The Rejection and Flight of Moses

(Exodus 2:11–22)

23 When [Moses] [was] forty years [old], he decided to visit his brothers, the children of Israel. 24 And when he saw one [of them] being mistreated, [Moses] went to his defense and avenged [him] by striking down the Egyptian who was oppressing [him]. 25 He assumed his brothers would understand that God was using him to deliver them, but [they did not].

26 The next day he came upon [two Israelites who] were fighting, and he urged them to make peace,[fn] saying, ‘Men, you are brothers. Why are you mistreating each other?’

27 But the [man who] was abusing [his] neighbor pushed [Moses] aside [and] said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us? 28 {Do} you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’[fn] 29 At this remark, Moses fled to [the] land of Midian, where he lived as a foreigner [and] had two sons.