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. Her father Jethro was the priest of Midian, and it was he that gave Zipporah to Moses to marry. 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? 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. Since modesty is appropriate for the relations between a man and his wife, how did Miriam learn of Mosess abstinence? 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. Moses first wife was Adoniah (Tharbis) and his second wife was Zipporah. The stick was then taken by Adam (Jasher 77:43) when he was sent out of the Garden of Eden. It was then that she said, A bridegroom of blood, because of the circumcision. The common assumption made is that Zipporah was Ethiopian, some even say that there is some type of biblical error. Jethro was one of the magicians of Egypt, and when he saw Pharaohs staff with its magical symbols, he desired it and took it. [4] Hobab is also the name of Jethro's son in Numbers 10:29. The Bible; the Pentateuch; Tanakh (the Pentateuch, Prophets and Hagiographia)Torah, a life of sexual abstinence was imposed on Moses due to his spiritual standing; this Zipporah found very difficult. She then touched Moses saying, "Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me!" In Hebrew, her name means "bird" or "little bird.". Thanks for the expository (article). 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). Salem Media Group. The Patriachs who had multiple wives never sought these wives out, except for Solomon and the results were negative in his case. Shalom! of Who was Moses' wife? 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. They answer that just as a Cushite has different skin, Zipporah was different, since she was more comely than all other women. Your question refers to Numbers 12:1 that states his mate was a Cushite, a term often used to refer to African nations. Her mysterious life leaves us with more questions than answers, but it does not mean her life was not worth studying. Did Moses Have Two Wives, Tharbis and Zipporah, or Just One? How old was Zipporah when she married Moses and how many years passed 12:1): because of the Cushite woman he had marriedhe married her because she was a Cushite woman (Sifrei Zuta 12:1). [5] The word that makes this difficult is shelucheiha, the sendings [away] of her (Ex. Rabbah [ed. So, when Zipporah refused, apparently, to follow him on his divinely appointed mission to Egypt, she abandoned him, which is why Moses had dismissed, divorced or sent her back (see Exod 18:2 where we read that Moses had "sent her [Zipporah] back", Heb. This article helped to throw more light on issues and matters concerning one of the Biblical figures Moses. Above you can see that Reuel (Jethro) was Moses father in law and the priest of Midian too. Moses neglect of Zipporah is obvious, as he (not God) tells the men at Sinai not to approach any women in preparation for Gods approach in three days(Exod 19:2). Additionally, the midrash portrays female solidarity between Zipporah and Miriam, with the latter lending an attentive ear and even trying to help her fellow woman. The ones that are, are in the minority and they are a blessing. 18:26, when Jethro brings Zipporah and her two sons to Moses in the wilderness, after she had been sent home (v. 2). Zipporah: Midrash and Aggadah | Jewish Women's Archive Lieberman], Ki Teze 1, reads: milah [circumcision; i.e., stages within the circumcision] u- periah). Behind him to his right stands his wife, a black womanpossibly Zipporah. How could I ever be as happy with a now broken family. Exodus 4:21-26. 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). Numbers 12:1 is the only passage in the Old Testament where Moses' wife is identified as a "Cushite.". What can her life and her decisions tell believers today about the human condition? 99). Nor had I heard of the book of Jasher. 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. 24:34, which speaks of a bill of divorce. Another view maintains that he separated from her orally (and therefore this was not a formal act of divorce) (Mehilta de-Rabbi Ishmael, Masekhta de-Amalek, Yitro 1). [13]:248,253254, In the Druze religion, Zipporah's father Jethro is revered as the spiritual founder, chief prophet, and ancestor of all Druze. 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. 31 And they placed the royal crown upon his head, and they gave him for a wife Adoniah the Cushite queen, wife of Kikianus. Episode 91: Israel at 75: Voices of Protest. 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. At some point, God told Moses to bring his family to Egypt in order to free his people. According to the Jewish Women's Archive, when Moses killed a man in Egypt, he rushed to hide among the Midianites. 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. Your email address will not be published. The Bible does not say when Zipporah and her sons rejoined Reuel/Jethro, only that after he heard of what God did for the Israelites, he brought Moses' family to him. The truth is, as you have seen throughout this article, is that this assumption is based off a lack of knowledge and thorough study of the scriptures. (Exodus 4:24). 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. Once the Israelites were closer to his own land, he came to visit and brought Zipporah and the two boys with him. 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. "Zipporah: Bible." 2:1517). While the Israelites/Hebrews were captives in Egypt, Moses killed an Egyptian who was striking a Hebrew, for which offense Pharaoh sought to kill Moses. 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. Jethro helped his son-in-law by encouraging him to delegate some of his responsibilities. But where did it come from? 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. The Untold Story of Zipporah, Wife of Moses - What Do You Think He originally had a wife named Zipporah who was the daughter of a Midianite priest (Exodus 2:15 - 21). Thank you! When Moses fled from Egypt to the land of Midian, he met Jethro's seven daughters, who were having some trouble getting enough water for their flocks ( Exodus 2 ). 4:2426. Vetus Cushites were of the ancestry of either Kush (Nubia) in northeast Africa, or Arabians. 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. These scriptures should clear up any misunderstandings you may have had about these different names. In the midrashic presentation, Moses took them with him because he wanted them to be with the Israelites when they received the Torah (Ex. In-laws have an impact in a relationship: Moses siblings did not like Zipporah and spoke badly about their brother because of it. Moses fled to Midian, which is in modern-day Saudi Arabia. So everybody naturally assumes that she was the Ethiopian. Rabbah 5:8). 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. Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women. Throughout the Pentateuch, Moses's wife is identified as Zipporah, a Midianite woman and the daughter of Jethro, the priest of Midian (Exodus 2:21; 3:1). 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. There is an understanding about Moses wife, which says that he was married to an Ethiopian lady. According toU.S. News and World Report, removing the foreskin was mandatory among Hebrews, as God had told Abraham. Zipporahs actions led to a Talmudic discussion of womens ability to perform circumcision. In a marriage, spouses should support one another and help navigate the relationship with their respective relations. [23], Zipporah is often included in Exodus-related drama. All these were the children of Keturah. Zipporah is not well rewarded. Zipporah was one of seven Midianite sisters that mistook Moses for an Egyptian after he saved them from the men at the well ( Exodus 2:16-19 ). He spends several decades there before he returns to Egypt to tell Pharaoh to release the Israelites. Midrashic tradition assumed they were discussing Moses neglect of Zipporah. Jewish Women's Archive. Tsedaka, Benyamim, and Sharon Sullivan, eds. Jewish Women's Archive. 12:1 attests that Miriam and Aaron spoke against the Cushite woman whom Moses had married. 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. 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). Have an update or correction? Forty years passed, and God called Moses back to Egypt to deliver Israel. He was instrumental in getting back the Ethiopian castle after it was abducted by Balaam the Magician and his two sons. Expository Her last years and the circumstances of her death are unknown. Who Was Zipporah and What Can We Learn from Her Life? - Bible Study Tools Zipporah is presented as the leaders wife, who suffers from the life of abstinence decreed for her husband. Much of the tension in their marriage is documented only after Moses began to step into his role as the liberator of the Hebrews. We would have to read it and compare, and the Spirit should lead you, Shalom. 99). So just as Abraham's marriage could not be condemned by legal standards established centuries later, and just as you were not in 2003 required to pay taxes according to the reforms of . 47 Also when he went down to Egypt he took it into his hand and gave it to Joseph, one portion above his brethren, for Jacob had taken it by force from his brother Esau. Kadari, Tamar. They then ask why she was called the Cushite woman, since she was a Midianite. Here's a scripture that shows that Reuel (Jethro) Zipporah's father was a Midianite. Who Was Zipporah? Moses' Wife in the Bible - Bible Study Tools 39). Who Was Zipporah in the Bible? - Christianity.com However, Zipporah is shown as fiercely devoted to her husband, even though he neglects her. I cant tell you how much this helped me. Heres a scripture that shows that Reuel (Jethro) Zipporahs father was a Midianite. Most probably, the . Before arriving in Egypt, he sent his family to their home country, and he possibly even married another woman. The underlying aim of the midrashim that recount how Zipporahs beauty was preserved in her old age is to aggrandize Moses. 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). Her right hand is to her chest. 17 And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. 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. 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. The story is definitely the same, although the name of the Cushite (Ethiopian) queen is different, it is clearly the same history being recorded. Moses marries Zipporah during his time in Midian. I bless you for the information and now i have an greater understanding of the life of Moses and his wifes. We do trust Josephus as a historical source, but we don't know if we can corroborate everything he says. 21 And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. Purgatory vs Hell, The Truth. God's anger led [] Ibn Ezra on Exodus 18:2 : , : ( :). 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). 4:24). 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. 2 After Moses had sent back his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro had received her, 3 along with her two sons. Jacob was alone and wrestled with the angel all night; Moses is with his wife, who comes to his rescue. The two latter midrashim are based on the juxtaposition of the appointment of the seventy elders and the prophesying of Eldad and Medad (Num. Cambridge, MA: 1992. Yet another exegetical tradition explains that Zipporah differed from other women in her deeds (BT Moed Katan 16b). And the Lord said to Moses, When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. The midrash discloses that the existence of normal marital relations is important for a woman, and constitutes a significant part of her femininity and her self-perception. Ive read all these accounts and one time believe them to be the same but after reading Josephus to them to be two separate marriages and ladies. The law you quote is in Deuteronomy, which was not yet in existence when Moses married the Cushite - it was spoken at the very end of Moses' life (Deut 4:44-5:1). 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. Unlike other women in the Old Testament, such as Sarah and Rebekah,it is difficult for us as readers centuries later to fully understand her motivations. and to be the occasion of the great danger the Ethiopians were in, when they had before boasted of their great achievements, she fell deeply in love with him; and upon the prevalency of that passion, sent to him the most faithful of all her servants to discourse with him about their marriage. She may be Zipporah, the known wife of Moses (Exod 2:21, 18:2), or another woman. The next documented moment in Zipporahs life came after the exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt. Most. Moses and the Kushite Woman: Classic Interpretations and Philo's After the Giving of the Torah, God instructed Moses (Deut. Both possibilities appear in the midrashic expositions. 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. God did not agree, punishing Miriam with leprosy to make an example of their bigotry and pride. She is the mother of Moses' two sons: Eliezer, and Gershom. Alonso de Sandoval, 17th century Jesuit, reasoned that Zipporah and the Cushite woman was the same person, and that she was black. A type of non-halakhic literary activitiy of the Rabbis for interpreting non-legal material according to special principles of interpretation (hermeneutical rules). Sorry to here about the break up. While this devotion is not a bad thing, it requires extra work to make the relationship work. Most focus on the clear teaching that Moses married Zipporah, a Midianite, during his 40 years in the wilderness (having fled from the presence of Pharaoh). 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". That Bloody Bridegroom (Exodus 4:2426). Vetus Who was Zipporah in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org Moses then left the Ethiopians after forty years of ruler-ship (Jasher 76:5-12). Pardes, Ilana. Shalom. Thank you for this! In another midrashic account, Jethro agreed to the marriage between Moses and Zipporah on condition that their firstborn would be an idolater (see below). 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. The Rabbis sought to elicit the nature of the parting between Moses and Zipporah from the wording after she had been sent home [shiluheha]. According to one opinion, Moses divorced her, with a writ of divorce, since shiluah also appears in Deut. My prayers will go out to you. Yael Wife of Heber The Kenite: Midrash and Aggadah, The Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women, Copyright 19982023, Jewish Women's Archive. Moses first Marriage was to Adoniah as previously mentioned and his second marriage was to Reuel (Jethro) the Midianites daughter Zipporah. He knew God wanted his son circumcised, and Zipporah felt forced to take action. Moses goes out to greet Jethro and takes him into his tent, but nothing is said about his greeting Zipporah. The last time the Bible mentions Zipporah is when she is at Mount Horeb with her family, according to Daily Journal. Now we know that Moses was married to Adoniah (Tharbis), by just simply understanding the history of Israel, we can say that Moses was married twice. Wm. According to the Jewish Women's Archive, when Moses killed a man in Egypt, he rushed to hide among the Midianites. 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. Getting Closer to God Lessons from the Life of Moses. 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. Miriam: Bible | Jewish Women's Archive Moses married an Ethiopian woman who was not of Shemitic lineage, she was Hamitic (this information is only found in the book of Yasher), that is why Miriam spoke against her. I love the explanation it has answered my many questions. In a third tradition, the initiative to marry Zipporah came from Moses himself. God hates divorce, and wants strong marriages, and communication is part of that. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. 2:21), understanding the word va-yoel as a customary wording of a vow. Her private life is revealed by chance when her pain bursts forth and she unfolds her feelings before Miriam. He read the symbols on it, extended his hand, and took it. The midrash explains how Moses and Zipporah could have had a son who had not been circumcised. This book is mentioned in the scriptures but many people think it doesnt exist. They were also bring the commanded sacrificial offerings when they committed sins of ignorance. You can see here that Tharbis is mentioned, not in the bible scriptures, but in the Josephus histories. The Bloody Bridegroom: The Interpretation of Exodus 4:2426. Daughter to a priest, wife of the emancipator of the Israelites from captivity and bondage in Egypt, her unique status invites many questions. Meyers, Carol, General Editor. Most people know that Moses had a staff which he carried when he performed the eleven miracles against Pharaoh in Egypt. 2 And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. 31 December 1999. The name of the one was Gershom (for he said, I have been a sojournerin a foreign land), and the name of the other, Eliezer(for he said, The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh). The Rabbis ascribe many traits to Zipporah, whom they considered as differing from other women, in a positive sense, in both appearance and deed. If youre equating marriage to sex that is not a biblical understanding. 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. How Many Wives Did Moses Have? - Understanding the Bible So the question is, who is the Ethiopian woman that Aaron and Miriam had an issue with Moses about? 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. This is the land that Moses dwelt in when he took refuge from Pharaoh. Hopefully this article has helped clear up the questions you may have had about Moses wives. 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? Episode 91: Israel at 75: Voices of Protest. 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. Even if he got to keep his first wife concurrently with his second (from these records its a little unclear, maybe Miriam and Moses were telling Moses he should put away his Ethiopian wife who wasnt given to him in a spiritual way, and only have one wife, Zippporah, who was acquired in a spiritual manner).