Translation commentary on Exod 2:15

The it that Pharaoh heard of refers to the “thing” or “deed” that Moses had done, namely, the act of killing the Egyptian. It may be more natural to say “When the king heard about what had happened” (Good News Translation) or “When the king heard about what Moses had done, he….” He sought to kill Moses is a literal rendering of the Hebrew. Since the king is the one referred to, it is better to understand it as “he tried to have Moses killed.” The same word for kill is used here as in verse 14. Although a generic term, it is used here in the sense of execution for a crime.

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

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