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.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Hebrew man's angry response, "Who made you a prince and a judge over us?", highlights how Moses' bold intervention, intended to rescue, was immediately misconstrued as an illegitimate act of authority. This reveals that Moses’ own people were not yet ready to recognize God’s chosen deliverer, even when faced with injustice.
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.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
After Moses, in a moment of righteous anger, kills an Egyptian who was beating an Israelite, he attempts to mediate a dispute between two of his own people. One of the Hebrews, however, confronts Moses aggressively, questioning his authority and accusing him of intending to kill him as well, just as he had the Egyptian. This fearful reaction, coupled with the realization that his actions are known, prompts Moses to flee Egypt for his life.
Moses steps in to help an oppressed Israelite, but instead of gratitude, he faces suspicion and a harsh challenge to his authority. Have you ever tried to do good only to be met with resistance?
A Challenge to Authority
When Moses intervened to save an Israelite from an Egyptian taskmaster, his act was driven by a deep sense of justice and identification with his people. However, the Israelite he saved immediately questioned his right to act: "Who made you a prince and a judge over us?" This question reveals several things:
After the confrontation, Moses is struck by fear. He realizes his act of justice has been exposed. What does this moment teach us about God's calling and our own limitations?
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The Weight of a Revealed Act
Moses' fear wasn't just about personal danger; it was a complex reaction to his situation:
Understand the original words
sar · Hebrew Noun
A title indicating a leader, ruler, or one who exercises authority; often implies someone set apart for governance, administration, or advocacy.
shaphat · Hebrew Noun/Verb
One who discerns truth and renders verdicts; in a biblical context, it implies the authority to arbitrate disputes and enforce justice according to God’s law.
yare · Hebrew Verb
A reaction to perceived danger or the consequences of one's actions; while it can be sinful, it is also a natural human response to looming judgment or life-threatening circumstances.
This moment reveals Moses's initial, imperfect zeal for his people, fueled by faith but lacking the full authority and training he would later receive from God. His hasty action and the subsequent rejection by his own people highlight the difficult, often misunderstood path of leadership and the divine necessity of preparation.
c. 1446 BC
Israelites in Egyptian Bondage
The descendants of Abraham have grown into a large nation, but are enslaved by the Egyptians who fear their growing power.
c. 1446 BC
Moses Born and Raised in Pharaoh's Court
Moses is born and miraculously preserved, then raised as an Egyptian prince, unaware of his Hebrew heritage.
c. 1407 BC— this verse
Moses Kills an Egyptian Taskmaster
Moses, now an adult, sees an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave and, in a moment of passion and divine impulse, kills the Egyptian and hides the body.
c. 1407 BC
Moses Confronted by a Hebrew
The next day, Moses attempts to mediate a dispute between two Hebrews, only for the one who was in the wrong to challenge Moses' authority and threaten him.
c. 1407 BC
Moses Flees to Midian
Fearing that his act of killing the Egyptian is known and that Pharaoh will seek his death, Moses flees Egypt.
c. 1407 BC - c. 1367 BC
Moses in Midian
Moses settles in Midian, marries Zipporah, and becomes a shepherd, living a life far removed from his Egyptian upbringing and his people's suffering.
This passage explains Moses' actions in Exodus, highlighting his choice by faith to reject the privileges of Egypt and suffer with God's people, providing the underlying motivation for his intervention.
Acts 7:25-27Stephen's speech retells this event and emphasizes that Moses initially believed his people would understand his role as deliverer, but their rejection, beginning with this very incident, showed his mission was misunderstood.
Galatians 3:19This verse discusses the Law's purpose in revealing sin and transgressions, which resonates with Moses' violent act and the subsequent fear, revealing the tension between God's redemptive purpose and human sinfulness and its consequences.
1 Samuel 16:7This verse states that God looks at the heart, contrasting with the Israelite's immediate judgment of Moses based on his actions. It reminds us that God's perspective on Moses' motives and future calling was vastly different from the surface-level understanding of those around him.
Romans 5:8This verse speaks of God's love demonstrated while we were still sinners. It provides a theological backdrop for understanding God's persistent plan for Israel's deliverance, even when Moses' own actions and the people's reactions seemed to thwart it.
clarkeExodus 2:14: "And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known."
And Moses feared - He saw that the Israelites were not as yet prepared to leave their bondage; and that though God had called him to be their leader, yet his providence had not yet sufficiently opened the way; and had he stayed in Egypt he must have endangered his life. Prudence therefore dictated an escape for…
calvinExodus 2:11-15: "And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren."
Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.
Pharao etiam audito hoc sermone, quaerebat interficere Mosen. Et fugiens Moses a facie Pharaonis mansit in Madian, seditque…
The Hebrew man's angry response, "Who made you a prince and a judge over us?", highlights how Moses' bold intervention, intended to rescue, was immediately misconstrued as an illegitimate act of authority. This reveals that Moses’ own people were not yet ready to recognize God’s chosen deliverer, even when faced with injustice.
After Moses, in a moment of righteous anger, kills an Egyptian who was beating an Israelite, he attempts to mediate a dispute between two of his own people. One of the Hebrews, however, confronts Moses aggressively, questioning his authority and accusing him of intending to kill him as well, just as he had the Egyptian. This fearful reaction, coupled with the realization that his actions are known, prompts Moses to flee Egypt for his life.
After Moses, in a moment of righteous anger, kills an Egyptian who was beating an Israelite, he attempts to mediate a dispute between two of his own people. One of the Hebrews, however, confronts Moses aggressively, questioning his authority and accusing him of intending to kill him as well, just as he had the Egyptian. This fearful reaction, coupled with the realization that his actions are known, prompts Moses to flee Egypt for his life.
"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.”" — The Hebrew man's angry response, "Who made you a prince and a judge over us?", highlights how Moses' bold intervention, intended to rescue, was immediately misconstrued as an illegitimate act of auth…
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Last reviewed October 2026