and when he was exposed, Pharaoh’s daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son. And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The text doesn't just say Pharaoh's daughter "found" Moses; it emphasizes that she "took him up" and "nourished him for her own son," highlighting God's profound work in placing him directly into the enemy's household for a purpose far beyond human sight. This wasn't a casual adoption, but a divine maneuver that secured Moses' safety and provided him with the very education that would later equip him to confront Pharaoh.
and when he was exposed, Pharaoh’s daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son. And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Stephen is recounting the story of Moses, highlighting God's providential hand even in the face of oppressive decrees and personal danger. This verse specifically focuses on Moses' rescue and upbringing within Pharaoh's own household after being hidden in the Nile. This unexpected turn sets the stage for Moses to later be educated in Egyptian wisdom, a stark contrast to his Hebrew heritage, before he eventually turns to his oppressed people.
When Pharaoh ordered the death of all Israelite baby boys, it looked like the end. But God's plan was just beginning.
A Plan Beyond Human Sight
Stephen highlights that Moses was born 'at that time when the king had commanded that all the men children should be cast out.' It was a moment of utter despair, where the deliverer seemed doomed before he was even born.
But God's timing is never accidental. This was precisely the moment He chose to act. It reveals a powerful truth:
Moses, the very one destined to deliver Israel from slavery, was adopted into the family of the oppressor. What's going on here?
The Ultimate Plan of Redemption
Pharaoh's daughter adopting Moses wasn't just a fortunate rescue; it was a key part of God's redemptive strategy.
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Understand the original words
ekteithentos · Greek Verb (Participle)
To cast out or abandon, often used in scripture to describe the exposing of an infant to the elements or death.
aneilato · Greek Verb
The act of taking someone into one's own family as a legal child, symbolizing acceptance, inheritance, and a change in identity.
sophia · Greek Noun
A term denoting the total body of Egyptian knowledge, science, philosophy, and occult practices, representing the highest intellectual attainments of the ancient world.
dynatos · Greek Adjective
Possessing strength, power, or capability, often used in scripture to describe those used by God to perform significant works.
Moses' dramatic rescue and adoption by Pharaoh's daughter, a member of the very royal family oppressing his people, was a pivotal, divinely orchestrated event. This allowed him to receive the best Egyptian education while remaining connected to his Israelite heritage, ultimately preparing him to be his people's deliverer.
c. 1500s BC
Israelites Enslaved in Egypt
Following a period of prosperity, the Israelites were enslaved by the Egyptians, who feared their growing population and power.
c. 1500s BC
Pharaoh Decrees Male Infant Deaths
The Egyptian king, threatened by the Israelite birth rate, ordered the killing of all newborn Israelite boys to control their numbers.
c. 1500s BC
Moses Hidden and Set Adrift
Moses' parents hid him for three months, then placed him in a basket among the reeds by the Nile to save his life.
c. 1500s BC— this verse
Pharaoh's Daughter Adopts Moses
While bathing in the Nile, Pharaoh's daughter discovered Moses and, moved by compassion, decided to adopt him as her own son.
c. 1460s BC
Moses Flees to Midian
After striking and killing an Egyptian who was oppressing an Israelite, a 40-year-old Moses fled Egypt to escape Pharaoh's wrath.
c. 1420s BC
Moses Called at Burning Bush
At age 80, Moses encountered God in a burning bush and was commissioned to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.
This passage directly follows the narrative of Pharaoh's daughter finding Moses and explains that she indeed adopted him as her son, fulfilling the prophecy implicit in his rescue.
Hebrews 11:24This verse highlights the significance of Moses' adoption, explaining that he chose to identify with his oppressed people rather than enjoy the status of Pharaoh's grandson, a crucial decision shaped by his upbringing.
Philippians 3:7-8Paul's reflection on his own past achievements and his deliberate rejection of them in favor of Christ parallels Moses' own choice to forsake his privileged Egyptian upbringing for a life of faith and service to God's people.
1 Samuel 16:7Just as God looks at the heart and not outward appearances when choosing David, the text implies God saw past the circumstances of Moses' exposure and adoption to recognize his future role, demonstrating His sovereign plan.
calvinActs 7:20-29: "In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father's house three months:"
- At that time was Moses born, who was acceptable to God And he was brought up three months in his father's house. 21. And the daughter of Pharaoh took him up when he was cast out, and nourished him up for her own son. 22. And Moses was taught in all wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in word and deed. 23. And when the time of forty years was fulfilled, it came into…
meyerActs 7:21: "And when he was cast out, Pharaoh's daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son."
Acts 7:21-22 . Ἐκτεθ . δὲ αὐτὸν , ἀνείλ . αὐτόν ] Repetition of the pronoun as in Matthew 26:71 ; Mark 9:28 ; Matthew 8:1 . See on Matthew 8:1 , Fritzsche, ad Marc. p. 377. ἀνείλατο ] took him up ( sustulit , Vulg.). So also often among Greek writers, of exposed children; see Wetstein. ἑαυτῇ ] in contrast to his own mother. εἰς υἱόν ] Exodus 2:10 , for a son , so that he became a son to her…
The text doesn't just say Pharaoh's daughter "found" Moses; it emphasizes that she "took him up" and "nourished him for her own son," highlighting God's profound work in placing him directly into the enemy's household for a purpose far beyond human sight. This wasn't a casual adoption, but a divine maneuver that secured Moses' safety and provided him with the very education that would later equip him to confront Pharaoh.
Stephen is recounting the story of Moses, highlighting God's providential hand even in the face of oppressive decrees and personal danger. This verse specifically focuses on Moses' rescue and upbringing within Pharaoh's own household after being hidden in the Nile. This unexpected turn sets the stage for Moses to later be educated in Egyptian wisdom, a stark contrast to his Hebrew heritage, before he eventually turns to his oppressed people.
Stephen is recounting the story of Moses, highlighting God's providential hand even in the face of oppressive decrees and personal danger. This verse specifically focuses on Moses' rescue and upbringing within Pharaoh's own household after being hidden in the Nile. This unexpected turn sets the stage for Moses to later be educated in Egyptian wisdom, a stark contrast to his Hebrew heritage, before he eventually turns to his oppressed people.
"and when he was exposed, Pharaoh’s daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son. And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds." — The text doesn't just say Pharaoh's daughter "found" Moses; it emphasizes that she "took him up" and "nourished him for her own son," highlighting God's profound work in placing him directly into the…
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Last reviewed October 2026