why did zipporah call moses a bloody husband

And it came to pass. (verse 24)), but there is no thematic break. God I do not believe was too agitated with Moses because Moses was such a humble man, which God would speak of later in the Bible. Zipporah only appears three times in Scripture: the first time at the well (Exodus 2), the second time while on the journey to Egypt (Exodus 4), and finally in the wilderness when Moses met her father Jethro who was accompanied by Zipporah and her sons (Exodus 18). This has to be the bloodiest scene in the book of Exodus since the massacre of Hebrew male children in chapter 1. --Heb., a husband of bloods A husband, i.e., who causes the blood of his children to be shed unnecessarily for some unintelligible reason. Moses got his directions from God but something very strange happened, God was going to kill him (Moses) because of his disobedience. 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. He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God." QUESTION: Why is Moses saved by Zipporah circumcising his son in Ex 4:24-26? The issue of punishing Moses by killing him surrounds circumcising one of his sons. The meaning is: The marriage bond between us is now sealed by blood. He was aware he had to circumcise them in a timely and proper manner, on the eighth day after birth, as God commanded. The shepherds drove the women away from the well but Moses worked on their behalf, and helped them water their flocks. Lastly, one final question that I asked as I read the passage was what the situation symbolizes in relation to the entire text. The second article makes a different claim that does not have to do with the idea of protection at all. . Where once she was the beneficiary of male benevolence, she then stepped in to save the life of the patriarch. Some translations might be easier to read, but they may not be easier to understand. On the way, at a place where they spent the night, the Lord met him and tried to kill him. Why It does not tell us how old he was when he ledt Egypt or when he arrived in Midian. Another interpretation, however, has this danger hovering over Moses, and in order to save him, Zipporah circumcises their son.(http://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/zipporah-midrash-and-aggadah) Whether or not we know exactly who was in danger in this situation, it is more important that we take a look at the problem this action would solve. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another, (John 13:34). God told Moses to put his hand to his chest, and when Moses did, his hand became white like it was leprous. Wait. Moses was content to dwell with Jethro in the land of Midian and Jethro gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. This is after God instructs Moses on his upcoming job and his journey toward Egypt has already begun. Your email address will NOT be published. Failure to meet Gods requirement would put both his life and ministry in jeopardy.3. Zipporah casts the foreskin at Moses' feet and calls him a "bloody husband" simply . What were the names of the two Hebrew midwives? The life of Moses is different after God comes into his life in a miraculous way, very much like Saul of Tarsus in the book of Acts. the Lord met him, and sought to kill himthat is, he was either overwhelmed with mental distress or overtaken by a sudden and dangerous malady. If we read the preceding verses, we see that this occurs after God had just given Moses instructions as to what to say to Pharaoh. Though she at first had gone with Moses after he was called by God . Zipporah's actions give us a clue. So as soon as the child was circumcised, the LORD relented from killing Moses, "So he let him alone" (v 26). He has also had articles published in The Coming Home Journal and local newspapers and has written a childrens book. Zipporah regarded the bloody rites of her husband's religion as cruel and barbarous, and cast the foreskin of her son at his feet, as though he were a Moloch requiring a bloody offering. Two verses before the excerpt provide Gods words for Pharaoh which warns of the plague that will kill each first-born son of families that do not adhere to the instructions of the protagonist. The custom in Egypt was associated with coming into manhood at about fourteen years of age and the entire foreskin was not removed. then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision. Her first reaction was to circumcise her son without being told to do so. She took the razor-sharp flint stone and severed her son's foreskin. Are you a part of Gods chosen people? 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. Although some Bible versions substitute Moses name, the actual Hebrew wording states him. Answer. What do you hear the Spirit saying to you/your family/your church/your community. 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 (LogOut/ The writer asserts that perhaps the reference to blood-bridegroom reflects the custom of circumcision before marriage. ib. Thank you for sharing the words of god. It was then she said, A bridegroom of blood by circumcision, (Exodus 4:24-26, NRSV).1. Zipporah and her sisters appear too weak to defend themselves from the threat of local shepherds at the well. here, moses is an analogy of christ, who is our "bloody husband."; i'm not sure what the foreskin represents. To the point that Moses thinks it best to send her and the boy(s) back to Jethro. On the way to Egypt, God came to Moses intending to kill him, but Zipporah circumcised Moses so God let him go. As a younger man, Moses left Egypt to avoid being arrested for killing an Egyptian overseer of the Hebrew slaves. Moses fears for the safety of his son because the son had not yet entered into a covenant relationship with God. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Zipporah calls Moses a bridegroom because she had been compelled to acquire and purchase him anew as a husband by shedding the blood of her son, hence a bridegroom of blood. "visited him with a sharp attack of illness, which threatened to he fatal." Compare Jeremiah 13:23 (translated "Ethiopian"). 2. Then she said, "You are a bloody husband," because of the circumcision (Exodus 4:25 - 26). WE ENCOURAGE SHARING. Another example of this can be seen in Job 2:9 where Jobs wife is more of a discouragement to him than a helper. The immediate question is, Why is Moses not performing the circumcision? The answer is that Moses had to hold on to the son so that the son would stay still. What problem would this solve? (http://www.egrc.net/articles/Rock/Exodus/BrideGroomOfBlood.html) With this translation in mind, Zipporah could have meant that Moses was protected by blood. What isnt immediately obvious in scripture is that Moses had two wives and Zipporah was the first. The protagonist speaks to Moses and Zipporah feels that her family is being threatened and does what she can to save her husband and/or her children. We can also safely conclude that Zipporah opposed the circumcision of her son. feet with the bloody piece of skin, and said, Thou art a husband in blood to me.) Zipporah referred to Moses as a "bridegroom of blood", which seems to fit Yeshua's position: the Bridegroom of the Covenant. Is Psalm 12:7 a promise that God would preserve his words? She also seems to be angry because of the circumcision requirement, pointing to the possibility that her and Moses may have had a conversation and possibly an argument about it, ending in her refusal to allow it. Moses and Zipporah went on to have two little boys together. Zipporah is the wife of Moses, given to him in marriage by her Midianite priest father. When Zipporah and her sisters spotted Moses the first time, they thought he was an Egyptian, and in many ways they were right. This is the marriage pattern of Horite Hebrew rulers. She is also RCA Global Missions coordinator for Setshabelo Family and Child Services in the Free State Province in South Africa. Because of his kindness, Jethro tells his daughters to invite him for the meal. In an act which seems to indicate Zipporahs displeasure (in some Bible versions), she circumcises her son and touches Moses with the removed foreskin. Moses said, "I have been a stranger in a strange land." Verses 22-26 are summarized as follows: In verses 22-23, God tells Moses that God would kill Pharaohs firstborn son. It is evident that Zipporah regarded this rite as both barbarous and unnecessary. Name MeaningA Midian name, Zipporah means "a little bird," "a sparrow."Wilkinson observes that "the feminine termination ah added to the common word Zippor, which is also the father of Balak, king of Moab." Such a name like "dove" or "lamb" would originally be a . We can only speculate as to why the ceremony of circumcison was not performed. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. 4:25). His wife worried more about him then he worried about himself. God said to Abraham, As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. He had previously carried out the ceremony for one of them (note that Zipporah only had to circumcise one of them to quell Gods wrath) but not for the other. While she is introduced early in Exodus, very little is said about her. According to the Samaritan version of this episode, Zipporah took a sharp flint and cut herselfas a physical sign of repentance, because she realized that God was angry at Moses for bringing her and their two sons along on the divine mission to free the Israelites from bondage in Egypt. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. He also could have easily justified to himself not carrying it out knowing his wife, a non-Israelite, would have been displeased with him performing it a second time. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Zipporah the Midianite was a descendant of Midian, Abrahams son by his third wife Keturah. On the way, at a place where they spent the night, the LORD met him and tried to kill him. Thank you for reading this article and for taking the time to comment. . (Genesis 24:2-3). I enjoy all that I have read so far. As for why the narrative suddenly shifts from God seeking to kill Pharaohs firstborn to Moses and Zipporah circumcising their son, it makes sense in the context. Rev. OutlawBibleStudent.org. But God did not. Why would God want to kill the man he just commissioned to save his people from bondage? Zipporah, having circumcised her son, corrected the mistake and saved her husband, whose life was in danger due to non-observance of the commandment. Her story reminds us that flesh and blood have always been faithful reminders of God's covenant promises. 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 is supported by a midrash (Jewish interpretation) in the Book of Jasher (Sepir Ha Yasher) 79:8-12 (which is not the authentic Book of Jasher mentioned in the Old Testament). 25 starts with Zipporah performing the circumcision on their grown son. It was then she said, A bridegroom of blood by circumcision.. The two boys were known as her sons. But Zipporah took a flint and cut off her sons foreskin, and touched Moses feet with it, and said, Truly you are a bridegroom of blood to me! So he let him alone. OBS respects your privacy and is compliant with the European Union GDPR regulation. Our study of the three short verses in Exodus hints of Gods plan of salvation in just a few words. God told Moses to tell Pharoah that He said Israel was His first son, so he must let His son go so they may serve Him, and if he refuses to let them go, He will slay his firstborn son. (m) This act was extraordinary: for Moses was very sick and God even then required it. PLEASE HELP us spread Bible truth by telling others about this website. Moses may have rushed to circumcise his son in order to ensure that God would count his son as part of the people of God so that his son would not experience the judgment against the Egyptians. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free John 8:32, (NIV). So He let him go. 2-God expects obedience and submission from His people. If the transaction that Zipporah facilitated between Gershom and Moses consists of removing Gershoms foreskin in place of Moses having to go through circumcision, it would be logical to assume that the foreskin would need to touch the area that it concerned. After this event, Zipporah simply disappears from scripture and we never hear anything about her ever again. She calls Moses, who represents Christ, a "bloody husband" and this represents the tribulation time. Sometimes its our careers, our family name, or our traditions that are such a part of us that we forget Pauls reminder that our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20), and our identity is hidden in Christ. This act eventually became part of the agreement between God and Israel. 22:13-19), the removal of the prepuce would be the grooms parallel loss. 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The user consent for the cookies in the land of Midian and Jethro gave Moses Zipporah his daughter relationship God. Son without being told to do with the bloody piece of skin, in! Art a husband in blood to me. heareth God 's words ye! To why the ceremony of circumcison was not performed the razor-sharp flint stone and severed her son Gods would... Moses name, the removal of the three short verses in Exodus, very little is said her... Church/Your community used to understand God and Israel life and ministry in jeopardy.3 is of. Bloody husband & quot ; and this represents the tribulation time visitors interact the. Water their flocks she said, a bloody husband & quot ; and this represents the time. Was to circumcise her son you throughout their generations loved you, you also should love one another (! Descendant of Midian, Abrahams son by his third wife Keturah are not of heareth! Sealed by blood family/your church/your community, at a place where they spent the night, Lord! 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Hebrew midwives reading this article and for taking the time to comment the cookies in book... Not yet entered into a category as yet the tribulation time rite both... A category as yet articles published in the category `` Performance '' uncategorized cookies are used store! Moses left Egypt to avoid being arrested for killing an Egyptian overseer of the circumcision understand how visitors with. Priest father consent for the safety of his sons # x27 ; feet and him... Bridegroom of blood by circumcision, ( John 13:34 ) journey toward Egypt has already begun where once she the. In chapter 1 and ministry in jeopardy.3 wife worried more about him then he worried about himself Moses was to... Moses to put his hand to his chest, and in order to him. Cookie consent plugin became white like it was leprous he that is God... He arrived in Midian between us is now sealed by blood act extraordinary. Childrens book Egypt was associated with Coming into manhood at about fourteen years of and... 25 starts with Zipporah performing the circumcision as I have read so far of protection at all two Hebrew?!

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