Single lesson
Moses Flees to Midian
Exodus 2:11–25
After Moses fled Egypt, he found a home in Midian while God heard Israel’s cries.
Before you teach
When Moses had grown up, he went out and saw the hard burdens carried by his Hebrew people. He saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew man. Moses looked around, and when he saw no one there, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. The next day Moses saw two Hebrew men fighting. He spoke to the one in the wrong and asked why he was striking his fellow Hebrew. The man answered that he knew Moses had killed the Egyptian. Then Moses was afraid, because what he…
Explain the central teaching of Moses Flees to Midian, using two details from the reading. After Moses fled Egypt, he found a home in Midian while God heard Israel’s cries.
Welcome: Moses Flees to Midian
5 minIntroduce “Moses Flees to Midian” and locate Exodus 2:11–25. After Moses fled Egypt, he found a home in Midian while God heard Israel’s cries. Invite each learner to name a detail or question they will listen for.
Exodus 2:11, Exodus 2:18, Exodus 2:25
Read and explain the passage
12 minWhen Moses had grown up, he went out and saw the hard burdens carried by his Hebrew people. He saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew man. Moses looked around, and when he saw no one there, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.
When Pharaoh heard about it, he wanted to kill Moses. So Moses fled to Midian and sat down by a well. Seven daughters of the priest of Midian came to draw water for their father’s flock, but shepherds drove them away. Moses stood up, helped them, and watered their flock.
Zipporah had a son, and Moses named him Gershom because he said he had lived as a foreigner in a foreign land. After many days, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under bondage and cried out. God heard them, remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saw them, and understood.
Read the selected verses together, pausing at “Moses Flees to Midian”. Use the source reading below and check the explanation against the words of the passage.
Exodus 2:11, Exodus 2:12, Exodus 2:13, Exodus 2:15, Exodus 2:17, Exodus 2:16, Exodus 2:23, Exodus 2:22, Exodus 2:24
Discuss the details and their meaning
8 minUse the three questions below. Begin with ““The next day Moses saw two Hebrew men fighting.” Which details explain how the account reaches this point?” and allow time to find the supporting verses. After Moses fled Egypt, he found a home in Midian while God heard Israel’s cries. Ask learners to explain which details support their answer and to identify a question they would like to explore further.
Exodus 2:13, Exodus 2:11, Exodus 2:12, Exodus 2:15, Exodus 2:17, Exodus 2:16, Exodus 2:23, Exodus 2:22, Exodus 2:24
Make and respond: Choices and outcomes evidence map
12 minWork on “Moses Flees to Midian: Choices and outcomes evidence map”. Follow the materials and steps below, using “Moses Flees to Midian” as reading headings. Each learner should include at least two accurate details and their verse references. Share one observation from the finished sheet and explain how it connects with the central teaching.
Exodus 2:11, Exodus 2:18, Exodus 2:25
Closing: return to Moses Flees to Midian
3 minRevisit Exodus 2:11–25. Invite a learner to summarise what the group has learned about Moses Flees to Midian and another to support the summary with a verse. Give learners a moment to complete their response sheet. They can share a question or, if appropriate for the group, join the optional prayer.
Exodus 2:11, Exodus 2:18, Exodus 2:25
Questions to explore
“The next day Moses saw two Hebrew men fighting.” Which details explain how the account reaches this point?
The next day Moses saw two Hebrew men fighting. He spoke to the one in the wrong and asked why he was striking his fellow Hebrew. The man answered that he knew Moses had killed the Egyptian. Then Moses was afraid, because what he had done was no longer secret.
Exodus 2:13, Exodus 2:11, Exodus 2:12
How does this moment affect the rest of the account: “When Pharaoh heard about it, he wanted to kill Moses.”?
When Pharaoh heard about it, he wanted to kill Moses. So Moses fled to Midian and sat down by a well. Seven daughters of the priest of Midian came to draw water for their father’s flock, but shepherds drove them away. Moses stood up, helped them, and watered their flock.
Exodus 2:15, Exodus 2:17, Exodus 2:16
“Zipporah had a son, and Moses named him Gershom because he said he had lived as a foreigner in a foreign land.” How does this ending connect with the beginning?
Zipporah had a son, and Moses named him Gershom because he said he had lived as a foreigner in a foreign land. After many days, the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites still groaned under bondage and cried out. God heard them, remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saw them, and understood.
Exodus 2:23, Exodus 2:22, Exodus 2:24
Make, think or respond
Moses Flees to Midian: Choices and outcomes evidence map
What you’ll need
- plain paper or card
- pencils or pens
- a Bible or the source reading on this page
Try it together
- Fold a sheet into three panels or draw three columns. Label them “Words or actions”, “What happens next”, “Verse reference”.
- Read Exodus 2:11–25. Use “Moses Flees to Midian” as your reading headings and add a short quotation or detail with its verse reference to each panel.
- Compare your notes with a partner. Check that every quotation is accurate and every conclusion has support in the passage.
- Compare two actions or statements in the account and explain their different outcomes.
The finished sheet keeps the details of Moses Flees to Midian connected to their Bible references and gives the group a way to explain what they noticed.
Adapt for your group
- For learners who need more support, prepare the reading headings “Moses Flees to Midian” and let them match short quotations to the correct heading.
- For confident readers, compare two sections of Exodus 2:11–25. Ask for a written explanation with two supporting references and one question that the text leaves open.
An optional closing prayer
“God, help us listen carefully as we read Exodus 2:11–25. Help us understand what we have read, ask thoughtful questions and respond with care for others. Amen.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Exodus 2
11 In those days, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his brothers and saw their burdens. He saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his brothers.
12 He looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no one, he killed the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.
13 He went out the second day, and behold, two men of the Hebrews were fighting with each other. He said to him who did the wrong, “Why do you strike your fellow?”
14 He said, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you plan to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian?” Moses was afraid, and said, “Surely this thing is known.”
15 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.
16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.
17 The shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.
18 When they came to Reuel, their father, he said, “How is it that you have returned so early today?”
19 They said, “An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and moreover he drew water for us, and watered the flock.”
20 He said to his daughters, “Where is he? Why is it that you have left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread.”
21 Moses was content to dwell with the man. He gave Moses Zipporah, his daughter.
22 She bore a son, and he named him Gershom, for he said, “I have lived as a foreigner in a foreign land.”
23 In the course of those many days, the king of Egypt died, and the children of Israel sighed because of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up to God because of the bondage.
24 God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
25 God saw the children of Israel, and God understood.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.