Exodus 2 in the early church
163 passages quote, allude to, or echo Exodus 2, grouped by verse; passages on the same verse are in date order. Verse text from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain). References use the Protestant English Bible's numbering, with a writer's own numbering in brackets where it differs.
Verses: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 9 · 10 · 11 · 12 · 13 · 14 · 15 · 16 · 17 · 18 · 19 · 20 · 21 · 22 · 23 · 24
Exodus 2:1
Now a man of the house of Levi married a Levite woman,
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exod 2:1–10 | Demonstration 11.8 · Aphrahat | allusion, high confidence | 337-345 |
| Exod 2:1–6 | On the Life of Moses 303 · Gregory of Nyssa | allusion, high confidence | ca. 385–395 |
| Exod 2:1–15 | On the Life of Moses 425 · Gregory of Nyssa | allusion, high confidence | ca. 385–395 |
| Exod 2:1–9 | Exodus, lines 46–71 · Cyprianus Gallus | allusion, high confidence | early 5th cent. |
| Exod 2:1–15 | City of God 16.43 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, high confidence | 413–426 |
Exodus 2:2
and she conceived and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him for three months.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exod 2:2 | Miscellanies 1.23.151 · Clement of Alexandria | allusion, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Exod 2:2 | Miscellanies 1.23.155 · Clement of Alexandria | allusion, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Exod 2:2 | Homilies on Exodus 2.4 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Exod 2:2 | Preparation for the Gospel 9.28.1 · Eusebius of Caesarea | allusion, high confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Exod 2:2 | On the Incarnation 35.8 · Athanasius of Alexandria | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 318–325 |
| Exod 2:2–3 | On the Life of Moses 327 · Gregory of Nyssa | allusion, high confidence | ca. 385–395 |
| Exod 2:2 | City of God 18.8 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, high confidence | 413–426 |
| Exod 2:2–3 | Part 1, chapter 33 · Quodvultdeus of Carthage | quotation, high confidence | ca. 445-450 |
Exodus 2:3
But when she could no longer hide him, she got him a papyrus basket and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in the basket and set it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exod 2:3 | On Pascha 59 · text not on this site · Melito of Sardis | allusion, high confidence | ca. 160-180 |
| Exod 2:3 | On Pascha 69 · text not on this site · Melito of Sardis | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 160-180 |
| Exod 2:3 | Miscellanies 1.23.151 · Clement of Alexandria | allusion, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Exod 2:3 | Homilies on Exodus 2.4 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Exod 2:3 | Acta Archelai (Latin) 50 · Hegemonius | allusion, high confidence | early to mid 4th century (Greek original) |
| Exod 2:3 | Preparation for the Gospel 9.28.1 · Eusebius of Caesarea | allusion, high confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Exod 2:3 | Treatise on the Mysteries 1.28.2 · Hilary of Poitiers | allusion, high confidence | ca. 360–366 |
| Exod 2:3 | Oration 33.8 · Gregory of Nazianzus | allusion, high confidence | ca. 362–383 |
| Exod 2:3–12 | On the Life of Moses 329 · Gregory of Nyssa | allusion, high confidence | ca. 385–395 |
| Exod 2:3 | Letters 38.3 · Paulinus of Nola | allusion, high confidence | ca. 394–413 |
Exodus 2:4
And his sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exod 2:4 | Miscellanies 1.23.151 · Clement of Alexandria | allusion, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Exod 2:4 | Homilies on Exodus 2.4 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
Exodus 2:5
Soon the daughter of Pharaoh went down to bathe in the Nile, and her attendants were walking along the riverbank. And when she saw the basket among the reeds, she sent her maidservant to retrieve it.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exod 2:5 | Miscellanies 1.23.152 · Clement of Alexandria | allusion, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Exod 2:5 | Miscellanies 1.23.155 · Clement of Alexandria | allusion, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Exod 2:5 | Homilies on Exodus 2.4 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Exod 2:5 | Preparation for the Gospel 9.28.1 · Eusebius of Caesarea | allusion, high confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Exod 2:5 | Treatise on the Mysteries 1.28.3 · Hilary of Poitiers | allusion, high confidence | ca. 360–366 |
| Exod 2:5–10 | Hexameron (Exameron) 1.6 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 387-390 |
| Exod 2:5–10 | Part 1, chapter 33 · Quodvultdeus of Carthage | allusion, high confidence | ca. 445-450 |
Exodus 2:6
When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the little boy was crying. So she had compassion on him and said, “This is one of the Hebrew children.”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exod 2:6 | Miscellanies 1.23.152 · Clement of Alexandria | allusion, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Exod 2:6 | Homilies on Exodus 2.4 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
Exodus 2:7
Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call one of the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exod 2:7 | Miscellanies 1.23.152 · Clement of Alexandria | allusion, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Exod 2:7 | Homilies on Exodus 2.4 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Exod 2:7 | Preparation for the Gospel 9.28.1 · Eusebius of Caesarea | allusion, high confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Exod 2:7 | Treatise on the Mysteries 1.28.3 · Hilary of Poitiers | allusion, high confidence | ca. 360–366 |
| Exod 2:7–22 | On the Life of Moses 305 · Gregory of Nyssa | allusion, high confidence | ca. 385–395 |
Exodus 2:9
Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child and nurse him for me, and I will pay your wages.” So the woman took the boy and nursed him.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exod 2:9 | Miscellanies 1.23.152 · Clement of Alexandria | allusion, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Exod 2:9 | Homilies on Exodus 2.4 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Exod 2:9 | Preparation for the Gospel 9.28.1 · Eusebius of Caesarea | allusion, high confidence | ca. 313–324 |
Exodus 2:10
When the child had grown older, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses and explained, “I drew him out of the water.”
Exodus 2:11
One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to his own people and observed their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exod 2:11 | Miscellanies 1.23.153 · Clement of Alexandria | allusion, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Exod 2:11 | Homilies on Leviticus 14.2 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Exod 2:11 | Preparation for the Gospel 9.28.1 · Eusebius of Caesarea | allusion, high confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Exod 2:11–15 | Demonstration 2.8 · Aphrahat | allusion, high confidence | 337-345 |
| Exod 2:11 | Treatise on the Mysteries 1.29.3 · Hilary of Poitiers | allusion, high confidence | ca. 360–366 |
| Exod 2:11 | Hexaemeron 1.1 · Basil of Caesarea | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 370 |
| Exod 2:11–15 | On Cain and Abel 2.14 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 375-378 |
| Exod 2:11–13 | On the Life of Moses 337 · Gregory of Nyssa | allusion, high confidence | ca. 385–395 |
| Exod 2:11–15 | Hexameron (Exameron) 1.6 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 387-390 |
| Exod 2:11–15 | Homily 12 · Gregory of Nyssa | allusion, high confidence | ca. 390–394 |
| Exod 2:11–12 | Part 1, chapter 33 · Quodvultdeus of Carthage | allusion, high confidence | ca. 445-450 |
Exodus 2:12
After looking this way and that and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid his body in the sand.
Exodus 2:13
The next day Moses went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, “Why are you attacking your companion?”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exod 2:13 | Miscellanies 1.23.156 · Clement of Alexandria | allusion, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Exod 2:13–14 | Against Marcion 4.28 · Tertullian | quotation, high confidence | 207/208 (third edition, completed later) |
| Exod 2:13 | Preparation for the Gospel 9.28.1 · Eusebius of Caesarea | allusion, high confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Exod 2:13–17 | On the Life of Moses 331 · Gregory of Nyssa | allusion, high confidence | ca. 385–395 |
| Exod 2:13–14 | Part 1, chapter 34 · Quodvultdeus of Carthage | quotation, high confidence | ca. 445-450 |
Exodus 2:14
But the man replied, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you planning to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “This thing I have done has surely become known.”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exod 2:14 | 1 Clement 4.10 · Clement of Rome | quotation, high confidence | ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) |
| Exod 2:14 | Miscellanies 1.23.156 · Clement of Alexandria | allusion, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Exod 2:14 | Preparation for the Gospel 9.28.1 · Eusebius of Caesarea | allusion, high confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Exod 2:14 | Preparation for the Gospel 9.29.1 · Eusebius of Caesarea | allusion, high confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Exod 2:14 | Demonstration 2.8 · Aphrahat | quotation, high confidence | 337-345 |
| Exod 2:14 | Treatise on the Mysteries 1.29.3 · Hilary of Poitiers | allusion, high confidence | ca. 360–366 |
| Exod 2:14 | Apostolic Constitutions 6.2.7 · Anonymous | quotation, high confidence | ca. 380 |
| Exod 2:14 | Homilies on Matthew 50.2 · John Chrysostom | allusion, high confidence | ca. 390 |
| Exod 2:14 | Homily 10.1 on 1 Timothy · John Chrysostom | quotation, high confidence | ca. 392-397 |
Exodus 2:15
When Pharaoh heard about this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian, where he sat down beside a well.
Exodus 2:16
Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father’s flock.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exod 2:16 | Miscellanies 4.19.123 · Clement of Alexandria | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Exod 2:16 | Preparation for the Gospel 9.28.1 · Eusebius of Caesarea | allusion, high confidence | ca. 313–324 |
Exodus 2:17
And when some shepherds came along and drove them away, Moses rose up to help them and watered their flock.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exod 2:17 | Letter 69.6 · Jerome | allusion, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Exod 2:17 | Panarion (Adversus Haereses), Haer. 1-64 30.25.11 · Epiphanius of Salamis | allusion, high confidence | 374-377 |
Exodus 2:18
When the daughters returned to their father Reuel, he asked them, “Why have you returned so early today?”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exod 2:18 | Panarion (Adversus Haereses), Haer. 1-64 30.25.11 · Epiphanius of Salamis | quotation, high confidence | 374-377 |
| Exod 2:18 | Against Helvidius 15 · Jerome | allusion, high confidence | ca. 383 |
Exodus 2:19
“An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds,” they replied. “He even drew water for us and watered the flock.”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exod 2:19 | Panarion (Adversus Haereses), Haer. 1-64 30.25.12 · Epiphanius of Salamis | quotation, high confidence | 374-377 |
Exodus 2:20
“So where is he?” their father asked. “Why did you leave the man behind? Invite him to have something to eat.”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exod 2:20 | Panarion (Adversus Haereses), Haer. 1-64 30.25.12 · Epiphanius of Salamis | quotation, high confidence | 374-377 |
Exodus 2:21
Moses agreed to stay with the man, and he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exod 2:21 | Homilies on Numbers 12.2 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Exod 2:21 | Preparation for the Gospel 9.27.19 · Eusebius of Caesarea | allusion, high confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Exod 2:21 | Preparation for the Gospel 9.28.1 · Eusebius of Caesarea | allusion, high confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Exod 2:21 | Preparation for the Gospel 9.29.1 · Eusebius of Caesarea | allusion, high confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Exod 2:21 | Homilies on Matthew 55.6 · John Chrysostom | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 390 |
| Exod 2:21 | Questions and Answers to the Orthodox 90 · Anonymous | allusion, high confidence | 5th century (disputed) |
| Exod 2:21 | Part 1, chapter 34 · Quodvultdeus of Carthage | allusion, high confidence | ca. 445-450 |
Exodus 2:22
And she gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom, saying, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land.”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exod 2:22 | Refutation of All Heresies 5.8.2 · Hippolytus of Rome | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 222–235 |
| Exod 2:22 | Commentary on John 6.213 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 230–248 |
| Exod 2:22 | Demonstration of the Gospel 1.9.18 · Eusebius of Caesarea | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 314–324 |
| Exod 2:22 | Oration 42.7 · Gregory of Nazianzus | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 362–383 |
Exodus 2:23
After a long time, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned and cried out under their burden of slavery, and their cry for deliverance from bondage ascended to God.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exod 2:23 | Dialogue with Trypho 59.2 · Justin Martyr | quotation, high confidence | ca. 155–160 |
| Exod 2:23 | PG 12:1175 (Ps 6 LXX) · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 220-254 |
| Exod 2:23 | PG 12:1635 (Ps 125–126 LXX) · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 220-254 |
| Exod 2:23 | Homily on Isaiah 1 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 235–250 |
| Exod 2:23 | Homily on Isaiah 5 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 235–250 |
| Exod 2:23–24 | Homilies on Numbers 27.2 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Exod 2:23 | Commentary on the Song of Songs 2.129 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 240–245 (Rufinus's translation ca. 410) |
| Exod 2:23 | Preparation for the Gospel 9.27.20 · Eusebius of Caesarea | echo, medium confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Exod 2:23 | Oration II Against the Arians 14 · Athanasius of Alexandria | allusion, high confidence | ca. 339–346 |
| Exod 2:23–24 | On Cain and Abel 2.10 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 375-378 |
| Exod 2:23 | On Paradise 75 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 375-378 |
| Exod 2:23 | Exposition of Psalm 118 22.5.3 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| Exod 2:23 | Explanation of Twelve Psalms 61.12.2 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 387-397 |
| Exod 2:23 | Tractates 1 · Gaudentius of Brescia | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 397-410 |
| Exod 2:23 | Tractates 7 · Gaudentius of Brescia | allusion, high confidence | ca. 397-410 |
Exodus 2:24
So God heard their groaning, and He remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exod 2:24 | Commentary on the Song of Songs 2.129 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 240–245 (Rufinus's translation ca. 410) |
| Exod 2:24 | Homilies on Matthew 26.7 · John Chrysostom | quotation, medium confidence | ca. 390 |
| Exod 2:24 | Explanation of Twelve Psalms 61.12.2 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 387-397 |
| Exod 2:24–25 | Exodus, lines 120–143 · Cyprianus Gallus | allusion, high confidence | early 5th cent. |