The Patriachs who had multiple wives never sought these wives out, except for Solomon and the results were negative in his case. InNum 12:1Miriamand Aaron speak against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he married, but they do not mention her name. 17K views, 519 likes, 455 loves, 3.7K comments, 232 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from EWTN: Starting at 8 a.m. 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). The men that decided the cannon (i.e. Before arriving in Egypt, he sent his family to their home country, and he possibly even married another woman. She takes a flint and cuts off her sons foreskin. Cush being another name for Ethiopia. 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). 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. Features thousands of biographic and thematic essays on Jewish women around the world. 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. We first meet Zipporahwho later became Moses's wifeat a well in her hometown of Midian. In a third tradition, the initiative to marry Zipporah came from Moses himself. So the question is, who is the Ethiopian woman that Aaron and Miriam had an issue with Moses about? They were also bring the commanded sacrificial offerings when they committed sins of ignorance. 2 And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. shillach meaning "dismissed, i.e. In the Torah, Zipporah was one of the seven daughters of Jethro, a Kenite shepherd who was a priest of Midian. Moses fled to Midian, which is in modern-day Saudi Arabia. In Hebrew, her name means "bird" or "little bird.". 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). 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. Jewish Women's Archive. Who knows, but it gives me hope to relate to Moses in this thing. [4] Hobab is also the name of Jethro's son in Numbers 10:29. In Marcel Proust's story Swann's Way (1913), Swann is struck by the resemblance of his eventual wife Odette to Sandro Botticellis painting of Zipporah in a Sistine Chapel fresco, and this recognition is the catalyst for his obsession with her. Features thousands of biographic and thematic essays on Jewish women around the world. Countertraditions Num. 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. When reading the scriptures youll find that Moses was married to Zipporah at the time when he was accused of being married to an Ethiopian. The Israelite Samaritan Version of the Torah: First English Translation Compared with the Masoretic Version. 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]. I trust Him. 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). Im happy you discovered something new. The latter tries to help, and is punished. Times 106 (1995): 203205. Much of the tension in their marriage is documented only after Moses began to step into his role as the liberator of the Hebrews. 12:1 attests that Miriam and Aaron spoke against the Cushite woman whom Moses had married. Zipporah the Midianite was a descendant of Midian, Abraham's son by his third wife Keturah. See e.g. 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. It might refer to the child, for in response Zipporah cuts off her sons foreskin and thus saves his life. 4 And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abidah, and Eldaah. Let us know. 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. Zipporah may be one of the most intriguing figures in the early books of the Bible. This Talmudic source (albeit with opposing views) highlights Zipporahs uniqueness, as the only woman in the Bible said to have performed a circumcision. Yah will give us a new heart and blissful peace (1 Corinthians 2:9). He thereupon accepted the offer, on condition she would procure the delivering up of the city; and gave her the assurance of an oath to take her to his wife; and that when he had once taken possession of the city, he would not break his oath to her. She then touched Moses saying, "Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me!" Both of these assertions are inaccurate. 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. Zipporah lived a fascinating life, getting to travel great distances, and being in an inter-cultural relationship. Miriam and Aaron spoke about Moses because of the beautiful woman he had married, for he had separated from the beautiful woman he married. Moses siblings, Aaron and Miriam turned against their brother because he married someone who was not from the race or culture. Its your duty to train them up in the way that they should go (Proverbs 22:6). [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"). So everybody naturally assumes that she was the Ethiopian. 2:21). She is the mother of Moses' two sons: Eliezer, and Gershom. Im a Christian and I find this very informative. In a third tradition, the initiative to marry Zipporah came from Moses himself. Thank you so much for your, very much needed, information. New York: 2000. The first sign of trouble came when Moses set off to Egypt after forty years of exile. 18, before the Giving of the Torah, which is immediately presented in the following chapters (Ex. Af and Hemah (the destructive angels of wrath and anger) came and swallowed Moses, leaving only his legs. 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). But where did it come from? Rabbah 1:32). Boast Not Against The Branches: Olive Tree Bible Verse Explained. On the road, they stayed at an inn, where God came to kill Moses. Zipporah was rejoined with Moses early on the Exodus (see Exodus 2:16-22; 18:2-6). 1920). Lieberman], Ki Teze 1, reads: milah [circumcision; i.e., stages within the circumcision] u- periah). The girls answered, "An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds; he even drew water for us and watered the flock." [13]:248,253254, In the Druze religion, Zipporah's father Jethro is revered as the spiritual founder, chief prophet, and ancestor of all Druze. Invite him for supper to break bread." 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. The story is definitely the same, although the name of the Cushite (Ethiopian) queen is different, it is clearly the same history being recorded. Her last years and the circumstances of her death are unknown. The text does not reveal that Zipporah was the Cushite woman spoken of in Numbers 12. I cant tell you how much this helped me. Moses therefore fled from Egypt, and arrived in Midian. Her father Jethro was the priest of Midian, and it was he that gave Zipporah to Moses to marry. 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. Eventually they will walk their own path. 12). Zipporah is the wife of Moses, given to him in marriage by her Midianite priest father. Thank you! [citation needed], Moses' wife is referred to as a "Cushite woman" in Numbers 12. Numbers 12:1 is the only passage in the Old Testament where Moses' wife is identified as a "Cushite.". If youre equating marriage to sex that is not a biblical understanding. Their parting took place on the way, following the encounter with Aaron. The Bible records, She gave birth to a son, and he called his name Gershom, for he said, I have been a sojourner in a foreign land (Exodus 2:22). Forty years passed, and God called Moses back to Egypt to deliver Israel. In-laws have an impact in a relationship: Moses siblings did not like Zipporah and spoke badly about their brother because of it. Ibn Ezra on Exodus 18:2 : , : ( :). 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. The next documented moment in Zipporahs life came after the exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt. Below you will see one of the sons Abraham had with his late wife Keturah. This stick was passed down until it reached Abraham, then Jacob took it. The answer is no: Moses never had more than four wives. On their way, at a night encampment, The Lord met him [Moses] and tried to kill him(Exod 4:24). God then left Moses alone (Exodus 4:2426). in the Bible: A Feminist Approach. Their son did. "Why did you leave the man? Much more likely is that Zipporah had died (although her death is not recorded in Scripture) and that Moses had remarried. My prayers will go out to you. The Rabbis interpret the vague wording of the verse in different ways. Mercy and compassion were to be shown to aliens. He then planted it in the ground (Jasher 77:48) waiting for a man who was worthy to pluck it from the ground. There is no information about how Zipporah felt about it, and she is still a mystery in many ways. "Zipporah: Midrash and Aggadah." 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). 31 December 1999. Then at the age of sixty-six he went to the land of Midian and married Zipporah the Midianite. There is an understanding about Moses wife, which says that he was married to an Ethiopian lady. And they said, Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? He did not withdraw from his wife because she aged or because she was no longer desirable in his eyes; rather, his abstinence resulted from a divine command. According to the Jewish Women's Archive, when Moses killed a man in Egypt, he rushed to hide among the Midianites. Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman. This criticism displeases God, who punishes Miriam with Tzaraath (often glossed as leprosy). All in all, we can't say. 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. Expository Some women are fit but not comely, while others are comely but not fit, while Zipporah was both beautiful and fit. An important history book to read is called The works of Josephus I, inside the book we are given more clarity. of Moses' wife. 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. 45 And when Abraham had given all he had to his son Isaac, he also gave to him this stick. 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. 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. 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. Zipporah was a midianite who are a nation that were birthed by Abraham, which made Zipporah Shemitic. Based on the Bible, there is no prohibition against what people define as different "races" from being married. of 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. 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. Read the latest from JWA from your inbox. I havent lost my family. She heroically saves Moses and her sons from a random attack from an angel by cutting off her sons foreskin; the explanation for this act is unclear. After 10 years, she turned to her father and said: "This Hebrew who has been jailed in the pit for the past 10 years, nobody has come around asking for him. Miriam learned of this after the appointment of the seventy elders (Num. Well, Heavenly Father has something in store for me that I cant see right now, I have faith in that. Intercultural/interracial marriages can work and are Biblical: Zipporah and Moses came from different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. Following their appointment, all Israel kindled lamps and engaged in celebrations, rejoicing at the elders having attained their exalted status. Hi I had been reading the book of yasher over Passover and Ive been finding it very interesting! He read the symbols on it, extended his hand, and took it. After Zipporah performed the circumcision, she took the foreskin and touched his legs (v. 25). 15 Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. 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. Some women are beautiful to others but not to their husband, and there are women who are beautiful to their husband but not to others; while Zipporah was lovely in the eyes of her husband and of everyone who beheld her (Midrash Tehillim 7:18). Moses goes out to greet Jethro and takes him into his tent, but nothing is said about his greeting Zipporah. They answer that just as a Cushite has different skin, Zipporah was different, since she was more comely than all other women. Exodus 12:1-3, Exodus 12:10-15. The last mention of Zipporah came while the Hebrews were camped in the wilderness near Mount Sinai. 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. Pardes, Ilana. 4:2728). 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? She became the mother of Gershom and Eliezer, Moses' children. The most popular incident is when Moses is challenged by Aaron and Miriam, because of his marriage to an Ethiopian woman (Numbers 12:1). Zipporah was one of them. With copies of The Book of Jasher in publication. We would have to read it and compare, and the Spirit should lead you, Shalom. 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. Zipporah. 2 After Moses had sent back his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro had received her, 3 along with her two sons. A type of non-halakhic literary activitiy of the Rabbis for interpreting non-legal material according to special principles of interpretation (hermeneutical rules). Lutzer, Erwin. Thank you! Book of Numbers 12:1 states that Moses was criticized by his older siblings for having married a "Cushite woman", Aethiopissa in the Latin Vulgate Bible version. Moses is told that his father-in-law Jethro is coming to see you, with your wife and her two sons (Exod i8:6). She heroically saved Moses from an attack by circumcising her son. However, Zipporah is shown as fiercely devoted to her husband, even though he neglects her. 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. 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. Proud member Ive already told friends about what Ive read. On his journey he took Zipporah and his son Gershom, who was uncircumcised. divorced"). Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. The last time the Bible mentions Zipporah is when she is at Mount Horeb with her family, according to Daily Journal. 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. 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. All rights reserved. Article Zipporah had compassion on Moses and brought him bread and water. Zipporah's father was a Midianite, which means that she was a Midianite as well. Here where we see in the Book of Jasher the same history documented in the Josephus histories. 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. Saturday Or Sunday? How could I ever be as happy with a now broken family. The Torah does not specify when Zipporah left Moses, nor the reason for this parting. The purpose of Patriarchs having multiple wives was to produce babies, not because of lustful desires. In return for her good deed, God gave Moses permission to marry her (Exodus 18:13). The two latter midrashim are based on the juxtaposition of the appointment of the seventy elders and the prophesying of Eldad and Medad (Num. They said: Moses is haughty. 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). A Mosque in the area of Medina, possibly: This page was last edited on 1 May 2023, at 22:54. Help us elevate the voices of Jewish women. 2:21), understanding the word va-yoel as a customary wording of a vow. First lets see whether Moses was married to Zipporah. Yocheved was the youngest member of the seventy souls who made up Jacob's household. They believed Zipporahs ethnicity disqualified him from being Gods sole mouthpiece. God did not agree, punishing Miriam with leprosy to make an example of their bigotry and pride. 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). Zipporah found very this difficult and she Miriam, forming a bond of feminine solidarity as Miriam lent an attentive ear and tried to help. [12][bettersourceneeded], "Cushite woman" becomes in the Greek Septuagint and Aethiopissa in the Latin Vulgate Bible version (4th century). Moses and the latter met at the mountain of God when Moses was on his way to Egypt (Ex. Here's a scripture that shows that Reuel (Jethro) Zipporah's father was a Midianite. 39). To get the necessary information about how many wives Moses had, we have to study the scriptures more closely. After researching this, I have found this statement was true, but not in the way that most people think. These scriptures should clear up any misunderstandings you may have had about these different names. 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. Her words stopped the attack against Moses. So here we see that Moses reigned over the people of Cush. Everything belongs to Yah. His name is Midian, which made him the forefather of the Midianites. Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning. He fled from the scene of a crimehe had murdered an Egyptian for being cruel to an Israelite slave. Despite the difficulties in their relationship, Moses and Zipporah did have two children and were married for decades before he went back to Egypt. 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. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 2011. He met her during his years away from Egypt ( Exodus 2:1 ). 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. 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. There are some people in the Bible whose lives we only see in bits and pieces, and Zipporah is one of those figures. When he was with Jethro, he saw how fine were her actions. Zipporah did not seem to always let Moses know what she needed. Have an update or correction? At some point before the exodus from Egypt, Moses sends her and the children away(Exod 18:2). 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. 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. Patterson, Dorothy. 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. Another interpretation, however, has this danger hovering over Moses, and in order to save him, Zipporah circumcises their son. [3] In Exodus 2:18, Jethro is also referred to as Reuel, and in the Book of Judges ( Judges 4:11) as Hobab. but I was confused in regards to you saying that Adoniah and Moses consummated the marriage?? 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. 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). This is powerful, No correction Abraham is a descendant of Moses, Glad you appreciate the story. 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? 2021 23 Jul The wife of Moses is named Zipporah. All the Women of the Bible. Zipporah quickly circumcised her son with a sharp stone and touched Moses' feet with the foreskin, saying "Surely you are a husband of blood to me!"
Seattle Immigration Court,
The Division 2 Player Count 2022,
Goddess Of Shapeshifting,
Is Xeno Goku Outerversal,
Articles H