and his brothers had many children and their children had children. Soon the land of Egypt was full of Israelites. Since there were twelve sons, the descendants of each son formed tribes that were named after the twelve sons.

A new king who didn't know Joseph and what he had done came into power. This new ruler and his fellow Egyptians began to look on the Israelites, not as a people who had saved their lives in a time of famine, but as outsiders who might help an enemy to take over the land of Egypt.

"Let's deal craftily with them," those in positions of leadership said to one another, "there are so many of them, if they join with our enemies and fight against us, they'll end up overcoming us and taking over our land."

The king of Egypt called in the midwives, Shiphra, and Puah who helped the Hebrew women when they went into labor.

"When you do the work of a midwife," he told them, "if a son is born, you are to kill him, but any daughters you may let live."

The midwives knew of God and feared Him. They didn't do as the king of Egypt had ordered, but let the boys live. When the king of Egypt called the midwives back before him to demand an explanation as to why the Israelites were still growing in number, the women answered, "Because the Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women. For they are vigorous and deliver their babies before we can get there."

Because Shiphra and Puah feared God and refused to do as the king of Egypt had commanded and murder the baby boys, God treated them well and gave each of them households of their own.

Seeing that the Israelites still increased in number, Pharaoh gave a heartless command to his people, "Every Israelite boy that is born you are to throw into the river!" he told them, "but every daughter let live."

During these days a man from the tribe of Levi married a Levite woman. In spite of the harsh treatment of the Egyptians, children were born to them. A girl who they named, Miriam and a boy, Aaron, who was born before Pharaoh had issued his command to murder all of the baby boys born to Hebrew slaves.

How bitter sweet it must have been when their third child was born. As they held their beautiful, healthy baby they felt a parent's love and pride. Yet also a deep dread. For they knew that if the baby was discovered by the wrong person he would be taken from them and drowned in the river Nile.

For three months they managed to hide the baby. But as their son grew so did the risk of discovery.

Finally, they decided to place the baby in God's hands.

Using a basket that was covered with pitch to keep it from sinking, they wrapped their child carefully and with a prayer for his safety placed the baby in the basket and lay the child in the reeds that grew along the bank of the Nile.

"Stay and see what becomes of your brother," the mother instructed her daughter Miriam.

It's probable that the baby's mother knew that the daughter of Pharaoh often came to this spot in the Nile to bathe. Who better to protect her son, she no doubt reasoned, than a member of the royal family.

As Miriam watched Pharaoh's daughter and several of her attendants approached. How excited, and worried the sister must have been as the women saw the basket floating in the Nile and Pharaoh's daughter sent one of her maids out into the water to fetch it to her. Would they toss the baby into the river, or would they have compassion on the child and spare his life?

As Pharaoh's daughter opened the basket the baby begin to cry. "This is one of the Hebrew babies," she said, feeling sorry for the child.

Rushing forward the baby's sister asked breathlessly, "He is crying because he is hungry. Would you like me to go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?"

"Yes, go," the woman said, accepting the girl's suggestion.

So Miriam raced to her mother and told her what had happened. Eagerly the mother hurried back to the river bank and presented herself to Pharaoh's daughter.

"Take this baby and nurse it for me," she ordered, not realizing that she was giving the child back to its own mother, "I'll see that you are protected and given a wage for your work. When he is weaned bring him to me so that I may raise him as my own."

With the blessings (and protection) of the Pharaoh's daughter, the mother took her son back to her own family and raised him until he was no longer a baby. Then, as she had been commanded, she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter and he became her son. The woman named her adopted child Moses, meaning rescued or drawn out. For, she said, "I drew him out of the water".

So the young child Moses, born of a Hebrew slave, became a prince of Egypt.