It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.
Parallel translations
- WEB By faith, Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,
- KJV By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;
- BSB By faith Moses, when he was grown, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.
- NKJV By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,
- NASB By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
When grown, Moses by faith refused the status of being called Pharaoh's daughter's son. He turned from privilege to identify with God's people.
Overview
Exodus 2 tells how Moses was raised in Pharaoh's household, yet by faith he renounced that royal identity. Rejecting the prestige of Egypt, he chose solidarity with the oppressed people of God. His renunciation prefigures Christ, who left heavenly glory to identify with and redeem his people (Philippians 2:6–8).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 2
- Exod 2:10–11The child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, and said, “Because I drew him out of the water.”
- Acts 7:21–24When he was thrown out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up, and reared him as her own son.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Hebrews is sustained worship of Christ: better than angels, Moses, and the priests; the great High Priest after Melchizedek who by one sacrifice perfects forever those he saves.
How Hebrews 11:24 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.