Exodus 2:5

The daughter of Pharaoh— Josephus calls this princess Thermuthis; Artaphanes calls her Meris; and the Alexandrian Chronicle, Myrrina. She came down to the river to wash herself, probably for religious purification as well as health or pleasure: for the ancient Egyptians were used to wash themselves, on both accounts, no less than four times in the twenty-four hours. She, for the greater privacy, retained one maid, to wait immediately upon her, while her maidens, or ladies, of higher rank, walked along the river's side. The words in the Hebrew for maidens and maid are different. Zoan, or Tanis, the royal city, lay near the river; and therefore, probably, the king's gardens extended themselves to the banks of it, where convenient bathing-houses might be contrived for the use of the royal family. This verse might be rendered, Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; her ladies walking, mean time, by the river's side; and she saw the ark among the flags, and sent the maid, who attended her, to fetch it.