Exodus 2:15 tells us that when Pharaoh learned Moses had killed an Egyptian, he tried to have Moses executed, so Moses ran away from Pharaoh’s court and settled in the land of Midian. The verse shows a man escaping danger, arriving somewhere unfamiliar, and pausing by a well in a foreign country. Moses is the speaker’s subject here, and the account is told by the narrator of Exodus, traditionally attributed to Moses himself, to the people of Israel reading the story of how their deliverer’s life was shaped.
Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and lived in the land of Midian, and he sat down by a well.
Exodus 2:15 (WEB)
What Exodus 2:15 Means
The verse begins with Pharaoh hearing “this thing,” which refers back to Moses killing an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew. Pharaoh responds by seeking Moses’ life, which means the verse opens with a threat against a man who has just done something that cannot be undone. The turning point comes with the word “But.” Moses does not stay to face the consequences. He flees from Pharaoh’s presence, which is a practical act of self-preservation.
The second half of the verse is quieter. Moses lives in Midian and sits down by a well. Nothing dramatic happens in that moment, and that is part of what the verse conveys. The text does not promise that Moses will be safe, rescued, or quickly restored. It simply records where he ended up and what he was doing. It describes a displaced man resting in a strange place rather than offering a lesson about God’s protection in that scene.
The Context of Exodus 2:15
Exodus is the second book of the Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament, and it tells how God brought the Hebrew people out of slavery in Egypt. The verse sits in the early chapters, before Moses is called at the burning bush. Just before it, Moses has killed an Egyptian and then tried to settle a dispute between two Hebrews, only to be rebuffed with the question of who made him a judge. Verses 12 through 14 show Moses acting on his own impulse and being exposed by it.
Reading the verse in that setting changes how it feels. Moses is not portrayed as a hero being led step by step, but as a man whose attempt to help has gone wrong and forced him into exile. The verses that follow, 16 through 18, show him helping the seven daughters of the Midianite priest Reuel at a well, which is where the flight in verse 15 leads. The escape and the well are linked, so the moment of sitting down is the starting point for what comes next in his life.
Key Phrases in Exodus 2:15
Genesis 39:20
Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were bound, and he was there in custody.
(WEB)
Joseph is also imprisoned unjustly and remains in a place he did not choose. Reading this alongside Exodus 2:15 shows a pattern in which God’s servants are displaced, yet the narrative continues to unfold under God’s direction.
Psalm 34:18
The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit.
(WEB)
This psalm speaks of God being near to those who are brokenhearted, which fits the quiet, lonely setting of Moses by the well. It offers a gentle counterpoint to the fear and flight described in Exodus 2:15.
A Short Prayer From Exodus 2:15
Lord, you see the places in my life where I have run, hidden, or sat down because I did not know what else to do. Some of my choices have had consequences I cannot undo, and some seasons have left me in unfamiliar ground with no clear path ahead. Meet me there, the way you met Moses by the well, and let me trust that you are not finished with my story even when I cannot see the next step. Help me to be honest about my fear and my mistakes, and to rest in your presence instead of running from the truth. Amen.
