Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman. Ive already told friends about what Ive read. Like many other prominent biblical characters, Zipporah is depicted in several works of art. Ibn Ezra on Exodus 18:2 : , : ( :). After researching this, I have found this statement was true, but not in the way that most people think. Its worth reading and very insightful. 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.
Who Was Zipporah in the Bible - Moses' Wife Story - Crosswalk.com The two latter midrashim are based on the juxtaposition of the appointment of the seventy elders and the prophesying of Eldad and Medad (Num. 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. Aaron goes forth to greet his brother and hugs and kisses him. Their parting took place on the way, following the encounter with Aaron. of Moses' wife. When Jethro invited Moses into his house, the latter entered the garden and saw the staff. 11:27) that Eldad and Medad are acting the prophet in the camp! Zipporahs reaction to this report was: Woe to their wives. 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. Pharaohs daughter, who raised him, was aware of his heritage when she found him the basket, but raised him anyway.
Moses - Years and deeds | Britannica Now you know that Moses was in fact married to an Ethiopian, you can go and educate others. 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 did not seem to always let Moses know what she needed. The situation remains unclear to us. If youre equating marriage to sex that is not a biblical understanding. Zipporah, however, understood it and acted decisively to rescue Moses.
In Gods eyes, it does not matter whether Moses' wife was a Midianite, Cushite or whatever "race" she was. Rabbah 1:32). 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. These scriptures should clear up any misunderstandings you may have had about these different names. Instead, she was a married single for the rest of her life. Have an update or correction? He planted the staff in the garden of his house, and no man could approach it. When the cloud removed from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, like snow. Shalom. [Hence, it is no longer dangerous to have him in our home.] shillach meaning "dismissed, i.e. 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). 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 ). 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]. The misconception is that Zipporah was Ethiopian and she was not, she was Shemitic. Zipporahs actions led to a Talmudic discussion of the ability of women to perform circumcision. Behind him to his right stands his wife, a black womanpossibly Zipporah. Like me, they never knew about Adoniah (Tharbis). If we dont study then were only left with half the truth. The text does not reveal that Zipporah was the Cushite woman spoken of in Numbers 12. 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. 17 And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. 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). 18: . : . It is called the book of Jasher and it is mentioned in Joshua 10:13 and 2 Samuel 1:18. We do trust Josephus as a historical source, but we don't know if we can corroborate everything he says. "Zipporah: Bible." Zipporah is not well rewarded. Thank you!!!!! In the Torah, Zipporah was one of the seven daughters of Jethro, a Kenite shepherd who was a priest of Midian. While she is introduced early in Exodus, very little is said about her. 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. The ribbons in her hat resemble a cross. 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. I am so excited to get this information. Zipporah may be one of the most intriguing figures in the early books of the Bible. Who was Moses' wife? 4 And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abidah, and Eldaah. Saturday Or Sunday? Moses is told that his father-in-law Jethro is coming to see you, with your wife and her two sons (Exod i8:6). Zipporah the Midianite was a descendant of Midian, Abraham's son by his third wife Keturah. This article helped to throw more light on issues and matters concerning one of the Biblical figures Moses. The common assumption made is that Zipporah was Ethiopian, some even say that there is some type of biblical error. Zipporah's father was a Midianite, which means that she was a Midianite as well. 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). This is the first time I have heard that Moses had an Ethiopian wife! 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. A Mosque in the area of Medina, possibly: This page was last edited on 1 May 2023, at 22:54.
Moses and his Ethiopian wife Zipporah - Wikipedia An important history book to read is called The works of Josephus I, inside the book we are given more clarity. Interpretations differ on whether this Cushite woman[he] was one and the same as Zipporah, or another woman, and whether he was married to them simultaneously (which would make him a polygamist) or successively. 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. In thanks, Jethro--known as the Priest of Midian--invited him to stay in his camp, and gave him Zipporah to marry. divorced"). No reason is given, just as no reason is given for the angels attack on Jacob as he came back from Mesopotamia(Gen 32:24). 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. Thank you for this! He then planted it in the ground (Jasher 77:48) waiting for a man who was worthy to pluck it from the ground. Women in Scripture. God's anger led []
The Truth About Moses' Wife Zipporah - Grunge 18:2). Frymer-Kensky, Tikva. 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). 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. It might refer to the child, for in response Zipporah cuts off her sons foreskin and thus saves his life. Zipporah.
Who Was Zipporah? Moses' Wife in the Bible - Bible Study Tools Mercy and compassion were to be shown to aliens. 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. My prayers will go out to you. 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. Another exegetical tradition places Miriam next to Zipporah when Moses was told (Num. The predicate of this verse is unclear. 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). The story is already difficult for the narrator, who adds a comment thathatan damimrefers to circumcision. 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). Are there other non-biblical Jewish texts that would cast greater light on the Old Testament (Torah)?
How Many Wives Did Moses In The Bible Have - CHURCHGISTS.COM 2 And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. There's not a lot mentioned about her in the Bible; however, she's known for one major thing and it's a bit strange. 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. 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. [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. 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). 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. On the road, they stayed at an inn, where God came to kill Moses. When her father identified Moses as his future son-in-law, she ran to bring him from the well, and hence became his wife. 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. Just as everyone speaks of the blackness of the Cushite, so do all proclaim the beauty of Zipporah (Tanhuma, Zav 13). Being married to a person with a passion or calling can be hard: Zipporahs husband confronted the most powerful ruler in the world at the time, saw God so much he was physically changed, and led people through the wilderness for forty years. Why Does God Compare Our Relationship with Him to That of a Bride and Groom? "Why did you leave the man? 31 December 1999. It is an unfortunate thing that women in todays society are generally not willing to stick through the hard times. Much of the tension in their marriage is documented only after Moses began to step into his role as the liberator of the Hebrews. Before arriving in Egypt, he sent his family to their home country, and he possibly even married another woman.
Zipporah: Bible | Jewish Women's Archive Thank you for an extremely interesting read. Unlike the human tendency to want or expect perfection in religious heroes, historic Judaism simply asked that its heroes do more good than evil. Invite him for supper to break bread." This book is mentioned in the scriptures but many people think it doesnt exist. 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). His name is Midian, which made him the forefather of the Midianites. After the Giving of the Torah she-bi-khetav: Lit. They had several rough patches in their marriage in part because of Moses devotion to his responsibilities. Yocheved was the daughter of Levi, Jacob 's son. 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). Following their appointment, all Israel kindled lamps and engaged in celebrations, rejoicing at the elders having attained their exalted status. You can see here that Tharbis is mentioned, not in the bible scriptures, but in the Josephus histories. Zipporah was rejoined with Moses early on the Exodus (see Exodus 2:16-22; 18:2-6). 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. At the time of Moses marriage to Zipporah he was no longer married to the Ethiopian Adoniah (Tharbis). The Lord has already spoken with many prophets, and with us as well, but we did not abstain from our spouses as Moses has done (Sifrei Zuta 12:1). Jethro helped his son-in-law by encouraging him to delegate some of his responsibilities. 12:1 attests that Miriam and Aaron spoke against the Cushite woman whom Moses had married. Purgatory vs Hell, The Truth. Page from the Rylands Haggadah. Reuel then gave Moses Zipporah as his wife (Exodus 2:1121). Cush being another name for Ethiopia. a female bird. Yocheved was the youngest member of the seventy souls who made up Jacob's household. Upon hearing her father, Zipporah immediately ran after Moses like a bird (ke-zippor, i.e., with alacrity) (Ex. 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. 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. [23], Zipporah is often included in Exodus-related drama. Moses first wife was Adoniah (Tharbis) and his second wife was Zipporah. [9][10] One interpretation is that the wife is Zipporah, and that she was referred to as a Cushite though she was a Midianite, because of her beauty. The latter tries to help, and is punished. The girls answered, "An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds; he even drew water for us and watered the flock." When the daughters of Reuel, a Midianite priest, were being harassed, Moses helped them. 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. Her right hand is to her chest. At some point, God told Moses to bring his family to Egypt in order to free his people. While this devotion is not a bad thing, it requires extra work to make the relationship work. 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. 18, before the Giving of the Torah, which is immediately presented in the following chapters (Ex. 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). Kadari, Tamar. According to the Rabbis, Miriam intended to praise her brother, and she wanted to increase procreative activity, but nevertheless was punished, because of the severity of gossip (Sifrei on Numbers chap. Both possibilities appear in the midrashic expositions. They then ask why she was called the Cushite woman, since she was a Midianite. 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). Moses marries Zipporah [ edit] 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. 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Moses' Kushite Wife Was Zipporah the Midianite - TheTorah.com 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). This information sheds a clear light on the question, whether Moses was married to an Ethiopian? Read the latest from JWA from your inbox. Since modesty is appropriate for the relations between a man and his wife, how did Miriam learn of Mosess abstinence? Getting Closer to God Lessons from the Life of Moses. In the midrashic amplification, Zipporah set out for Egypt with Moses, but never arrived there. They said: Moses is haughty. 2:1517). The midrash explains how Moses and Zipporah could have had a son who had not been circumcised. Hopefully this article has helped clear up the questions you may have had about Moses wives. While most people would feel grateful when a person saves their lives, Moses didn't seem to appreciate it. 31 December 1999. She circumcised her. 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.
Zipporah May be Obscure, but the Wife of Moses Mattered - US News Required fields are marked *, 2020 We Are Hebrew | Bible Facts & Bible Notes |, 22 comments on Moses Wife: Zipporah Or Tharbis (Adoniah)?. Who knows, but it gives me hope to relate to Moses in this thing. Alonso de Sandoval, 17th century Jesuit, reasoned that Zipporah and the Cushite woman was the same person, and that she was black. According to one hermeneutical position, Zipporah touched Mosess legs and said to him: Take retribution for your debt. According to another interpretive approach, she touched the legs of the angel and said: This is the culmination of your mission. A third understanding has her touching the body of the child, and only then (v. 26) He let him alone (JT Nedarim 3:9, 38b). B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2013. 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. Then at the age of sixty-six he went to the land of Midian and married Zipporah the Midianite. 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. Wm. Your email address will not be published. Jewish Women's Archive. I trust Him. The Rabbis raise an objection to the latter view, based on the story of Zipporah, who circumcised her own son, as is related in v. 25: she took [va-tikah] [] and she cut [va-tikhrot] []. The opponents of circumcision by women respond by vocalizing these words differently: va-takah (she caused to be taken), va-takhrat (she caused it to be cut off), implying that Zipporah did not herself circumcise the boy, but told someone else to do this for her. It is unclear whether she remained with Moses or returned to Midian. Some women are fit but not comely, while others are comely but not fit, while Zipporah was both beautiful and fit. 3 And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. Patterson, Dorothy.
Zipporah: Midrash and Aggadah | Jewish Women's Archive Below is an excerpt from the Josephus works. Numbers 12:1 is the only passage in the Old Testament where Moses' wife is identified as a "Cushite.". Zipporahs actions led to a Talmudic discussion of womens ability to perform circumcision. Jacob was alone and wrestled with the angel all night; Moses is with his wife, who comes to his rescue. 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. As with other major Biblical figures, the venue of the first encounter between Moses and Zipporah, his future wife, was beside a well (Ex. what is biblical or not) were not Hebrews, they slaughtered the Hebrews. Other shepherds arrived and drove the girls away, so that they could water their own flocks first. 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. This passage can be difficult to understand, and different thinkers and theologians have various interpretations of what happened here. It therefore does not matter what was the ethnic heritage, lineage, etc. Blessings to you and your family, Shalom! But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. Her words stopped the attack against Moses. The Rabbis suggest that Miriam and Aaron talked about Moses having withdrawn from his wife. [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"). Yet another exegetical tradition explains that Zipporah differed from other women in her deeds (BT Moed Katan 16b). I wouldnt call Jasher non biblical. 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. 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). Ask him in to break bread (Ex. The second position is that Moses was negligent regarding his sons circumcision. Zipporah was one of them. In the midrashic presentation, Moses took them with him because he wanted them to be with the Israelites when they received the Torah (Ex. Her last years and the circumstances of her death are unknown.
WHO WAS MOSES' WIFE? (Numbers 12:1) | Perry Stone Ministries It explains the wars that Moses was a part of when he left Egypt. The circumcision performed by Zipporah is one of the most intriguing moments in the Bible, though the meaning behind her words is still unclear.
Context matters: Why Miriam and Aaron dare rebuke Moses 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. 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. Ex. 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. After Zipporah performed the circumcision, she took the foreskin and touched his legs (v. 25). In the book of Jasher Moses was made king after the death of the Ethiopian King Kikianus death: 34 And they wished to choose on that day a man for king from the army of Kikianus, and they found no object of their choice like Moses to reign over them.
The Great Moses Divorced and Remarried? | Hoshana Rabbah Blog The Israelites, too, are called Kushiim in Amos 9:7: To me, O Israelites, you are just like the Ethiopians [Kushiim], because of the difference between them and the other peoples of the earth, since they observe the commandments (Sifrei on Numbers chap. 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). [26] She is the main character in Marek Halter's novel Zipporah, Wife of Moses (2005).[27]. It is also noted that Zipporah is often rejected by her husband, who is always waiting to hear new words from God. That was in the year 2238 after Creation. 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). They were also bring the commanded sacrificial offerings when they committed sins of ignorance. 1920). 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. 17K views, 519 likes, 455 loves, 3.7K comments, 232 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from EWTN: Starting at 8 a.m. She then touched Moses saying, "Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me!" He originally had a wife named Zipporah who was the daughter of a Midianite priest (Exodus 2:15 - 21). Detail of Jacob Jordaens' painting "Moses and his Ethiopian Wife Zipporah," c. 1650. [6][7][8] In the story, Aaron and Miriam criticize Moses' marriage to a Cushite woman. 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). After the Giving of the Torah, a life of sexual abstinence was imposed on Moses. Their son did. God used her to be a mother, a partner, and preserved her memory in His Word. In Numbers 12:1, Moses wife became the apparent reason for Miriam and Aaron's rebellion against Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well. But where did it come from? When we research the lineage of Zipporah Moses wife we see that it goes back to the Midianites. God blessed them with children. That Bloody Bridegroom (Exodus 4:2426). Vetus 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. Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was encamped at the mountain of God.
How did Zipporah know that Mosess life was threatened because of the circumcision?