"the written Torah." Moses was aware of Zipporahs qualities and therefore took her for a wife; she adjusted to her role as wife of the leader of the people of Israel, successfully making the transition to royalty. Frymer-Kensky, Tikva. There, Moses stood up for seven young women who were drawing water who were being driven away from the well by shepherds. The Bible and Its Story, Taught By One Thousand Picture Lessons, Moses and his Ethiopian wife Zipporah (Mozes en zijn Ethiopische vrouw Sippora), relationship between Israeli Jews and Druze, "Judges 4 / Hebrew English Bible / Mechon-Mamre". Here's a scripture that shows that Reuel (Jethro) Zipporah's father was a Midianite. [3] In Exodus 2:18, Jethro is also referred to as Reuel, and in the Book of Judges ( Judges 4:11) as Hobab. Those "strangers in a strange land," the non-Israelites of another race living in the Promised Land, received the same blessings as those natural citizens who obeyed the Eternal. Some women are fit but not comely, while others are comely but not fit, while Zipporah was both beautiful and fit. When he was with Jethro, he saw how fine were her actions. Rabbah 2:33; Mann, Fragments from the Geniza, fragment 12, p. 95). Thank you for this! After being taken in by the family of the Pharaoh, Moses grew up among the upper class in the culture, but he did become aware of his Hebrew lineage. Rabbah 5:5). At the well, she met Moses, who was fleeing from Egypt and from Pharaoh's judgment after he . Zipporah had compassion on Moses and brought him bread and water. Features thousands of biographic and thematic essays on Jewish women around the world. The text does not reveal that Zipporah was the Cushite woman spoken of in Numbers 12. At the time of Moses marriage to Zipporah he was no longer married to the Ethiopian Adoniah (Tharbis). (Viewed on May 1, 2023) . There, Moses met a man named Jethro and received Jethro's daughter Zipporah in marriage. Dont forget to share this with someone that needs it. So that they also keep Yahs commands (John 14:21-27) and enter his kingdom too. Im a Christian and I find this very informative. There are several interesting passages about interactions between Zipporah, her husband, and her in-laws. 2:1517). There is an understanding about Moses wife, which says that he was married to an Ethiopian lady. It is called the book of Jasher and it is mentioned in Joshua 10:13 and 2 Samuel 1:18. 4:18): Moses went back to his father-in-law Jether [yeter], from which the Rabbis learn that Moses went to Egypt, but returned to Midian to be released from (le-hatir) his vow (Ex. "Zipporah: Bible." This passage reveals that sometime after the exit from Egypt, Zipporah gave birth to another son named Eliezer, and was either sent back, or returned to Midian to be with her father. Zipporah was rejoined with Moses early on the Exodus (see Exodus 2:16-22; 18:2-6). Zipporah is not well rewarded. a female bird. 49 And all the mighty men of the Kinites tried to pluck it when they endeavored to get Zipporah his daughter, but they were unsuccessful. These scriptures should clear up any misunderstandings you may have had about these different names. Additionally, those living in ancient Israel had to be circumcised if they wished to partake of the Passover (Leviticus 25:45 - 46, Exodus 12:43, 45). Yet another exegetical tradition explains that Zipporah differed from other women in her deeds (BT Moed Katan 16b). The ones that are, are in the minority and they are a blessing. In-laws have an impact in a relationship: Moses siblings did not like Zipporah and spoke badly about their brother because of it. In each one, she seems to come into conflict with the culture of her husband, as well as being stuck between Moses the man, and Moses the prophet. The Rabbis explain that Moses never wanted to part from Zipporah and sent her to her fathers house in Midian only for fear that the Egyptian servitude would harm her. Exodus 3:1 1 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. The second position is that Moses was negligent regarding his sons circumcision. The Rabbis also find an allusion to Zipporahs beauty in her name, which means gaze and see [zafu ve-rau] how comely she is (Sifrei on Numbers chap. (Viewed on May 1, 2023) . Before arriving in Egypt, he sent his family to their home country, and he possibly even married another woman. 3 And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. How did Zipporah know that Mosess life was threatened because of the circumcision? With the words to break bread" (implying marriage), Jethro hinted that Moses might marry one of them. She then flings the foreskin at his feet, declaring that he ishatan damimto her(Exod 4:26). The midrash explains how Moses and Zipporah could have had a son who had not been circumcised. It fills some gaps in the Bible narrative. The details of the quality of their marriage over time are difficult to discern, as she spent time with Moses in Egypt, came into conflict with him and his family, and did eventually take their son back to Midian. 5:2627): Go, say to them, Return to your tents. But you remain here with MeIsrael shall return to their wives, but you shall not return to marital relations (Tanhuma, Zav 13). They then ask why she was called the Cushite woman, since she was a Midianite. It was then that she said, A bridegroom of blood, because of the circumcision. She saved his life in the night encampment when she made haste to circumcise her son. Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. Your email address will not be published. So everybody naturally assumes that she was the Ethiopian. The common assumption made is that Zipporah was Ethiopian, some even say that there is some type of biblical error. 4:2728). Shalom! 1920). Why are you confused. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well. Just as Joseph was a Hebrew, with his wife being and Egyptian, yet his sons Ephraim and Manasseh, were Israelites due to their father's line. Although any alien or Gentile (a term used for anyone of a race different that Israel) that was not circumcised could not partake of the yearly Passover ceremony, they still were required by law to do several things. When we research the lineage of Zipporah Moses wife we see that it goes back to the Midianites. Moses fled to Midian, which is in modern-day Saudi Arabia. Moses goes out to greet Jethro and takes him into his tent, but nothing is said about his greeting Zipporah. : 247 Inspiration. Wm. How To Worship God: What Is Spirit And What Is Truth? Above you can see that Reuel (Jethro) was Moses father in law and the priest of Midian too. 45 And when Abraham had given all he had to his son Isaac, he also gave to him this stick. Since modesty is appropriate for the relations between a man and his wife, how did Miriam learn of Mosess abstinence? My wife left me, and after 5 months of wrestling with God, and much turmoil (I know there is more grieving still to be done), and a several-hour prayer last night, I woke up this morning with that song from The Prince of Egypt in my head, all Ive ever wanted. I know its an animated film and not 100% accurate (it might not even be 10% accurate, who knows), but Ive been wrestling with the fact that I covenanted to this woman, had 4 kids with her, was happier than I ever thought possible, then bam, without warning shes gone. The latter understanding is based on Zipporah's declaration in the following verse (25) that you are truly a bridegroom of blood to me, which is directed to her bridegroom, Moses. This exegesis explains why only one of Mosess sons was uncircumcised, and why they were not in such mortal danger immediately after his birth, but only after they had left Jethros home and were released from his vow. The answer is no: Moses never had more than four wives. Since he himself is apparently always in preparation for meeting with God, we can infer that he never sleeps with Zipporah. Now you know that Moses was in fact married to an Ethiopian, you can go and educate others. Other interpreters see the Cushite woman as a second wife, with Miriam and Aaron opposed to the marriage. Ex. The Patriachs who had multiple wives never sought these wives out, except for Solomon and the results were negative in his case. Proud member : . The stick was made of Sapphire (Jasher 77:39) and not the traditional wood normally expected. Does God Really Work All Things Together for Good? Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women. He meets the seven daughters of Reuel, priest of Midian, at a well; rescues them from shepherds who are harassing them; and fills their jugs with water. [citation needed], Moses' wife is referred to as a "Cushite woman" in Numbers 12. 19:15): Be ready for the third day: do not go near a woman. All Israel withdrew from their wives, and Moses withdrew from his wife. Moses fled to Midian, which is in modern-day Saudi Arabia. If youre equating marriage to sex that is not a biblical understanding. In a third tradition, the initiative to marry Zipporah came from Moses himself. Propp, William. 17 And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. Pardes, Ilana. The sons of Ham, mentioned within the Book of Genesis, have been identified with nations in Africa (Ethiopia, Egypt, Libya), the Levant (Canaan), and Arabia. At the age of forty, Moses killed an Egyptian he saw abusing a Hebrew. The expression "Cushite woman" is used disparagingly against Moses because he . Many of us are familiar with Moses' wife, Zipporah. When she saw that they swallowed him until the place of circumcision, she understood the danger, took a piece of flint and cut off her sons foreskin, whereupon the destructive angels relinquished their hold on Moses (BT Nedarim 32a; Ex. 2 After Moses had sent back his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro had received her, 3 along with her two sons. In gratitude, Reuel (called Jethro or Hobab in other biblical passages) offers Moses hospitality, then gives him his daughter Zipporah in marriage(Exod 2:2122). They will be prophets, and they will withdraw from their wives, as my husband withdrew from me. Thus Miriam learned that Moses abstained from relations with Zipporah, and she told this to Aaron (Tanhuma, Zav 13). The Rabbis ascribe many traits to Zipporah, whom they considered as differing from other women, in a positive sense, in both appearance and deed. When Laban gave him his daughters, Jacob deceived him and fled far away. The Torah does not specify when Zipporah left Moses, nor the reason for this parting. Eventually they will walk their own path. Therefore, one of the interpretations asserts that God was angry at Moses because his son was not circumcised, and could not be identified as a Hebrew. Thank you! When Moses asked Jethro to marry his daughter Zipporah, Jethro had told him: If you accept the thing that I will tell you, then I will give her in marriage to you. Moses asked: What is this thing? To which Jethro replied: The first son born to you shall be for idolatry, and your following sons will be for Heaven. Moses accepted Jethros condition (Mehilta de-Rabbi Ishmael Masekhta de-Amalek, Yitro 1). Her words stopped the attack against Moses. Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning. If you are asking me to give you Zipporah, swear to me that you will not take her far away from me; I will give her to you only upon this condition. Moses immediately swore to him, as it is said: Moses consented [va-yoel] to stay with the man (Ex. The most popular incident is when Moses is challenged by Aaron and Miriam, because of his marriage to an Ethiopian woman (Numbers 12:1). Instead, she was a married single for the rest of her life. Let her not be as one dead, whose flesh is half eaten away when he comes out of his mother's womb. And Moses cried to the Lord, O God, please heal herplease. But the Lord said to Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be shamed seven days? No sooner was the agreement made, but it took effect immediately; and when Moses had cut off the Ethiopians, he gave thanks to God, and consummated his marriage, and led the Egyptians back to their own land. This is something that Ive always wondered about, because when I checked the background of Moses wife I never found this to be true. God used her to be a mother, a partner, and preserved her memory in His Word. Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son's foreskin and touched Moses' feet with it and said, Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me!So he let him alone. divorced"). Patterson, Dorothy. You can see here that Tharbis is mentioned, not in the bible scriptures, but in the Josephus histories. This article really cleared things up (so thank you ) but I was confused in regards to you saying that Adoniah and Moses consummated the marriage because in Yasher 74 :31- 38 it explains how he never had sex with her because of Exodus 34:11-16 and genesis 9:22-27. Meyers, Carol, General Editor. The prevalent idea among the Rabbis is that a woman is qualified to perform circumcision; the fact that she herself does not require circumcision teaches that she is regarded as if she were already circumcised. This passage mostly focuses on Jethro aiding Moses in getting help judging the conflicts among the tribes. 99). 39 And it was that whilst he prayed he looked opposite to him, and behold a sapphire stick was placed in the ground, which was planted in the midst of the garden. [4] Hobab is also the name of Jethro's son in Numbers 10:29. Zipporahs enigmatic statement has two possible explanations: she flings the foreskin atMosessfeet, saying, You are a bridegroom of blood to me (NRSV), or she flings it atGodsfeet, saying, You are a blood father-in-law to me.(Damimmeans blood, andhatancan mean either bridegroom or father-in-law.) Either way, her deed and words stop the attack. 99). Let us know. In the Torah, Zipporah was one of the seven daughters of Jethro, a Kenite shepherd who was a priest of Midian. Zipporahs actions led to a Talmudic discussion of the ability of women to perform circumcision. Later Jewish and Christian tradition . Thank you so much. Zipporah the Midianite was a descendant of Midian, Abraham's son by his third wife Keturah. What Is The True Sabbath Day? It may refer to the African country of Cush (see Gen 10:6; 1 Chr 1:8) or to Midian, the region east of the Gulf of Aqabah from which Zipporah came (see Exod 3:1, 18:1; Hab 3:7). Zipporahs uniqueness is the subject of yet another tradition. Expository When the daughters of Reuel, a Midianite priest, were being harassed, Moses helped them. Strangers in the land were commanded to faithfully observe God's holy Sabbath Day (Exodus 20:10) and keep the annual Feast of Tabernacles in the fall (Deuteronomy 16:13 - 14). From the day that God spoke to Moses your brother, he has not lain with me. Miriam immediately went to Aaron, and the two discussed the matter. The last time the Bible mentions Zipporah is when she is at Mount Horeb with her family, according to Daily Journal. There are many lessons to learn from the marriage of Moses and Zipporah about leadership, communication, and how there can be unintended consequences to zealous obedience. After killing an Egyptian, Moses runs away to Midian, where he marries Zipporah, the daughter of the local priest (Exod 2:15-22). Zipporah is the wife of Moses, given to him in marriage by her Midianite priest father. On his journey he took Zipporah and his son Gershom, who was uncircumcised. Parents share responsibility for raising their children: The incident at the inn where Zipporah circumcised their son is difficult to understand, especially in a modern context. The purpose of Patriarchs having multiple wives was to produce babies, not because of lustful desires. She heroically saved Moses from an attack by circumcising her son. When he was with Jethro, he saw how fine were her actions. That Bloody Bridegroom (Exodus 4:2426). Vetus 21 And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. He knew God wanted his son circumcised, and Zipporah felt forced to take action. After having performed this rite, Zipporah says (v. 26): A bridegroom of blood because of the circumcision [la-mulot, in the plural], from which the Rabbis deduced two elements of the circumcision procedure: periah (uncovering the corona) and zizin (the shreds of the corona, that invalidate the circumcision) (JT Nedarim 3:9, 38b; Deut. 2:21), understanding the word va-yoel as a customary wording of a vow. All rights reserved. Miriam learned of this after the appointment of the seventy elders (Num. The members of Mosess family are not mentioned in the narrative of the ten plagues and the Exodus from Egypt and reappear only in the family reunion in Ex. 18, before the Giving of the Torah, which is immediately presented in the following chapters (Ex. Your question refers to Numbers 12:1 that states his mate was a Cushite, a term often used to refer to African nations. Features thousands of biographic and thematic essays on Jewish women around the world. The Bible records, "She gave birth to a son, and . However, the stories of some of the women of the Bible continue to resonate, despite only minor appearances. They believed Zipporahs ethnicity disqualified him from being Gods sole mouthpiece. When we read the bible we see mention of the book of Jasher quoted above, which gives credence to its authority (Joshua 10:13, 2 Samuel 1:18). It does show that both parents bore responsibility for raising their child up in alignment with Gods ordinances. When Jethro invited Moses into his house, the latter entered the garden and saw the staff. Now Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, had taken Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her home, along with her two sons. Zipporah's father was a Midianite, which means that she was a Midianite as well. How could I ever be as happy with a now broken family. The two latter midrashim are based on the juxtaposition of the appointment of the seventy elders and the prophesying of Eldad and Medad (Num. According to one tradition, Miriam saw that Zipporah no longer adorned herself with womens jewelry, and asked her: Why have you stopped wearing womens ornaments? Zipporah answered: Your brother no longer cares about this. Thus Miriam learned that Moses had abstained from intercourse (Sifrei on Numbers chap. Moses had married Zipporahone of the seven daughters of Jethro, the priest of Midianwhen he fled from Egypt after slaying an Egyptian taskmaster (see Exod. Another exegetical tradition places Miriam next to Zipporah when Moses was told (Num. I will briefly discuss the staff of Moses because it has relevance to the marriage between Zipporah the Midianite and Moses. Strangers in the land were also commanded to observe and fast on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:29) and additionally adhere to all God's Commandments (Exodus 12:48 - 49). A Midianite, a Cushite, or both? [26] She is the main character in Marek Halter's novel Zipporah, Wife of Moses (2005).[27]. Their son did. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Corporation, 1967. ET on EWTN: Holy Mass and Rosary on Saturday, April 22, 2023 Tell us where you're. Then you shall say to Pharaoh, Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son,and I say to you, Let my son go that he may serve me. If you refuse to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son. At a lodging place on the way the Lord met him and sought to put him to death. Let us know. Mosess hope that his family would be present at the Giving of the Torah would nonetheless be realized, because the Torah tells of their reunion in Ex. There are women who are poor, the children of the poor, who do not know how to conduct themselves when they come in contact with royalty. Pharaohs daughter, who raised him, was aware of his heritage when she found him the basket, but raised him anyway. The girls answered, "An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds; he even drew water for us and watered the flock." Women in Scripture. He puts her in a group of what he calls "notable and sainted Ethiopians". Moses and Zipporah would have been married for over 40 years by this time, and it is unlikely that Moses' siblings would just then be protesting. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. Yael Wife of Heber The Kenite: Midrash and Aggadah, The Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women, Copyright 19982023, Jewish Women's Archive. This passage can be difficult to understand, and different thinkers and theologians have various interpretations of what happened here. Whose legs did she touch? Just as everyone speaks of the blackness of the Cushite, so do all proclaim the beauty of Zipporah (Tanhuma, Zav 13). She became the mother of Gershom and Eliezer, Moses' children. They said: Moses is haughty. Ask him in to break bread (Ex. In the midrashic expansion, when the daughters of Jethro returned home, they told their father that a stranger had saved them from the shepherds, and he asked them: Why did you leave the man? Who Was Zipporah and What Can We Learn from Her Life. The details of the passage are unclear and subject to debate. Cush being another name for Ethiopia. When the daughters of Reuel, a Midianite priest, were being harassed, Moses helped them. In the Book of Chronicles, two of her grandsons are mentioned: Shebuel, son of Gershom; and Rehabiah, son of Eliezer (1 Chronicles 23:1617). Jethro was one of the magicians of Egypt, and when he saw Pharaohs staff with its magical symbols, he desired it and took it. And they said, Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Miriam and Aaron spoke about Moses because of the beautiful woman he had married, for he had separated from the beautiful woman he married. Here where we see in the Book of Jasher the same history documented in the Josephus histories. Moses marries Zipporah [ edit] Losing mine has been so painful, but I know that pain will be swallowed up in Christ at some point, but for now I have to suffer it. Moses is told that his father-in-law Jethro is coming to see you, with your wife and her two sons (Exod i8:6). Also keep in mind that Jethro is also known as Reuel, you can see this in the below scriptures: 16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their fathers flock. Cushites were of the ancestry of either Kush (Nubia) in northeast Africa, or Arabians. We all become responsible for our own walk with Yah when we become adults (Philippians 2:12). God's anger led [] When Miriam saw the lamps, she exclaimed: Happy are these, and happy are their wives! Zipporah corrected her: Do not say, happy are their wives, rather, woe to their wives. Like me, they never knew about Adoniah (Tharbis). Her last years and the circumstances of her death are unknown. Jacob was alone and wrestled with the angel all night; Moses is with his wife, who comes to his rescue. 4:2426. Vetus We first meet Zipporahwho later became Moses's wifeat a well in her hometown of Midian. It is unclear whether she remained with Moses or returned to Midian. After the exodus, her father, the priest of Midian (here called Jethro), comes to visit Moses, bringing Zipporah and her two sons. She takes a flint and cuts off her sons foreskin. Zipporah was a midianite who are a nation that were birthed by Abraham, which made Zipporah Shemitic. It is always good to study the Scriptures deeper and further. The Israelite Samaritan Version of the Torah: First English Translation Compared with the Masoretic Version. In the midrashic amplification, Zipporah set out for Egypt with Moses, but never arrived there. Bible commentaries disagree whether this verse in Numbers refers to the race or originating people of Moses' first wife or to a second one he had after Zipporah died. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 2011. 48 And after the death of Joseph, the nobles of Egypt came into the house of Joseph, and the stick came into the hand of Reuel the Midianite, and when he went out of Egypt, he took it in his hand and planted it in his garden. Zipporah, however, was lovely both in her youth and in her old age, and therefore was called the Cushite woman also when she was old. Both of these assertions are inaccurate. [5] The word that makes this difficult is shelucheiha, the sendings [away] of her (Ex. Kadari, Tamar. These midrashim depict Moses as not wanting to part from his wife and children, but rather as wishing them to participate in the formative process of the people of Israel. Let her be shut outside the camp seven days, and after that she may be brought in again. So Miriam was shut outside the camp seven days, and the people did not set out on the march till Miriam was brought in again. Reuel then gave Moses Zipporah as his wife (Exodus 2:1121). Yah will give us a new heart and blissful peace (1 Corinthians 2:9). 18:2). [4] Hobab is also the name of Jethro's son in Numbers 10:29 . We are told that the Most High used what is now known as the supernatural staff of Moses to create the worlds (Jasher 77:42). Af and Hemah (the destructive angels of wrath and anger) came and swallowed Moses, leaving only his legs. Well, Heavenly Father has something in store for me that I cant see right now, I have faith in that. Once the Israelites were closer to his own land, he came to visit and brought Zipporah and the two boys with him. Hopefully this article has helped clear up the questions you may have had about Moses wives. So here we see that Moses reigned over the people of Cush. In a marriage, spouses should support one another and help navigate the relationship with their respective relations. [6] The idea that Moses separated from Zipporah could be adduced from the description of Jethro bringing Moses his wife, "after she had been sent home" ( ) in Exod. The midrash admits that Moses abstained from intercourse with his wife from the time of the Giving of the Torah, but this was at Gods behest. He went to Jethro and asked: Give me your daughter Zipporah in marriage. Jethro replied: Do you want to do to me what your ancestor Jacob did? 11:27) that Eldad and Medad are acting the prophet in the camp! Zipporahs reaction to this report was: Woe to their wives. See answer (1) Best Answer Copy The Scripture is silent on Zipporah after Exodus 18, not saying whether she died or did not stay with Moses after the incident in Exodus 4:24-26. Zipporah was the wife of Moses. In conversations we have daily on the Word of God and the life of great men like Moses my questions are answered know. Does the Bible Condemn Using Tarot Cards? Page from the Rylands Haggadah. While she is introduced early in Exodus, very little is said about her. He spends several decades there before he returns to Egypt to tell Pharaoh to release the Israelites. He originally had a wife named Zipporah who was the daughter of a Midianite priest (Exodus 2:15 - 21). 4:20 relates that Moses took Zipporah and his two sons, Gershom and Eliezer, when he returned to Egypt, and describes an incident that occurred on their journey in the night encampment. Thank you for an extremely interesting read. She may be Zipporah, the known wife of Moses (Exod 2:21, 18:2), or another woman. His father-in-law eventually brought Zipporah and her children to Moses, but he doesn't seem to have been happy to see her (via Jewish Women's Archive). Who was Moses' wife? However, while Moses was uneasy at the armys lying idle, (for the enemies durst not come to a battle,) this accident happened: Tharbis was the daughter of the king of the Ethiopians: she happened to see Moses as he led the army near the walls, and fought with great courage; and admiring the subtility of his undertakings, and believing him to be the author of the Egyptians success, when they had before despaired of recovering their liberty. Nor had I heard of the book of Jasher. Reuel's daughter, who became the wife of Moses ( Exodus 2:21).In consequence of the event recorded in Exodus 4:24-26, she and her two sons, Gershom and Eliezer, when so far on the way with Moses toward Egypt, were sent back by him to her own kinsfolk, the Midianites, with whom they sojourned till Moses afterwards joined them ( 18:2-6).
Universal Full Blind Treestand Enclosure, Football Players Suspended, Articles H