Who was Pharaoh's daughter in the Bible?

Pharaoh's daughter was an unnamed Egyptian princess who discovered the infant Moses in a basket among the reeds of the Nile River. She defied her father's decree to kill Hebrew boys, rescued Moses, and raised him as her own son (Exodus 2:5-10).

Why is Pharaoh's daughter important in the story of Moses?

Her act of adoption directly saved Moses's life, placing him within the Egyptian royal household. This positioned Moses to receive an elite education and later become the leader God used to deliver the Israelites from slavery in Egypt (Acts 7:21-22).

What happened to Pharaoh's daughter after she adopted Moses?

The Bible does not provide further details about her life or fate after Exodus Chapter 2. Her primary biblical significance is her pivotal role in Moses's early survival and upbringing, which set the stage for the Exodus.

daughter of Pharaoh

Old TestamentEgypt & WildernessFemaleDaughter

Pharaoh's daughter rescued the infant Moses from the Nile and adopted him as her son.

daughter of Pharaoh

Biography

Pharaoh's daughter, traditionally given the name Thermuthis or Bithiah in Jewish tradition (1 Chronicles 4:18 names a daughter of Pharaoh as Bithiah, possibly the same figure), is the Egyptian princess who discovered the infant Moses floating in a papyrus basket among the reeds of the Nile (Exodus 2:5-10). Sent by his mother Jochebed to preserve him from Pharaoh's edict to kill all Hebrew male infants, Moses was found and recognized as a Hebrew child. Moved with compassion, Pharaoh's daughter chose to adopt him and raise him as her own son. She even unknowingly hired Moses's own biological mother as his wet nurse. Through her act of mercy, she became the instrument through which Israel's deliverer was preserved for his divine mission.

Significance

Pharaoh's daughter occupies a quietly remarkable place in redemptive history. Her act of compassion defied, whether consciously or not, the genocidal policy of her own father. By rescuing Moses, she unknowingly preserved the man God had chosen to deliver Israel from Egyptian bondage. Her role illustrates how God accomplishes his purposes through the most unexpected human instruments, including a pagan princess. The book of Hebrews notes that Moses, upon coming of age, chose to suffer with his people rather than enjoy the privileges of Pharaoh's household (Hebrews 11:24-25), privileges this woman had granted him. Her mercy set in motion the entire Exodus narrative and the giving of the Law that would define Israel for millennia.

Verse Appearances (1)

Exod

Exod 2:5

References

Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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