^{11 (J)} One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens, and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people. ^{12 (J)} He looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. ^{13 (J)} When he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together. And he said to the man in the wrong, "Why do you strike your companion?" ^{14 (J)} He answered, "Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?" Then Moses was afraid, and thought, "Surely the thing is known." ^{15 (J)} When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. And he sat down by a well.

^{16 (J)} Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. ^{17 (J)} The shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and saved them, and watered their flock. ^{18 (J)} When they came home to their father Reuel, he said, "How is it that you have come home so soon today?" ^{19 (J)} They said, "An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds and even drew water for us and watered the flock." ^{20 (J)} He said to his daughters, "Then where is he? Why have you left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread." ^{21 (J)} And Moses was content to dwell with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah. ^{22 (J)} She gave birth to a son, and he called his name Gershom, for he said, "I have been a sojourner in a foreign land."