The Israelites were slaves in Egypt. Pharaoh was worried they were getting too powerful, so he declared that every baby boy born to an Israelite should be killed or thrown into the Nile River to drown.
When Moses was born, though, his mom couldn’t bear to kill him, so she hid him instead. This only worked for three months, and eventually she made a waterproof basket and put him in the river. Miriam, Moses’ sister, loved him and was worried.
“The baby’s sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him” (Exodus 2:4).
Pharaoh’s daughter found the crying baby and felt sorry for him. That’s when Miriam got the courage to walk up and ask Pharaoh’s daughter, “‘Should I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?’ She answered, ‘Yes!’ So the girl brought the baby’s mother” (verses 7,8)
Miriam—the protective, older sister—was God’s child, just like you are. If you’re an older brother or sister, you get to keep an eye on the younger ones in the family. With your bigger size and more years of experience, you get to help them when they are in trouble and protect them when they get picked on.
P.S. If you have an older brother or sister, be sure to thank them. God’s given them an important job to love you. Make it easy an easy job for them!
Chomp on this!
Read the whole story in Exodus 1:8–2:10.
