Moses marries Zipporah [ edit] Spare The Rod Spoil The Child: Biblical Discipline Explained, Brief Explanation Of Tharbis & Moses Marriage, 19 Old Testament Passages That Foreshadow Jesus, Prophet Like Moses (Deuteronomy 18:18): 11 Likenesses To the Messiah (Jesus), Slavery Bible Verses: Transatlantic Slave Trade Explained, phenomenal woman in the bible: Examples & how to be & Find one, A Quran And Bible Comparison: Why Theyre Not The Same, Canonization Of The Bible: And What We Should Be Reading, Was The Maccabean Revolt successful? He was instrumental in getting back the Ethiopian castle after it was abducted by Balaam the Magician and his two sons. a female bird. Zipporah: Midrash and Aggadah | Jewish Women's Archive Kadari, Tamar. She is later reunited with Moses when her father . 21 And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. During his education he learned somehow that he was a Hebrew, and his sense of concern and curiosity impelled him to visit his people. Despite the difficulties in their relationship, Moses and Zipporah did have two children and were married for decades before he went back to Egypt. I also came across the fact that he had been married to an Ethiopian woman and it had me looking into the relationship between the Midians and the Ethiopians. When he was with Jethro, he saw how fine were her actions. 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. 15 Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. What can be understood is that Moses had not had his son circumcised eight days after his birth, neglecting his covenant responsibility as a descendent of Abraham. These scriptures explain where the staff of Moses came from: 38 And afterward Moses went into the garden of Reuel which was behind the house, and he there prayed to the Lord his God, who had done mighty wonders for him. 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. Im pretty sure it was a source of inspiration for that popular story line. 99). Who Was Tharbis and Did Moses Marry Twice? - christianity.com 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). 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. He planted the staff in the garden of his house, and no man could approach it. Remember the only way to know if scripture is valid is to read it. It might refer to the child, for in response Zipporah cuts off her sons foreskin and thus saves his life. Many of the patriarchs had multiple wives, and we dont know the details of their relationships. All rights reserved. ", Reuel asked them. More proof of Moses marriage to the Ethiopian queen Tharbis known as Adoniah in the book of Jasher can be found below: 30 So Moses took the city by his wisdom, and the children of Cush placed him on the throne instead of Kikianus king of Cush. Another interpretation supporting the opposition to circumcision by women is that Zipporah began the circumcision, but someone else came and completed it (BT Avodah Zarah 27a). So the question is, who is the Ethiopian woman that Aaron and Miriam had an issue with Moses about? This totally contradicts the idea that Moses wife could have been an Ethiopian. Its important that we study the scriptures our self, even the scripts we are told are not part of the sixty-six books that we have been left with. 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). Who Was Zipporah? Moses' Wife in the Bible - Bible Study Tools In the midrashic amplification, Zipporah set out for Egypt with Moses, but never arrived there. 42 And this is the stick with which all the works of our God were performed, after he had created heaven and earth, and all the host of them, seas, rivers and all their fishes. Some women are beautiful in their youth but are repulsive in their old age. Zipporah: The Midianite Wife of Moses - Black History In The Bible 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. [5] The word that makes this difficult is shelucheiha, the sendings [away] of her (Ex. 2 And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. [11], The Samaritan Pentateuch text refers to Moses' wife Zipporah as "Kaashet" (which translates to "the beautiful woman"), rather than "Cushit" ("black woman" or "Cushite woman"). She then flings the foreskin at his feet, declaring that he ishatan damimto her(Exod 4:26). Times 106 (1995): 203205. So here we see that Moses reigned over the people of Cush. Yael Wife of Heber The Kenite: Midrash and Aggadah, The Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women, Copyright 19982023, Jewish Women's Archive. 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. If the Rabbis identify the Cushite woman with Zipporah, and the word Cushite describes her positive qualities (her beauty and her deeds), what flaw did Miriam and Aaron find in her when they spoke against Moses (Num. In a third midrashic tableau, Zipporah initiated the conversation and spoke with Miriam, Miriam told this to Aaron, and he added to her words and the two discussed the matter. After the Giving of the Torah, a life of sexual abstinence was imposed on Moses. When Jethro invited Moses into his house, the latter entered the garden and saw the staff. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 2011. He fled from the scene of a crimehe had murdered an Egyptian for being cruel to an Israelite slave. After the Giving of the Torah, God instructed Moses (Deut. 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. Her father Jethro was the priest of Midian, and it was he that gave Zipporah to Moses to marry. Thank you! But did Moses have a second wife? It was then that she said, A bridegroom of blood, because of the circumcision. 11) with the conversation between Miriam and Aaron (chap. While she is introduced early in Exodus, very little is said about her. All in all, we can't say. At the well, she met Moses, who was fleeing from Egypt and from Pharaoh's judgment after he . Countertraditions Thanks for the expository (article). Zipporah, or Tzipora (/zpr, zpr/; Hebrew: , ippr, "bird"),[a] is mentioned in the Book of Exodus as the wife of Moses, and the daughter of Reuel/Jethro, the priest and prince of Midian.[2]. Yocheved was the daughter of Levi, Jacob 's son. And Aaron said to Moses, Oh, my lord, do not punish us because we have d15one foolishly and have sinned. [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. Zipporah was one of them. 45 And when Abraham had given all he had to his son Isaac, he also gave to him this stick. [4] Hobab is also the name of Jethro's son in Numbers 10:29 . 41 And he read it and stretched forth his hand and he plucked it like a forest tree from the thicket, and the stick was in his hand. The two latter midrashim are based on the juxtaposition of the appointment of the seventy elders and the prophesying of Eldad and Medad (Num. Numbers 12:1 is the only passage in the Old Testament where Moses' wife is identified as a "Cushite.". Who knows, but it gives me hope to relate to Moses in this thing. Touched by Greatness Women in the Life of Moses. 4:24). 39). Regardless of which parent failed to have their son circumcised, both had to confront this choice later in life, and Gershom paid a price for that. One is that Satan sought to kill the uncircumcised baby, and the appellation a bridegroom [hatan] of blood was given to the child himself, who thereby become a hatan (the title given to the child who undergoes circumcision). Moses marries Zipporah during his time in Midian. He puts her in a group of what he calls "notable and sainted Ethiopians". She was born at the very moment when Jacob and his entire household, Levi and his wife among them, had just entered the gates of Egypt. The girls answered, "An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds; he even drew water for us and watered the flock." Rabbah 5:8). Moses and the Kushite Woman: Classic Interpretations and Philo's Allegory, Jewish history, Jewish religion: the weight of three thousand years, "Moses and the Kushite Woman: Classic Interpretations and Philo's Allegory", "Jacob Jordaens and Moses's Ethiopian Wife", Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes, "Proust's Aesthetic Analogies: Character and Painting in Swann's Way", The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, "Yvonne De Carlo, 84; Said Her "Munsters" Role Made Her Hot", Moses and the Kushite Woman: Classic Interpretations and Philos Allegory, Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy, With a strong hand and an outstretched arm, Current Ummah of Islam (Ummah of Muhammad), ibn Abdullah ibn Abdul-Muttalib ibn Hashim, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Zipporah&oldid=1152724917, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from April 2014, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2019, Articles lacking reliable references from September 2021, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Mother Abiona or Amtelai the daughter of Karnebo. As you can see above Abrahams second wife Kenturah gave birth to children and one of them was the father of the Midianites. 31 And they placed the royal crown upon his head, and they gave him for a wife Adoniah the Cushite queen, wife of Kikianus. According to Jewish tradition, Moses married Zipporah when she saved him from dying after God sent a burning bush to talk to him (Exodus 2:21-22). ET on EWTN: Holy Mass and Rosary on Saturday, April 22, 2023 Tell us where you're. 18:26, when Jethro brings Zipporah and her two sons to Moses in the wilderness, after she had been sent home (v. 2). Proud member Help us elevate the voices of Jewish women. of Moses' wife. Moses siblings, Aaron and Miriam turned against their brother because he married someone who was not from the race or culture. Miriam and Aaron spoke about Moses because of the beautiful woman he had married, for he had separated from the beautiful woman he married. I havent lost my family. 1 Now Moses' father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard about all that God had done for Moses and His people Israel, and how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt. shillach meaning "dismissed, i.e. Help us elevate the voices of Jewish women. A beautiful woman, she had received a special blessing that her comeliness would last her into old age. She became the mother of Gershom and Eliezer, Moses' children. How can we know which is correct? 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. It does show that both parents bore responsibility for raising their child up in alignment with Gods ordinances. This story sounds strikingly similar to the story of Excalibur. The Cushite Woman - Tzipporah, wife of Moses - Chabad.org Other interpreters see the Cushite woman as a second wife, with Miriam and Aaron opposed to the marriage. Zipporah lived a fascinating life, getting to travel great distances, and being in an inter-cultural relationship. Many of us are familiar with Moses' wife, Zipporah. The expression "Cushite woman" is used disparagingly against Moses because he . She heroically saves Moses and her sons from a random attack from an angel by cutting off her son's foreskin; the explanation for this act is unclear. Sorry to here about the break up. The Patriachs who had multiple wives never sought these wives out, except for Solomon and the results were negative in his case. Her words stopped the attack against Moses. "Zipporah: Midrash and Aggadah." 18, before the Giving of the Torah, which is immediately presented in the following chapters (Ex. Detail of Jacob Jordaens' painting "Moses and his Ethiopian Wife Zipporah," c. 1650. 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. It is also noted that Zipporah is often rejected by her husband, who is always waiting to hear new words from God. According toU.S. News and World Report, removing the foreskin was mandatory among Hebrews, as God had told Abraham. Well, Heavenly Father has something in store for me that I cant see right now, I have faith in that. Boast Not Against The Branches: Olive Tree Bible Verse Explained. The Torah does not specify when Zipporah left Moses, nor the reason for this parting. Yael Wife of Heber The Kenite: Midrash and Aggadah, The Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women, Copyright 19982023, Jewish Women's Archive. Because of the lack of context surrounding her actions, it can be easy to ignore the lessons her life provides, but there is quite a bit to be gleaned. Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning. What can her life and her decisions tell believers today about the human condition? Their son did. If you havent read the apocrypha (It fills the gap between Malachi and Matthew), the book of Maccabees within it will shed light on the Romans conquest over Israel. This stick was passed down until it reached Abraham, then Jacob took it. After the exodus, her father, the priest of Midian (here called Jethro), comes to visit Moses, bringing Zipporah and her two sons. Answer Zipporah in the Bible was the wife of Moses and the daughter of Jethro, the priest of Midian. We are told that Moses led the Ethiopians in battle against the Magician Balaam and his two sons (Jasher 72:3,6), who had taken over the Ethiopian castle and convinced the Ethiopians to betray their original king while he was in battle. Answer (1 of 4): This is a very difficult Question to answer because this portion of Moses' life is pretty much presented in A-B-C straightforward chronological fashion, emphasizing only the order in which events occurred and giving very little credence or point of reference to the exact year(s) . Zipporah, however, understood it and acted decisively to rescue Moses. Zipporahs name, meaning bird, combined with her protection of Moses, is reminiscent of the fierce loyalty to her husband Osiris of the Egyptian goddess Isis, who is often portrayed as a bird of prey. He knew God wanted his son circumcised, and Zipporah felt forced to take action. He met her during his years away from Egypt ( Exodus 2:1 ). I trust Him. His concern for his familys welfare motivates him to send Zipporah back to her fathers home, in order to protect the lives of his family. Ask him in to break bread (Ex. Moses therefore fled from Egypt, and arrived in Midian. That Bloody Bridegroom (Exodus 4:2426). Vetus 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). God did not agree, punishing Miriam with leprosy to make an example of their bigotry and pride. According to the biblical narrative, Moses lived 120 years and was 80 when he confronted Pharaoh, but there is no indication how old he was when he went to see the Hebrews. This book is mentioned in the scriptures but many people think it doesnt exist. Her right hand is to her chest. 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. God used her to be a mother, a partner, and preserved her memory in His Word. The next documented moment in Zipporahs life came after the exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt. [13]:248,253254, In the Druze religion, Zipporah's father Jethro is revered as the spiritual founder, chief prophet, and ancestor of all Druze. Such heroes were and are called "the righteous." Zipporah's father was a Midianite, which means that she was a Midianite as well. A type of non-halakhic literary activitiy of the Rabbis for interpreting non-legal material according to special principles of interpretation (hermeneutical rules). How Many Wives Did Moses In The Bible Have - CHURCHGISTS.COM He asks him: Moses, where were you all these years? To which Moses answers: In Midian. Aaron further asks him: Who are these children and women with you? Moses replies: My wife and my sons. Aaron continued to question him: And where are you taking them? The answer: To Egypt. Aaron then tells him: We are grieving for the first ones [the Israelites who are enslaved in Egypt], and now shall we grieve for these, as well? Moses accordingly orders Zipporah: Go to your fathers house. Zipporah then departs for her fathers home, taking her two sons (Mehilta de-Rabbi Ishmael, Masekhta de-Amalek, Yitro 1). She and her husband have lived all over the country serving their Lord and Savior in ministry. Zipporah was the wife of Moses. An opposing view, however, argues that a woman is not deemed to be as if already circumcised; this commandment is not relevant for the woman, and since she herself is not circumcised, she may not circumcise others. They had several rough patches in their marriage in part because of Moses devotion to his responsibilities. There are many mysteries surrounding the episode at the end of this week's parsha when Miriam and Aaron say something to Moses with regards to the "Cushite" woman whom he had married. How old was Moses wife Zipporah when she died? - Answers 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. Most. Ashby, Godfrey. Other scriptures that state the sojourner, like the person born in the land, could be an active part of the sacrificial services (like the red heifer ceremony) are Numbers 15:14 - 16, 19:10 and Leviticus 17:8 - 9. They believed Zipporahs ethnicity disqualified him from being Gods sole mouthpiece. Moses and the latter met at the mountain of God when Moses was on his way to Egypt (Ex. 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? At some point, God told Moses to bring his family to Egypt in order to free his people. In the above scriptures the queen of Ethiopia took a liking to Moses because of his abilities during battle. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well. Most people know that Moses had a staff which he carried when he performed the eleven miracles against Pharaoh in Egypt. They then ask why she was called the Cushite woman, since she was a Midianite. : 247 Inspiration. According to the Jewish Women's Archive, when Moses killed a man in Egypt, he rushed to hide among the Midianites. in the Bible: A Feminist Approach. 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? Zipporah was a midianite who are a nation that were birthed by Abraham, which made Zipporah Shemitic. Are there other non-biblical Jewish texts that would cast greater light on the Old Testament (Torah)? As with other major Biblical figures, the venue of the first encounter between Moses and Zipporah, his future wife, was beside a well (Ex. Zipporah did not seem to always let Moses know what she needed. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Daughter to a priest, wife of the emancipator of the Israelites from captivity and bondage in Egypt, her unique status invites many questions. Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. [12][bettersourceneeded], "Cushite woman" becomes in the Greek Septuagint and Aethiopissa in the Latin Vulgate Bible version (4th century). God blessed them with children. Like me, they never knew about Adoniah (Tharbis). This is problematic, since the Torah does not relate that Moses took an additional wife, nor is there any mention of children whom she borenot to mention the distastefulness of Mosess marrying a second wife while Zipporah was in her fathers house, waiting to rejoin him. Rabbah 1:32). The Healing of Moses Leprous Arm (above) and The Return to Egypt, and Zipporah Circumcising her Son (below).Courtesy of the John Rylands Library, Manchester. 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. Have an update or correction? With the words to break bread" (implying marriage), Jethro hinted that Moses might marry one of them. Moses was that man, when he took it out the ground Reuel saw him with it, and it was at that moment he knew Moses was special, so he gave him his daughter Zipporah. The Bible records, "She gave birth to a son, and . Context matters: Why Miriam and Aaron dare rebuke Moses What mattered was whether the "stranger" or non-Israelite was willing to be obedient to God's laws and thus become a citizen of Israel. The ribbons in her hat resemble a cross. Read the latest from JWA from your inbox. This teaches that at some point Zipporah and her sons had been sent back to Midian, where they stayed with Jethro until he brought them to Moses in the wilderness. Lets look at what the scriptures actually say by starting in the book of Exodus. 12:1): because of the Cushite woman he had marriedhe married her because she was a Cushite woman (Sifrei Zuta 12:1). 99). What Is The True Sabbath Day? Moses - Years and deeds | Britannica Ive already told friends about what Ive read. Zipporah. So that they also keep Yahs commands (John 14:21-27) and enter his kingdom too. Exodus 12:1-3, Exodus 12:10-15. 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 is powerful, No correction Abraham is a descendant of Moses, Glad you appreciate the story. Zipporah was one of them. We do trust Josephus as a historical source, but we don't know if we can corroborate everything he says. Many people often assume that Aaron and Miriam spoke against Moses because of his marriage with Zipporah: 12 And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman. Below you will see one of the sons Abraham had with his late wife Keturah. Meyers, Carol, General Editor. Lutzer, Erwin. Have an update or correction? We first meet Zipporahwho later became Moses's wifeat a well in her hometown of Midian. 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.