Saturday, July 24, 2010

Pharaoh's Daughter Finds A Baby

By Mary Vee
Exodus 2:5

Pharaoh's daughter stepped away from the window overlooking the river.  "The water looks cool and refreshing.  I think I'll go down and take a bath."

Her maidens gathered her things. "Yes, my Lady."

The moment she stepped outside, a balmy breeze swept across her face.  "The air is sweet this morning.  Must be the flowers." Pharaoh's daughter ran down the path toward the river.

Her maids worked to keep up without dropping anything. "My Lady!"

"I'm not waiting for you." Pharaoh's daughter pushed aside bulrushes overgrowing the path.  The ground squished beneath her feet as she approached the shore.  She slipped her toes into the water.  "Mmmmmm the water is delicious."

Her maids pressed a few bulrushes back.  "My Lady, the danger you risk.  Let us help you."

Pharaoh's daughter turned to walk between the reeds.  "Danger--what would you know of danger?  I'm perfectly safe."  She swooshed her hand across a few reeds and smiled.  "You see? The sun sparkles on the water, the reeds play their song, and the birds sing.  How could danger be--what's that?"

She tipped her head to the side and stared.  "Is that an ark caught in the reeds over there? Go and get it for me."

Two maids waded through the reeds toward the ark.  They pushed it through the water toward their mistress. She stepped closer and shook her head.  "How did it get there?"  

The maids shrugged. "It must have floated down from the slave's quarter."

As Pharaoh's daughter lifted the cover a baby cried.  "Oh, look! It's a baby, a Hebrew baby."

The maids crowded closer.  Pharaoh's daughter lifted the baby from the ark and stroke his face. "He must be hungry." She held him closer. "Shhhh, little one. You're safe. You will be my son." 

The bulrushes rustled behind her.  Pharaoh's daughter turned and saw a Hebrew girl on the shore.  The girl pressed her hands near her mouth. "Would you like me to call a nurse for you from the Hebrew women to feed him for you?"

Pharaoh's daughter looked down at the baby resting in her arms and smiled.  "Don't worry, little one."  She turned back to the girl.  "Yes."

The Hebrew girl ran along the shore before disappearing amongst the plants.  Pharaoh's daughter played with the baby and laughed.  "I shall call you Moses because I drew you from the water."

Baby Moses squealed and blew bubbles.

A while later the Hebrew girl returned with a Hebrew mother.  "I have done what you asked, my Lady."

Pharaoh's daughter stepped out of the river.  "Take this child and nurse him for me. I will pay you. When he can eat on his own, return him to me."

The Hebrew woman bowed and took the baby in her arms.  "I will care for him, my Lady."

"His name is Moses."

The Hebrew woman bowed again. "I will call him Moses, as you wish."

Pharaoh's daughter watched the Hebrew woman leave with her new son.  She stepped back into the river and splashed her maids.  "I have a son who's name is Moses!"

*************

God caused the little ark holding Moses to get tangled in the reeds right where Pharaoh's daughter would bathe that day.  No guard or soldier found the ark.  Pharaoh and his servants didn't find the ark.  God made sure that the one who would find Moses would take care of him.

Who did the Hebrew girl get to feed baby Moses?
Why did Pharaoh's daughter protect the Hebrew baby?
Who was the Hebrew girl?

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