## Sforno on Exodus Chapter 2

###### Sforno on Exodus 2:2:1
[Sforno on Exodus 2:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/2:2:1)

**כִּי טוֹב הוּא.** יָפֶה, כְּמוֹ "כִּי טֹבֹת הֵנָּה" (בראשית ו:ב). רָאֲתָהוּ יָפֶה יוֹתֵר מִמָּה שֶׁהָיָה מֻרְגָּל, וְחָשְׁבָה שֶׁזֶּה הָיָה לְתַכְלִית מְכֻוָּן מֵאֵת יוֹצְרוֹ, כִּי אָמְנָם יֹפִי הַתַּבְנִית יוֹרֶה עַל טוּב מֶזֶג הַחֹמֶר וּשְׁלֵמוּת הַכֹּחַ הַמְצַיֵּר.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
כי טוב הוא, The word טוב may be understood as meaning the same as “handsome, beautiful,” the same meaning as in Genesis 6,2 כי טובות הנה, “that they were beautiful.” The word describes something unusually handsome, beautiful. Yocheved thought that this was an omen, a sign from the Creator, telling her that a beautiful exterior encloses an equally beautiful personality.


###### Sforno on Exodus 2:3:1
[Sforno on Exodus 2:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/2:3:1)

**וַתָּשֶׂם בַּסּוּף.** מָקוֹם שֶׁלֹּא יִרְאוּ אוֹתָהּ עוֹבְרֵי דֶרֶךְ כְּשֶׁהָיְתָה מַנִּיחָה שָׁם אֶת הַתֵּבָה, וְעִם זֶה בָּחֲרָה בִּמְקוֹם הַסּוּף, לַהֲפֹךְ גְּזֵרַת הַשְׁלָכָתוֹ בַּיְאוֹר לַעֲמִידָתוֹ בַּסּוּף עַל שְׂפַת הַיְאוֹר:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ותשם בסוף, a place where the people passing would not see her deposit the basket; in spite of this, the reason why she chose the reeds was that she thought the decree of babies having to be thrown into the river had been fulfilled by placing him within the river’s domain.


###### Sforno on Exodus 2:4:1
[Sforno on Exodus 2:4:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/2:4:1)

**לְדֵעָה מַה יֵּעָשֶׂה לוֹ.** שֶׁחָשְׁבָה שֶׁיִּקָּחֶהוּ אֵיזֶה מִצְרִי כִּשְׁאָר אֲסוּפִים, כִּי רַבִּים אֲסוּפִים הָיוּ בְּמִצְרַיִם בְּלִי סָפֵק, כִּי מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ זִמָּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁהֵעִיד הַנָּבִיא בְּאָמְרוֹ "וְזִרְמַת סוּסִים זִרְמָתָם" (יחזקאל כג:כ).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
לדעת מה יעשה לו. She thought that some Egyptian would pick up the baby as a foundling. There were no doubt many such illegitimate babies in Egypt who had been abandoned by their unwed mothers. The prophet Ezekiel 23,20 speaks about the sexual licentiousness in Egypt that would make such incidents nothing out of the ordinary.


###### Sforno on Exodus 2:5:1
[Sforno on Exodus 2:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/2:5:1)

**לִרְחֹץ עַל הַיְאוֹר.** בַּחֶדֶר שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה סָמוּךְ לַיְאוֹר וּמַבִּיט בּוֹ. כִּי אָמְנָם כְּבוֹדָהּ בַּת מֶלֶךְ פְּנִימָה, בְּלִי סָפֵק לֹא יָצְאָה אֶל הַיְאוֹר.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
לרחוץ על היאור. She had a view of the river, her room in the palace bordering on the embankment. No doubt, royal etiquette would not permit an Egyptian princess to actually bathe in the river. [the author was alerted by the preposition על instead of ב, “in,” in front of the word יאור. Ed.]


###### Sforno on Exodus 2:5:2
[Sforno on Exodus 2:5:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/2:5:2)

**וְנַעֲרוֹתֶיהָ הוֹלְכוֹת.** לָכֵן לֹא שָׁלְחָה אַחַת מֵהֶן, שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ אָז שָׁם עִמָּהּ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ונערותיה הולכות, this is the reason why she did not command one of them to bring the basket to her as they were not with her at that time.


###### Sforno on Exodus 2:5:3
[Sforno on Exodus 2:5:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/2:5:3)

**וַתִּשְׁלַח אֶת אֲמָתָהּ.** הָאָמָה הַמְשָׁרֶתֶת אוֹתָהּ אָז לִרְחוֹץ. וְכָל זֶה בִּרְצוֹן אֱלֹהִי שֶׁלֹּא תִשְׁלַח אַחַת מֵהַנְּעָרוֹת הַחֲשׁוּבוֹת וְתִסְמוֹךְ עָלֶיהָ, וְאוּלַי תִּבְחַר לְהַשְׁלִיכוֹ אֶל הַיְאוֹר:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ותשלח את אמתה, the servant who was attending her at the time when she bathed herself. All of this happened at the instigation of G’d so that she would not dispatch one of her regular attendants as she might mistakenly place her trust in them and such an attendant would throw the baby in the river.


###### Sforno on Exodus 2:6:1
[Sforno on Exodus 2:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/2:6:1)

**וַתִּפְתַּח וַתִּרְאֵהוּ.** וַתֵּרֶא אוֹתוֹ כִּי טוֹב הוּא וְיָפֶה מְאֹד.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ותפתח, she then saw that this was an exceptionally beautiful baby.


###### Sforno on Exodus 2:6:2
[Sforno on Exodus 2:6:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/2:6:2)

**אֶת הַיֶּלֶד וְהִנֵּה נַעַר בֹּכֶה.** וְרָאֲתָה שֶׁעִם הֱיוֹתוֹ יֶלֶד הָיָה נַעַר בּוֹכֶה, וְזֶה כִּי הַוָּלָד מֵעֵת הוֹלְדוֹ עַד הֱיוֹתוֹ שָׁלֵם בְּגִדּוּל יִקָּרֵא יֶלֶד, כְּעִנְיַן "הַיְלָדִים אֲשֶׁר גָּדְלוּ אִתּוֹ" (מלכים א יב:י) הָאָמוּר בִּרְחַבְעָם, וְכֵן "יְלָדִים אֲשֶׁר אֵין בָּהֶם כָּל מוּם" (דניאל א:ד) הָאָמוּר בְּדָנִיֵּאל וַחֲבֵרָיו. וּמֵעֵת הֱיוֹתוֹ מִתְנַעֵר וּמִתְנוֹעֵעַ בִּתְנוּעוֹת בִּלְתִּי שְׁלֵמוֹת לְהַשִּׂיג תַּכְלִית יִקָּרֵא נַעַר. וּמִזֶּה יִקָּרֵא כָּל מְשָׁרֵת נַעַר, כִּי אָמְנָם רֹב תְּנוּעוֹתָיו בִּלְתִּי שְׁלֵמוֹת כְּפִי הַצָּרִיךְ לְהַשִּׂיג הַתַּכְלִית הַמְכֻוָּן מֵאֲדוֹנָיו. אָמַר, אִם כֵּן, שֶׁרָאֲתָה שֶׁעִם הֱיוֹתוֹ יֶלֶד נוֹלָד מִקָּרוֹב הִנֵּה הָיָה נַעַר בּוֹכֶה, מִתְנַעֵר בִּתְנוּעָה נִפְלָאָה כְּבֶן גִּילוֹ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
את הילד, בוכה, she noticed that though his size was that of an infant, when he cried he sounded like a far older child, a lad. Actually, from birth until maturity a child is still called ילד. The best proof of this is found in Kings I 12,10 where the advisors of Rechavam, the son of king Solomon who ascended the throne after him, is described as listening to his youthful advisors who are called הילדים אשר גדלו עמו “the children who had grown up with him.” [Rechavam was 41 years of age at the time. Ed.] Also in Daniel 1,4 youngsters at least in their teens are referred to as ילדים. The term נער is applied to someone who no longer enjoys the perfection of early youth. According to our author perfect co-ordination of one’s limbs results in one’s making wrong moves on occasion. The reason why servants are referred to as נער is that they frequently are inept in their movements to the annoyance of their masters. The daughter of Pharaoh recognised in this baby that though this child had only recently been born it already showed signs of physical maturity as she could hear by the manner in which it cried. נער בוכה, awakening, shaking himself like a child of this age.


###### Sforno on Exodus 2:6:3
[Sforno on Exodus 2:6:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/2:6:3)

**וַתַּחְמֹל עָלָיו.** שֶׁיְּהֵא וָלָד נָאֶה וּמוּכָן לִשְׁלֵמוּת כָּזֶה נִזְרָק לַיְאוֹר.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ותחמול עליו, seeing that he was such a beautiful baby, far too perfect a creature to simply throw into the river.


###### Sforno on Exodus 2:6:4
[Sforno on Exodus 2:6:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/2:6:4)

**וַתֹּאמֶר מִיַּלְדֵי הָעִבְרִים זֶה.** אֵין זֶה אֲסוּפִי, נוֹלָד מִזְּנוּת, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מוּכָן לִבְגֹד, כְּאָמְרוֹ (ישעיהו נז:ד) "יִלְדֵי פֶשַׁע זֶרַע שָׁקֶר":

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ותאמר מילדי העברים זה, this is not an illegitimate baby, abandoned by its mother. Such a baby, when it grew up was likely to become a criminal, as we know from Isaiah 57,4 ילדי פשע זרע שקר, “children born in sin, offspring of treachery.”


###### Sforno on Exodus 2:7:1
[Sforno on Exodus 2:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/2:7:1)

**מֵינֶקֶת מִן הָעִבְרִיּוֹת.** שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הֶחָלָב יוֹתֵר נָאוֹת לְמִזְגּוֹ:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
מינקת מן העבריות, whose milk would be more compatible to its constitution.


###### Sforno on Exodus 2:7:2
[Sforno on Exodus 2:7:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/2:7:2)

**וְתֵינִק לָךְ.** לַעֲמוֹד לְפָנַיִךְ, מֵאַחַר שֶׁלְּפִי יָפְיוֹ וְהַכְנוֹתָיו לִפְנֵי מְלָכִים יִתְיַצָּב (משלי כב:כט).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ותיניק לך, so he will be capable to stand in your presence (not to make you ashamed of him) seeing that his beauty is such that he can take his place with royalty.


###### Sforno on Exodus 2:10:1
[Sforno on Exodus 2:10:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/2:10:1)

**וַתִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ מֹשֶׁה.** מְמַלֵּט וּמוֹשֶׁה אֶת אֲחֵרִים מִצָּרָה.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ותקרא שמו משה, someone who will save others by pulling them out of their calamity.


###### Sforno on Exodus 2:10:2
[Sforno on Exodus 2:10:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/2:10:2)

**וַתֹּאמֶר כִּי מִן הַמַּיִם מְשִׁיתִהוּ.** הַטַּעַם שֶׁקְּרָאתִיו מֹשֶׁה לְהוֹרוֹת שֶׁיְּמַלֵּט אֶת אֲחֵרִים הוּא, כִּי אָמְנָם מְשִׁיתִהוּ מִן הַמַּיִם אַחַר שֶׁהָיָה מוּטָל בְּתוֹכָם, וְזֶה לֹא הָיָה כִּי אִם בִּגְזֵרַת עִירִין (דניאל ד:יד) כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּמַלֵּט הוּא אֶת אֲחֵרִים.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ותאמר כי מן המים משיתהו, the reason why I called him thus is so that he in turn would rescue others from their problems, just as I have pulled him out of the water (in which he would have drowned.) She considered the find as decreed by a higher power (compare Daniel, 4,14) Moses was saved only so that in his life he would become the instrument of saving others.


###### Sforno on Exodus 2:11:1
[Sforno on Exodus 2:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/2:11:1)

**וַיַּרְא בְּסִבְלֹתָם.** נָתַן לִבּוֹ לִרְאוֹת בָּעֳנִי אֶחָיו:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
וירא בסבלותם. He made it his concern to take a benevolent interest in the afflictions suffered by his brethren.


###### Sforno on Exodus 2:11:2
[Sforno on Exodus 2:11:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/2:11:2)

**וַיַּרְא אִישׁ מִצְרִי מַכֶּה אִישׁ עִבְרִי מֵאֶחָיו.** וּמִצַּד הָאַחֲוָה הִתְעוֹרֵר לְהִנָּקֵם:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
וירא איש מצרי מכה איש עברי מאחיו. He was aroused to avenge his death because of this feeling of brotherliness to the victim.


###### Sforno on Exodus 2:13:1
[Sforno on Exodus 2:13:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/2:13:1)

**וַיֹּאמֶר לָרָשָׁע.** מִפְּנֵי הֱיוֹת כָּל אֶחָד מֵהֶם אָחִיו, לֹא הִתְעוֹרֵר לְהִנָּקֵם, אֲבָל הוֹכִיחַ בְּמִישׁוֹר.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ויאמר לרשע, seeing that each one of them was one of his brethren he did not act as avenger but intervened with words rebuking the aggressor.


###### Sforno on Exodus 2:14:1
[Sforno on Exodus 2:14:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/2:14:1)

**הַלְהָרְגֵנִי אַתָּה אֹמֵר.** אַתָּה מְעוֹרֵר מִדָּנִים לְהָרְגֵנִי:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
הלהרגני אתה אומר? Are you stirring up a quarrel to get me killed?


###### Sforno on Exodus 2:14:2
[Sforno on Exodus 2:14:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/2:14:2)

**וַיִּירָא מֹשֶׁה.** וּבְכֵן נִשְׁמַר לְנַפְשׁוֹ וּבָרַח:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ויירא משה, as a result Moses became careful and fled.


###### Sforno on Exodus 2:14:3
[Sforno on Exodus 2:14:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/2:14:3)

**וַיֹּאמַר אָכֵן נוֹדַע הַדָּבָר.** כְּשֶׁאָמַר זֶה הַמּוֹסֵר אֶת דְּבָרָיו אֵלֶּה בִּפְנֵי רַבִּים, וְלָכֵן לֹא הָרַג אֶת הַמּוֹסֵר, מִבְּלִי אֵין תּוֹעֶלֶת בַּהֲרִיגָתוֹ אַחַר שֶׁכְּבָר מָסַר.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ויאמר אכן נודע הדבר, when the snitch said these words to him, in the presence of others, he did not kill him seeing there would be no point in doing this, seeing he had already reported what Moses had done to the authorities.


###### Sforno on Exodus 2:15:1
[Sforno on Exodus 2:15:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/2:15:1)

**וַיֵּשֶׁב בְּאֶרֶץ מִדְיָן.** בָּחַר לָשֶׁבֶת אֵיזֶה זְמַן בְּאֶרֶץ מִדְיָן.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
. וישב בארץ מדין. He had decided to remain for a while in that country.


###### Sforno on Exodus 2:15:2
[Sforno on Exodus 2:15:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/2:15:2)

**וַיֵּשֶׁב עַל הַבְּאֵר.** וּבְעָבְרוֹ בְּאֶרֶץ קָרָה לוֹ שֶׁיָּשַׁב סָמוּךְ לְאֵיזֶה בְּאֵר, כְּמוֹ "וַיִּפְגַּע בַּמָּקוֹם" (בראשית כח:יא) בְּאֵיזֶה מָקוֹם, כַּמְבוֹאָר לְמַעְלָה.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
וישב על הבאר. While Moses was traveling through the land of Midian it happened once that he settled near a certain (well known) well. The construction here is similar to Genesis 28,11) which describes Yaakov as encountering a certain place, also described with the preposition ה i.e. המקום instead of simply מקום, to show that the site had been known already.


###### Sforno on Exodus 2:17:1
[Sforno on Exodus 2:17:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/2:17:1)

**וַיָּקָם מֹשֶׁה וַיּוֹשִׁעָן.** בִּהְיוֹת שְׁנֵי בַּעֲלֵי הָרִיב נָכְרִים, לֹא הִתְעוֹרֵר לְהִנָּקֵם, גַּם לֹא הִקְפִּיד לְיַשֵּׁר אָרְחוֹתָם בְּתוֹכָחוֹת מוּסָר, רַק קָם לְהוֹשִׁיעַ אֶת הָעֲשׁוּקִים מִיַּד עוֹשְׁקֵיהֶם.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ויקם משה ויושיען, seeing that both parties to this argument were non-Jewish, Moses did not intervene by avenging the wronged party but only made sure that he would redress the injustice done to the innocent party.


###### Sforno on Exodus 2:20:1
[Sforno on Exodus 2:20:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/2:20:1)

**לָמָּה זֶּה עֲזַבְתֶּן.** מֵאַחַר שֶׁהוּא אוֹרֵחַ וְאִישׁ חֶסֶד, הָיָה לָכֵן לִגְמֹל עִמּוֹ חֶסֶד הַכְנָסַת אוֹרְחִים.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
למה זה עזבתן?, since he is a guest, and a person who has demonstrated kindness you should at least have reciprocated by showing him a measure of hospitality.


###### Sforno on Exodus 2:21:1
[Sforno on Exodus 2:21:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/2:21:1)

**לָשֶׁבֶת אֶת הָאִישׁ.** לִרְעוֹת אֶת צֹאנוֹ, כְּמוֹ "שְׁבָה עִמָּדִי" (בראשית כט:יט).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
לשבת את האיש, to tend his flocks, a similar construction to Lavan inviting Yaakov to stay with him in Genesis 29,19.


###### Sforno on Exodus 2:22:1
[Sforno on Exodus 2:22:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/2:22:1)

**גֵּר הָיִיתִי בְּאֶרֶץ נָכְרִיָּה.** גֵּר בְּאֶרֶץ שֶׁאֵינָהּ אֶרֶץ מוֹלַדְתִּי.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
גר הייתי בארץ נכריה. A stranger in a land which is not my birthplace.


###### Sforno on Exodus 2:23:1
[Sforno on Exodus 2:23:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/2:23:1)

**בַיָּמִים הָרַבִּים הָהֵם.** מִיּוֹם שֶׁבָּרַח מֹשֶׁה מִמִּצְרַיִם בְּיַלְדוּתוֹ עַד שֶׁנּוֹלַד גֵּרְשֹׁם, שֶׁהָיָה מֹשֶׁה אָז קָרוֹב לְבֶן שְׁמוֹנִים שָׁנָה, שֶׁהֲרֵי אֱלִיעֶזֶר נוֹלַד בַּדֶּרֶךְ בְּלֶכְתּוֹ בִּשְׁלִיחוּת הָאֵל יִתְבָּרַךְ לְמִצְרַיִם, וְאָז הָיָה בֶּן שְׁמוֹנִים שָׁנָה.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
בימים הרבים ההם, from the day Moses had fled from Egypt in his youth until Gershom had been born when he was close to 80 years of age. We are assuming that Eliezer was not much younger, and we know that he was only born when Moses was already on his way back to Egypt. We know that that Moses was 80 years of age t that time.


###### Sforno on Exodus 2:23:2
[Sforno on Exodus 2:23:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/2:23:2)

**וַיָּמׇת מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם.** אוֹתוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה רוֹדֵף אֶת מֹשֶׁה, וּלְכֵן קָרָא שֵׁם בְּנוֹ אַחַר כָּךְ אֱלִיעֶזֶר, כִּי אָז יָדַע הֱיוֹתוֹ נִמְלָט וְנִצּוֹל מֵחֶרֶב פַּרְעֹה.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
וימת מלך מצרים, the same Pharaoh who had been pursuing Moses wanting to execute him. This is why he called his second son Eliezer, as then he realised that he had finally been saved by G’d from the sword of Pharaoh.


###### Sforno on Exodus 2:23:3
[Sforno on Exodus 2:23:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/2:23:3)

**וַיִּזְעָקוּ.** זָעֲקוּ מִכְּאֵב לֵב עַל עֲבוֹדָתָם, כְּעִנְיַן "הֵילִילִי שַׁעַר, זַעֲקִי עִיר" (ישעיהו יד:לא).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ויזעקו, they cried out of frustration about their miserable fate and their enslavement. A similar expression for venting such feelings of frustration occurs in Isaiah 14,31הלילי שער זעקי העיר, “Howl, o gate! Cry out, o city!”


###### Sforno on Exodus 2:23:4
[Sforno on Exodus 2:23:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/2:23:4)

**וַתַּעַל שַׁוְעָתָם אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים מִן הָעֲבוֹדָה.** לֹא בִּשְׁבִיל תְּשׁוּבָתָם וּתְפִלָּתָם, אֲבָל כִּמְקַנֵּא עַל אַכְזָרִיּוּת הַמַּעֲבִידִים, כְּאָמְרוֹ "וְגַם רָאִיתִי אֶת הַלַּחַץ" (שמות ג:ט).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ותעל שועתם אל האלוקים מן העובדה. G’d’s response was not due to their repenting and praying, but He simply was angry over the excessive cruelty with which the Egyptians treated the Jewish people This is why He added (when He spoke to Moses in 3,9) וגם ראיתי את הלחץ אשר מצרים לוחצים אותם, “and I have also seen the pressure that the Egyptians keep imposing on them. [perhaps the reason why our author does not consider the Jews’ repentance and prayer being a factor is the fact that the attribute with which G’d responded was still the attribute of Justice, אלוקים and not the attribute Hashem as he explained to Moses in 3,9 Ed.]


###### Sforno on Exodus 2:24:1
[Sforno on Exodus 2:24:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/2:24:1)

**וַיִּשְׁמַע אֱלֹהִים אֶת נַאֲקָתָם.** וּתְפִלַּת קְצָתָם שֶׁהִתְפַּלְּלוּ אָז מִצַּדִּיקֵי הַדּוֹר, כְּאָמְרוֹ (דברים כו:ז) "וַנִּצְעַק אֶל ה', וַיִּשְׁמַע קוֹלֵנוּ".

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
וישמע אלוקים את נאקתם, a reference to the prayer of a few of them, [as Moses recalls in Numbers 20,16 ונצעק אל ה', i.e. the prayer by the righteous few. Seeing that Moses speaks in the plural and he had not been in Egypt at the time, he must have paraphrased why the few righteous people of the time had done at the time before G’d’s response came. Ed.]


###### Sforno on Exodus 2:24:2
[Sforno on Exodus 2:24:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/2:24:2)

**וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹהִים אֶת בְּרִיתוֹ.** שֶׁאָמַר "וַהֲקִימֹתִי אֶת בְּרִיתִי בֵּינִי וּבֵינֶךָ, וּבֵין זַרְעֲךָ אַחֲרֶיךָ, לִהְיוֹת לְךָ לֵאלֹהִים וּלְזַרְעֲךָ אַחֲרֶיךָ" (בראשית יז:ז), וְזֶה יֵעָשֶׂה בְּכָל קָרְאֵנוּ אֵלָיו, כְּמוֹ שֶׁהֵעִיד אַחַר כָּךְ בְּאָמְרוֹ "וְגַם אֲנִי שָׁמַעְתִּי אֶת נַאֲקַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְכוּ' וָאֶזְכֹּר אֶת בְּרִיתִי" (שמות ו:ה).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ויזכר אלוקים את בריתו, for He had said: in Genesis 17,7: “I will maintain My covenant between Me and you and between your descendants after you to be (remain) your G’d also for your descendants after you.” This promise remains valid whatever may happen to us, as pointed out in Exodus 6,5 וגם אני שמעתי את נאקת בני ישראל ..ואזכור את בריתי, “and I have also heard the groanings of the Children of Israel…. And I remembered My covenant.”


###### Sforno on Exodus 2:25:1
[Sforno on Exodus 2:25:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/2:25:1)

**וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.** הִשְׁגִּיחַ עֲלֵיהֶם וְלֹא הִסְתִּיר עוֹד פָּנָיו מֵהֶם, כְּעִנְיַן "כִּי רָאִיתִי אֶת עַמִּי, כִּי בָאָה צַעֲקָתוֹ אֵלָי" (שמואל א ט:טז), כְּמוֹ שֶׁהֵעִיד אַחַר כָּךְ בְּאָמְרוֹ "רָאֹה רָאִיתִי אֶת עֳנִי עַמִּי אֲשֶׁר בְּמִצְרָיִם" (שמות ג:ז).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
וירא אלוקים את בני ישראל, He now took a personal interest in their fate and no longer hid His countenance from them. This is perceived as similar to Samuel I 9,16: כי ראיתי את עמי, כי באה צעקתו אלי, “for I have seen My people, for its outcry has come to Me.” G’d Himself said this later in 3,7 ראה ראיתי את עני אשר במצרים, “for I have seen My people, the suffering they are in Egypt.”


###### Sforno on Exodus 2:25:2
[Sforno on Exodus 2:25:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/2:25:2)

**וַיֵּדַע אֱלֹהִים.** יָדַע נִגְעֵי לְבָבָם וְשֶׁהָיְתָה תְּפִלָּתָם וְצַעֲקָתָם בְּכָל לֵב, כְּמוֹ שֶׁסִּפֵּר אַחַר כָּךְ בְּאָמְרוֹ (שמות ג:ז) "כִּי יָדַעְתִּי אֶת מַכְאֹבָיו", עַל הֵפֶךְ (תהלים עח:לו-לז) "וַיְפַתּוּהוּ בְּפִיהֶם וְלִבָּם לֹא נָכוֹן עִמּוֹ".

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
וידע אלוקים, and that the prayer and outcry were totally genuine. This is why He Himself speaks later of כי ידעתיו את מכאוביו “for I am aware of its pains.” This was in contrast with Psalms 78,36-37 where the Jewish people were described as paying only lip-service to their G’d and continued to be disloyal to heir covenant with G’d.