Exodus 2:1

There went a man. Inasmuch as Aaron was older than Moses by three years (ch. 7:7), and seems to have been born before the royal decree went into effect, this Hebrew expression should be rendered “a man had gone.” The decree must therefore have been issued about the time Moses was to be born. The marriage of Moses’ parents probably took place more than a decade before this fateful decree was given, since Miriam was old enough by the time of his birth to play the role described in vs. 4, 7, and 8.

A daughter of Levi. Although in Hebrew usage “daughter” may actually mean “granddaughter,” Jochebed was apparently Levi’s actual daughter (see on Ex. 6:20). Her husband was Amram, a son of Kohath (Ex. 6:18) and grandson of Levi (v. 16). Since Kohath was born before Jacob moved to Egypt (Gen. 46:11), it is probable that Kohath’s sister, Jochebed, who married her brother’s son, Amram, was born much later (see Num. 26:59). The chronology of the sojourn in Egypt (see on Ex. 12:40) renders such a conclusion necessary inasmuch as Moses was born 135 years after Jacob’s entry into Egypt. Jochebed, the mother of Moses, must therefore be considered a child of her father’s old age.