Though she at first had gone with Moses after he was called by God . Soon after meeting the One Who instructs him to return to Egypt in order to lead his Israelite brethren out of bondage in Egypt, "Moses took his wife and his sons, put them on a donkey, and went back to the land of Egypt." (Exodus 4:20.) Whichever of those reasons, may be correct, the result was that the wife and mother took action which eliminated the death threat. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. 25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me. As Moses and his family arrive back in Egypt he meets up with the Lord who seeks to kill him. If you dont receive the verify page, please try again after adjusting your email filter to recognize the email address containing: @outlawbiblestudent.org. To the point that Moses thinks it best to send her and the boy(s) back to Jethro. She is ostensibly in the shadow of the Jewish story but in fact, when we delve more deeply into the . Moses becomes her "bridegroom," her newly-acquired husband, because they both were culturally new persons. God asked Moses what was in his hand, and Moses said a rod. Please be aware that, although the majority of posts found on this website are for general audiences, there may be certain controversial, mature, or adult content. Before you read the passage again in the King James Bible, try to flush out from your mind everything that you just read in the NIV. https://drmsh.com/thoughts-on-the-bridegroom-of-blood/, https://www.awordaboutgod.com/post/moses-and-the-bridegroom-of-blood-exodus-4-24-26, https://outlawbiblestudent.org/put-your-hand-under-my-thigh-what-is-that-all-about/, https://truththatinspires.com/biblical-insights/bridegroom-of-blood/, https://outlawbiblestudent.org/circumcision-in-the-bible-what-was-it-really-all-about-why-on-the-8th-day/, https://outlawbiblestudent.org/a-letter-from-an-atheist-about-the-12-commandments/, https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/the-mohel/, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2zxkA95PQc, Something Wicked This Way Comes: The Apocalypse, A Strange Hospital Stay During the Covid Pandemic. She recently ended a 12-year tenure as lead pastor at Maple Avenue Ministries in Holland, Michigan. Moses and Zipporah went on to have two little boys together. Top Christian Blogs, Quality Content Authenticity Uniqueness Reliability Trustworthy Ease of Use Data Security. This could indicate why the protagonist threatened Moses life. You can use them to display text, links, images, HTML, or a combination of these. The attitude with which Zipporah performs the circumcision reveals her heart and mind, but it was still accepted by God as a fulfillment of the covenant. The Hidden Books (1 Esdras 2 Maccabees), Godfrey Higgins Mentions That 12th Century Edrisi Noted That Jews Were on the West Coast of Africa, Jews of Africa Have the Skeletal Type of the Earliest Jews and Sephardim, 1880 Brown Natives of Palestine Looked Like Black Slaves In America. Thank you for the explanation in simple terms. The story of Moses being born to a Hebrew, hidden from the Pharaohs men until he was three months old, placed in a homemade basket on the Nile River, and found and raised by Pharaohs daughter is one of the most famous tales from the Old Testament. God told Moses to put his hand to his chest, and when Moses did, his hand became white like it was leprous. Book of Revelation in the Textus Receptus. His wife must have had some hint of why it was happening, because she felt she could stop it and she immediately acted upon it. We are first introduced to Zipporah in Exodus 2:16, as a shepherdess, one of Jethros seven daughters. (Exodus 4:21-26). Zipporah's father was Jethro, also called Reuel. Leave comments at the end, after References & Notes. Some parents who have taken their children to the dentist or vaccination will understand. Ask God to reveal these places and/or things. She, no doubt, witnessed the hesitation of Moses to act and decided to take matters into her own hands. Moses fears for the safety of his son because the son had not yet entered into a covenant relationship with God. Then she said, "You are a bloody husband," because of the circumcision (Exodus 4:25 - 26). Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. God said that if the children of Israel would not believe the first sign, they will believe the second. Did Moses write the first five books of the Old Testament? Lastly, one final question that I asked as I read the passage was what the situation symbolizes in relation to the entire text. 2. All the evidence seems to point to Zipporah and Jethro as being against it, but Moses was still held accountable before God. 1)Why did God seek to kill Moses 2) or was is his son that the angel wanted to kill since the passage said "him" 3)why Zipporah called Moses "bloody husband" 4) why would an angel seek to kill an ordained messenger on his journey 25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me. God can take our humble attempts and use them for His honor and glory. Jethro had given Zipporah to Moses as his wife. Source: Memorials of Gilbert Haven, Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) 1880 A.D. There have been many attempts to answer these questions, but they are all very speculative. Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament. Most people read over it and dont understand what it all means. Naturally, this man who rescued these vulnerable young women was a likely suitor for one of the daughters of the Priest of Midian, and they lived happily ever after. Finally Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son's foreskin and caused it to touch his feet and said: 'It is because you are a . Zipporah reaches across centuries to point to the Lord s Table, the flesh and blood of the new covenant. On the way to Egypt, God came to Moses intending to kill him, but Zipporah circumcised Moses so God let him go. Ask God to help you remember the places and things in your life that you have attached to your identity. When Zipporah and her sisters spotted Moses the first time, they thought he was an Egyptian, and in many ways they were right. Till 24, Pharaoh's first born son was the subject. He belonged to the household of his maternal grandfather, Jethro (Yetro) the priest of Midian. In this version - we have to believe his wife became a follower of the one true God and took the initiative to obey God's commands. Our newsletter is a short email sent to notify subscribers about new information that has been posted to the OBS site. I believe this caused quite a division in the family relationship. This short excerpt that seems disgusting and meaningless to most readers is actually a tale of obedience and preparation for the duties and years to come as Moses leads the Israelites out of Egypt. But surely Jehovah had known that when he talked to Moses from the burning bush; if it was a capital offense, why choose Moses in the first place? By looking at the lineages we can safely conclude that Moses had at least two wives mentioned in scripture. His wife worried more about him then he worried about himself. Every male child had to be circumcised or else 'that person shall be cut off from his people' (Genesis 17:14). The scripture says Zipporah touched his feet, with the foreskin. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Why did Zipporah do what she did? Now, in verse 24, the underlined him, refers not to Moses but to Pharaohs firstborn son. That God was angry and trying to kill him, means he was in the act of doing so, but it was not a fast process. But the problem is that these supplied names are incorrect. Shulchan ib. It was then that she said, A bridegroom of blood, because of the circumcision. (http://www.esvbible.org/Exodus+4/) The portion of the text from which this passage comes yields several questions about the purpose of Zipporahs actions, whose life she was actually saving, the meaning of the phrase bridegroom of blood and what the overall situation symbolizes in relation to the entire text. Therefore, Zipporah circumcises her son and exclaims that he is a chatan damim, a relative to Yahweh by means of the blood of circumcision. "visited him with a sharp attack of illness, which threatened to he fatal." There is also another explanation. It was on his way back to Egypt that the event described in the text took place. While there is no way to actually prove the reason for Zipporahs actions, several scholars have hypothesized her motivation. Since Moses was a Hebrew and was not circumcised, he was subject to be isolated from his people since he did not have a covenant with the protagonist. This is a Different Kind of Christian Educational Website. This is a unique case in the entire Bible when a woman performed the circumcision. What were the names of the two Hebrew midwives? Moses and Aaron met with the elders of the Israelites, and Aaron was the spokesman telling them all the things God spoke to Moses while Moses showed them the signs God told him to show. Although it may seem outwardly there was nothing wrong, to God nothing is hidden! And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him. That Monthly Period of Women Did God Curse Eve? Moses got his directions from God but something very strange happened, God was going to kill him (Moses) because of his disobedience. Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me , Zipporah, having taken a sharp knife, circumcised her son, and fell down at his. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Devils Line Season 2: Release Date CONFIRMED or CANCELED! We are going to take a closer look at Zipporah, wife of Moses. Zipporah circumcised her son as Moses held him still. We are committed to writing about what God wants you to know not what some churches only want you to hear. My guess would be that she was angry at Moses for not doing it, and thereby making their son a part of the Covenant people. That is why when the circumcision was over, verse 26 says, he let him go. This he is Moses because the nearest male antecedent is bloody husband. This phrase is not about God letting Moses go, but about Moses letting his son go after the circumcision was over. By the way, the phrase of the title "a bloody husband art thou to me" is how the King James Version renders what the NIV here gives as "you are a bridegroom of blood to me." Some background to the story. (b) Maimon. Throughout your generations every male among you shall be circumcised when he is eight days old . 2. The narrative is obscure, but the meaning seems to be, that, led during his illness to a strict self-examination, he was deeply pained and grieved at the thought of having, to please his wife, postponed or neglected the circumcision of one of his sons, probably the younger. Amen. Zipporahs story should always be told alongside Mosess, for without her, he would surely have died before returning to Egypt, still unclear about his true identity. Look for the lock in the address bar. The first concerns the meaning of the phrase bridegroom of blood which is mentioned twice in the excerpt. God then told Moses that He will have Aaron, Moses brother to speak in his place. Zipporah casts the foreskin at Moses feet and calls him a bloody husband simply because she is disgusted by the bloody procedure of circumcision. Exodus 4:24-26 (KJV) 24 And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him. (At that time she said bridegroom of blood, referring to circumcision.) Your email address will NOT be published. If you are referring to Exodus 4:21-26 in King James Version then it is because his wife had to perform a circumcision of their son and she "cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his. (New American Standard translation) . As we reflect on Zipporahs witness, let us consider this: The Hebrew word for remember invites us to focus on a thing until it leads us to repentance. ((c) Maimon. Description: In verses 25 and 26, Zipporah calls Moses a "bloody husband" because of his strange and bloody procedure of circumcision. Cast it at his feet - Showing at once her abhorrence of the rite, and her feeling that by it she had saved her husband's life. It is evident that Zipporah regarded this rite as both barbarous and unnecessary. In fact, she may have discouraged the practice in her own way. The Outlaw Bible Student web site is secured with SSL-encrypted connections. In fact, shes only mentioned three times in scripture. Confess and repent. The expression hatan damim [bridegroom The meaning is: The marriage bond between us is now sealed by blood. (LogOut/ 26 So he let him go: then she said , A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision. Her response to her husbands impending death is to perform a circumcision on her son and toss the foreskin at her husband Moses. Exodus 4:25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me. Zipporah gave Moses two sons, Gershom and Eliezer. God said to Abraham, As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. Moses told God that he wasnt eloquent with his speech, which aggravated God. I believe the home-life, traditions, and religion of her parents played a significant part in the way she raised her children and related to her husband (Moses). The name Gershom means foreigner. These scholars are thinking too hard. The standard explanation is that Moses had not circumcised his son, as Jehovah had ordered for all descendants of Abraham. At least, the Egyptian in him had to die in order for the bloody, Israelite Moses, in his truest identity, to fulfill the purpose for which he was born. Copyright 2017-2023 Ray Hermann, The Outlaw Bible Student. Many non-Hebrews who have never seen circumcision might find the procedure utterly strange, inhumane, and disgusting. She is also RCA Global Missions coordinator for Setshabelo Family and Child Services in the Free State Province in South Africa. Romance, Passionate Love, Sexual Pleasures: What Does the Bible Say?. Moses was content to dwell with Jethro in the land of Midian and Jethro gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. Note: Page 604 of the source. Because of the important role that Jethro played in many of the biblical accounts, we may look at the effect he had as well. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. John 1:1 Does this Bible verse prove Jesus is God? These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. It does not store any personal data. He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God." He said something radical that was inclusive to all those commandments in the Old Testament, I give you a new commandment, he said, that you love one another. Zipporah said to Moses "A bloody husband you are to me, because of the circumcision." One may wonder why God would come to Moses to kill him before he was circumcised, but I think it's a safe assumption that the Lord had told him to be circumcised but he refused. In the Bible, Zipporah is called two things. 27 And the LORD said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. At the well, she met Moses, who was fleeing from Egypt and from Pharaohs judgment after he murdered an Egyptian (Exodus 2:15-22). Zipporah was the wife that gave birth to the two sons of Moses: Sometimes in scripture we run across strange events that have no explanation as to what led up to them happening. It was then she said, A bridegroom of blood by circumcision.. By performing the rite, Zipporah had recovered her husband; his life was purchased for her by the blood of her child. God bless us all! Moses' brother, Aaron, married a woman named Elisheba . Zipporah immediately takes a sharp stone cuts the foreskin off of her son and throws it at the feet of Moses and declares he is a bloody husband. . In Numbers 12:1, she also is called a Cushite ("black" or ancient "Ethiopian") woman. Genesis 17:10 reads, This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+17) Additionally, verse 14 in the same chapter states that every man who has not been circumcised will be cut off from his people. In fact, he most likely dreamt in the language of Pharaoh. And it came to pass. (verse 24)), but there is no thematic break. Since the days of Abraham, God required his people to circumcise their sons (Genesis 17:10-14), and many academics believe that Moses had failed to meet Gods requirement with the second son (Eliezer). Moses' wife Zipporah called him a "bloody husband" because of the circumcision she had to perform on their son (Exodus 4:26). The difficult questions asked by scholars are easily answered, and some of them simply become irrelevant. She had been given in marriage to the refuge Egyptian prince after he had shown kindness to his seven daughters. Her story reminds us that flesh and blood have always been faithful reminders of Gods covenant promises. Moreover, the failure to be circumcised is punishable by exclusion from the Abrahamic covenant, not death (Genesis 17:14). Moses' wife, Zipporah, calls Moses a "bridegroom of blood" in Exodus 4:25. In that area, the troughs for watering flocks were being monopolized by some . Also RCA Global Missions coordinator for Setshabelo family and child Services in the,... Was leprous had shown kindness to his chest, and Moses said a rod many attempts to these! On the Old Testament Period of Women did God Curse Eve Lord met him, but there no! Zipporah touched his feet, with the Lord who seeks to kill.! Also called Reuel copyright 2017-2023 Ray Hermann, the Outlaw Bible Student web site secured... Eight days Old father was Jethro, also called Reuel the meaning of the Methodist Episcopal Church ( of. Lead pastor at Maple Avenue Ministries in Holland, Michigan the Lord to! The names of the new covenant first born son was the subject ) back to Egypt the... 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