31 December 1999. 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. Zipporah was left all but divorced. Invite him for supper to break bread." In return for her good deed, God gave Moses permission to marry her (Exodus 18:13). Her words stopped the attack against Moses. So even though I have always hated the idea of divorce, no matter how much she drove me nuts or didnt step up to the plate when it came to our family, I patiently accepted her for who she was because she was the woman I chose, even though our relationship didnt start in Gods way, and now maybe God is rewarding me for that patience. Bethany Verrett is a freelance writer who uses her passion for God, reading, and writing to glorify God. During his education he learned somehow that he was a Hebrew, and his sense of concern and curiosity impelled him to visit his people. 2021 23 Jul The wife of Moses is named Zipporah. Thank you! Zipporah's father was a Midianite, which means that she was a Midianite as well. 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. 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). You can see here that Tharbis is mentioned, not in the bible scriptures, but in the Josephus histories. The misconception is that Zipporah was Ethiopian and she was not, she was Shemitic. Sorry to here about the break up. In thanks, Jethro--known as the Priest of Midian--invited him to stay in his camp, and gave him Zipporah 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? It is called the book of Jasher and it is mentioned in Joshua 10:13 and 2 Samuel 1:18. Now Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, had taken Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her home, along with her two sons. Mercy and compassion were to be shown to aliens. The stick was made of Sapphire (Jasher 77:39) and not the traditional wood normally expected. Well, Heavenly Father has something in store for me that I cant see right now, I have faith in that. 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. 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. We do trust Josephus as a historical source, but we don't know if we can corroborate everything he says. What Is The True Sabbath Day? Based on the Bible, there is no prohibition against what people define as different "races" from being married. 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. The text does not reveal that Zipporah was the Cushite woman spoken of in Numbers 12. This stick was passed down until it reached Abraham, then Jacob took it. Her right hand is to her chest. Moses first Marriage was to Adoniah as previously mentioned and his second marriage was to Reuel (Jethro) the Midianites daughter Zipporah. Her private life is revealed by chance when her pain bursts forth and she unfolds her feelings before Miriam. How To Worship God: What Is Spirit And What Is Truth? 2:21). Zipporah, however, understood it and acted decisively to rescue Moses. Zipporah is presented as the leaders wife, who suffers from the life of abstinence decreed for her husband. The main plot of Zipporah's cryptic story, which contains a few large holes, is this: Moses, a fugitive from Egypt, where he killed a man for abusing a Hebrew slave, happens upon the seven. Most. Rabbah 2:33; Mann, Fragments from the Geniza, fragment 12, p. 95). So here we see that Moses reigned over the people of Cush. : 247 Inspiration. [Hence, it is no longer dangerous to have him in our home.] The woman is not named. There is no information about how Zipporah felt about it, and she is still a mystery in many ways. 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. When he was with Jethro, he saw how fine were her actions. but I was confused in regards to you saying that Adoniah and Moses consummated the marriage?? That being said I did not say Moses had sex with his Ethiopian wife in this article, they were just married. 1920). In the Bible, women are often praised when they are obedient but they sometimes disappear from the text after giving birth or getting married. He read the symbols on it, extended his hand, and took it. Article 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 was a midianite who are a nation that were birthed by Abraham, which made Zipporah Shemitic. Zipporah was one of them. [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. 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. Instead, she was a married single for the rest of her life. Who was Moses' wife? 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. I havent broken my covenant to her, and maybe God will still honor it in the next life, and maybe she will too when her mental illnesses are then gone. 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). 12:1 attests that Miriam and Aaron spoke against the Cushite woman whom Moses had married. Thank you for an extremely interesting read. [23], Zipporah is often included in Exodus-related drama. 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. Purgatory vs Hell, The Truth. 4 And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abidah, and Eldaah. Thank you for this! Cushites were of the ancestry of either Kush (Nubia) in northeast Africa, or Arabians. "Where is he then? According to this A type of non-halakhic literary activitiy of the Rabbis for interpreting non-legal material according to special principles of interpretation (hermeneutical rules).midrash, Zipporah wanted to marry Moses, acted accordingly, and achieved her goal. The most common translation is that Moses sent her away, but another grammatically permissible translation is that she sent things or persons, perhaps the announcement of the victory over Amalek. In a third midrashic tableau, Zipporah initiated the conversation and spoke with Miriam, Miriam told this to Aaron, and he added to her words and the two discussed the matter. God did not agree, punishing Miriam with leprosy to make an example of their bigotry and pride. Shalom. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2013. Another interpretation, however, has this danger hovering over Moses, and in order to save him, Zipporah circumcises their son. Zipporahs uniqueness is the subject of yet another tradition. They said: Moses is haughty. Your question refers to Numbers 12:1 that states his mate was a Cushite, a term often used to refer to African nations. We all become responsible for our own walk with Yah when we become adults (Philippians 2:12). There, Moses met a man named Jethro and received Jethro's daughter Zipporah in marriage. Zipporah had compassion on Moses and brought him bread and water. In another midrashic account, Jethro agreed to the marriage between Moses and Zipporah on condition that their firstborn would be an idolater (see below). Following their appointment, all Israel kindled lamps and engaged in celebrations, rejoicing at the elders having attained their exalted status. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Corporation, 1967. The common assumption made is that Zipporah was Ethiopian, some even say that there is some type of biblical error. Yocheved was the youngest member of the seventy souls who made up Jacob's household. Cush being another name for Ethiopia. I have an better understanding also who Josephus the historian is and also the book of Jasher. The meaning of "Cushite" is uncertain. 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. When the cloud removed from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, like snow. Hopefully this article has helped clear up the questions you may have had about Moses wives. 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. 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. Exodus 18:2-5. After God commanded Moses to return to Egypt to free the Israelites, Moses took his wife and sons and started his journey. The Midianites themselves were later on depicted at times in non-Biblical sources as dark-skinned and called Kushim, a Hebrew word used for dark-skinned Africans. After having performed this rite, Zipporah says (v. 26): A bridegroom of blood because of the circumcision [la-mulot, in the plural], from which the Rabbis deduced two elements of the circumcision procedure: periah (uncovering the corona) and zizin (the shreds of the corona, that invalidate the circumcision) (JT Nedarim 3:9, 38b; Deut. 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". 99). 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. It does show that both parents bore responsibility for raising their child up in alignment with Gods ordinances. 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. A Midianite, a Cushite, or both? Boast Not Against The Branches: Olive Tree Bible Verse Explained. God's anger led [] Wm. Zipporah is not well rewarded. Moses defended the girls and watered their flocks. Because of this pledge, Moses had to return to Midian after he had been sent to Egypt, as it is said (Ex. In the Torah, Zipporah was one of the seven daughters of Jethro, a Kenite shepherd who was a priest of Midian. Countertraditions Zipporah noticed her husband was at risk and swiftly used a stone to cut their son's foreskin. Since he himself is apparently always in preparation for meeting with God, we can infer that he never sleeps with Zipporah. She circumcised her. Additionally, those living in ancient Israel had to be circumcised if they wished to partake of the Passover (Leviticus 25:45 - 46, Exodus 12:43, 45). She may be Zipporah, the known wife of Moses (Exod 2:21, 18:2), or another woman. 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. This passage can be difficult to understand, and different thinkers and theologians have various interpretations of what happened here. [26] She is the main character in Marek Halter's novel Zipporah, Wife of Moses (2005).[27]. How could I ever be as happy with a now broken family. See e.g. 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. [12][bettersourceneeded], "Cushite woman" becomes in the Greek Septuagint and Aethiopissa in the Latin Vulgate Bible version (4th century). After the Giving of the Torah, a life of sexual abstinence was imposed on Moses. 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. Features thousands of biographic and thematic essays on Jewish women around the world. Let us know. 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. Daughter to a priest, wife of the emancipator of the Israelites from captivity and bondage in Egypt, her unique status invites many questions. I trust Him. [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"). Moses fled to Midian, which is in modern-day Saudi Arabia. Jethro helped his son-in-law by encouraging him to delegate some of his responsibilities. 99). 99). 18:2). [5] The word that makes this difficult is shelucheiha, the sendings [away] of her (Ex. Moses fled to Midian, which is in modern-day Saudi Arabia. So the answer to the question, whether or not Moses married an Ethiopian has been answered, and the answer is, Yes! And Aaron said to Moses, Oh, my lord, do not punish us because we have d15one foolishly and have sinned. 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. That was in the year 2238 after Creation. This article helped to throw more light on issues and matters concerning one of the Biblical figures Moses. 2 After Moses had sent back his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro had received her, 3 along with her two sons. This Talmudic source (albeit with opposing views) highlights Zipporahs uniqueness, as the only woman in the Bible said to have performed a circumcision. 43 And when God had driven Adam from the garden of Eden, he took the stick in his hand and went and tilled the ground from which he was taken. God blessed them with children. 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). 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. Af and Hemah (the destructive angels of wrath and anger) came and swallowed Moses, leaving only his legs. Its worth reading and very insightful. Zipporah. It is always good to study the Scriptures deeper and further. Some women are beautiful in their youth but are repulsive in their old age. I wouldnt call Jasher non biblical. Moses siblings, Aaron and Miriam turned against their brother because he married someone who was not from the race or culture. The stick was then taken by Adam (Jasher 77:43) when he was sent out of the Garden of Eden. 12). After Moses kills an Egyptian, he flees from the pharaoh and settles among the Midianites, an Arab people who occupied desert areas in southern Transjordan, northern Arabia, and the Sinai. Aaron goes forth to greet his brother and hugs and kisses him. Im pretty sure it was a source of inspiration for that popular story line. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. The Midianites were not Ethiopians, they are actually from the lineage of Abraham who Moses is also a descendant of. After the Giving of the Torah, God instructed Moses (Deut. 11) with the conversation between Miriam and Aaron (chap. We would have to read it and compare, and the Spirit should lead you, Shalom. He went to Jethro and asked: "Give me your daughter Zipporah in marriage." Jethro replied: "Do you want to do to me what your ancestor Jacob did? In thanks, Jethro--known as the Priest of Midian--invited him to stay in his camp, and gave him Zipporah to marry. He was instrumental in getting back the Ethiopian castle after it was abducted by Balaam the Magician and his two sons. Below you will see one of the sons Abraham had with his late wife Keturah. Here's a scripture that shows that Reuel (Jethro) Zipporah's father was a Midianite. Why Didn't Moses Enter the Promised Land. From the day that God spoke to Moses your brother, he has not lain with me. Miriam immediately went to Aaron, and the two discussed the matter. 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. If we dont study then were only left with half the truth. As with other major Biblical figures, the venue of the first encounter between Moses and Zipporah, his future wife, was beside a well (Ex. The circumcision performed by Zipporah is one of the most intriguing moments in the Bible, though the meaning behind her words is still unclear. The purpose of Patriarchs having multiple wives was to produce babies, not because of lustful desires. After being taken in by the family of the Pharaoh, Moses grew up among the upper class in the culture, but he did become aware of his Hebrew lineage. 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. Answer: Some think Moses married a woman of a different race than he was. 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. Photo Credit: iStock/Getty Images Plus/kieferpix. Getting Closer to God Lessons from the Life of Moses. The Rabbis suggest that Miriam and Aaron talked about Moses having withdrawn from his wife. When Jethro invited Moses into his house, the latter entered the garden and saw the staff. Then you shall say to Pharaoh, Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son,and I say to you, Let my son go that he may serve me. If you refuse to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son. At a lodging place on the way the Lord met him and sought to put him to death. Zipporah is the heroine of a bizarre incident that takes place as Moses heads back to Egypt with his wife and sons(Exod 4:20). in the Bible: A Feminist Approach. The Rabbis interpret the vague wording of the verse in different ways. When the daughters of Reuel, a Midianite priest, were being harassed, Moses helped them. I cant tell you how much this helped me. Let us know. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well. Remember the only way to know if scripture is valid is to read it. 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. Many of the patriarchs had multiple wives, and we dont know the details of their relationships. After killing an Egyptian, Moses runs away to Midian, where he marries Zipporah, the daughter of the local priest (Exod 2:15-22). Zipporah the Midianite was a descendant of Midian, Abraham's son by his third wife Keturah. Upon hearing her father, Zipporah immediately ran after Moses like a bird (ke-zippor, i.e., with alacrity) (Ex. Zipporahis a Midianite woman who becomes the wife of Moses. : . 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. Their son did. I bless you for the information and now i have an greater understanding of the life of Moses and his wifes. Ashby, Godfrey. (Exodus 4:24). Why Does God Compare Our Relationship with Him to That of a Bride and Groom? Yael Wife of Heber The Kenite: Midrash and Aggadah, The Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women, Copyright 19982023, Jewish Women's Archive. Alonso de Sandoval, 17th century Jesuit, reasoned that Zipporah and the Cushite woman was the same person, and that she was black. Moses marries Zipporah during his time in Midian. 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. These scriptures should clear up any misunderstandings you may have had about these different names. 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.
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