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). On his journey he took Zipporah and his son Gershom, who was uncircumcised. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Corporation, 1967. 99). Upon their return home, their father asked them, "How is it that you have come home so early today?" At the age of forty, Moses killed an Egyptian he saw abusing a Hebrew. Zipporah did not seem to always let Moses know what she needed. So everybody naturally assumes that she was the Ethiopian. Intercultural/interracial marriages can work and are Biblical: Zipporah and Moses came from different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. Her private life is revealed by chance when her pain bursts forth and she unfolds her feelings before Miriam. How Many Wives Did Moses In The Bible Have - CHURCHGISTS.COM 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. This stick was passed down until it reached Abraham, then Jacob took it. Bless you and i will keep on follow and read the Word until i understand more. 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. She heroically saved Moses from an attack by circumcising her son. Below you will see one of the sons Abraham had with his late wife Keturah. Zipporah had compassion on Moses and brought him bread and water. Your question refers to Numbers 12:1 that states his mate was a Cushite, a term often used to refer to African nations. Are there other non-biblical Jewish texts that would cast greater light on the Old Testament (Torah)? Rabbah 2:33; Mann, Fragments from the Geniza, fragment 12, p. 95). Heres a scripture that shows that Reuel (Jethro) Zipporahs father was a Midianite. After the Giving of the Torah, God instructed Moses (Deut. [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. 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. Num. He then planted it in the ground (Jasher 77:48) waiting for a man who was worthy to pluck it from the ground. 1920). If we dont study then were only left with half the truth. God blessed them with children. When the daughters of Reuel, a Midianite priest, were being harassed, Moses helped them. 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. Rabbah 5:8). I bless you for the information and now i have an greater understanding of the life of Moses and his wifes. In-laws have an impact in a relationship: Moses siblings did not like Zipporah and spoke badly about their brother because of it. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim. The meaning of "Cushite" is uncertain. Tsedaka, Benyamim, and Sharon Sullivan, eds. There, Moses stood up for seven young women who were drawing water who were being driven away from the well by shepherds. A second tradition has Jethro deciding upon Zipporahs marriage to Moses after he brought Moses into his home and came to know his qualities. In the Torah, Zipporah was one of the seven daughters of Jethro, a Kenite shepherd who was a priest of Midian. Zipporah was rejoined with Moses early on the Exodus (see Exodus 2:16-22; 18:2-6). The purpose of Patriarchs having multiple wives was to produce babies, not because of lustful desires. Zipporah was one of them. Yet on the journey, God tried to kill Moses. Zipporah lived a fascinating life, getting to travel great distances, and being in an inter-cultural relationship. Her mysterious life leaves us with more questions than answers, but it does not mean her life was not worth studying. We all become responsible for our own walk with Yah when we become adults (Philippians 2:12). In regards to the next life, there is no marrying (Matthew 22:30), we will be resurrected in incorruptible bodies (1 Corinthians 15:54). Zipporah was a midianite who are a nation that were birthed by Abraham, which made Zipporah Shemitic. The story is definitely the same, although the name of the Cushite (Ethiopian) queen is different, it is clearly the same history being recorded. 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. To get the necessary information about how many wives Moses had, we have to study the scriptures more closely. The Rabbis resolve this by identifying the Cushite woman with Zipporah. Sorry to here about the break up. 12:1): because of the Cushite woman he had marriedhe married her because she was a Cushite woman (Sifrei Zuta 12:1). The two latter midrashim are based on the juxtaposition of the appointment of the seventy elders and the prophesying of Eldad and Medad (Num. [5] The word that makes this difficult is shelucheiha, the sendings [away] of her (Ex. There, Moses met a man named Jethro and received Jethro's daughter Zipporah in marriage. Most people know that Moses had a staff which he carried when he performed the eleven miracles against Pharaoh in Egypt. [3] In Exodus 2:18, Jethro is also referred to as Reuel, and in the Book of Judges ( Judges 4:11) as Hobab. She and Moses have two sons, Gershom and Eliezer(Exod 18:34). Touched by Greatness Women in the Life of Moses. Getting Closer to God Lessons from the Life of Moses. 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. The Midianites were not Ethiopians, they are actually from the lineage of Abraham who Moses is also a descendant of. She then flings the foreskin at his feet, declaring that he ishatan damimto her(Exod 4:26). The predicate of this verse is unclear. God then left Moses alone (Exodus 4:2426). Propp, William. 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. Moses is told that his father-in-law Jethro is coming to see you, with your wife and her two sons (Exod i8:6). Jacob was alone and wrestled with the angel all night; Moses is with his wife, who comes to his rescue. 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. 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. What Every Christian Should Know about the Protestant Reformation. 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. Despite the difficulties in their relationship, Moses and Zipporah did have two children and were married for decades before he went back to Egypt. Who Was Zipporah and What Can We Learn from Her Life. The circumcision performed by Zipporah is one of the most intriguing moments in the Bible, though the meaning behind her words is still unclear. [12][bettersourceneeded], "Cushite woman" becomes in the Greek Septuagint and Aethiopissa in the Latin Vulgate Bible version (4th century). Who was she? After researching this, I have found this statement was true, but not in the way that most people think. 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. [19] It has been expressed by prominent Druze such as Amal Nasser el-Din[20] and Salman Tarif, who was a prominent Druze shaykh, that this makes the Druze related to the Jews through marriage. Some women are beautiful in their youth but are repulsive in their old age. It is an unfortunate thing that women in todays society are generally not willing to stick through the hard times. Its your duty to train them up in the way that they should go (Proverbs 22:6). 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. Help us elevate the voices of Jewish women. This book is mentioned in the scriptures but many people think it doesnt exist. Have an update or correction? In a third tradition, the initiative to marry Zipporah came from Moses himself. 2 After Moses had sent back his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro had received her, 3 along with her two sons. 15 Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses.