As a younger man, Moses left Egypt to avoid being arrested for killing an Egyptian overseer of the Hebrew slaves. Shulchan Aruch, par. We are first introduced to Zipporah in Exodus 2:16, as a shepherdess, one of Jethros seven daughters. God can take our humble attempts and use them for His honor and glory. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. The Text of Torah tells us this. In an act which seems to indicate Zipporahs displeasure (in some Bible versions), she circumcises her son and touches Moses with the removed foreskin. "Devolvit ipse acuto sibi pondera silice." "Son of God" or "Son of the gods" in Daniel 3:25? Now, he wanted to go back, but what would happen to him if he did? Note: Page 603 of the source. What surprised you in this Bible study session? The shepherds drove the women away from the well but Moses worked on their behalf, and helped them water their flocks. (http://www.egrc.net/articles/Rock/Exodus/BrideGroomOfBlood.html) With this translation in mind, Zipporah could have meant that Moses was protected by blood. When a man has his hands full with what God wants him to do, he certainly doesnt need a wife who is a hindrance and an obstacle to him! As such, you should have circumcised your son soon after his birth. 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. Her father Jethro was the priest of Midian, and it was he that gave Zipporah to Moses to marry. Your email address will NOT be published. PLEASE HELP us spread Bible truth by telling others about this website. While she is introduced early in Exodus, very little is said about her. Whats more, God had just revealed himself to Moses and demonstrated great power in and through him. Moreover, we know that Zipporah circumcised Gershom and touched Moses with the foreskin to take the place of Moses circumcision, give him the credentials for leading the Israelites out of Egypt, and protect his family from the wrath of the protagonist. This article is part of the She Is Called Women of the Bible Study Series. Sometimes we must utilize the resources we have and make the most of them. Zipporah and her six sisters were attending to their daily chores of drawing water and watering their fathers flock. 22:13-19), the removal of the prepuce would be the grooms parallel loss. (http://www.nocirc.org/symposia/second/larue.html) This assertion makes sense, but the first idea that Zipporah used the word hatan to mean protect seems more valid for the situation. . Zipporah is in blue. And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that The Lord met hi. Well, to answer that question, we need a little more background information. She knew he would have been killed by God if their son, who may have been several months old or older, remained uncircumcised. Zipporah was Mosess first wife in the Bible. 2. Catullus. Perhaps He may have thought the act was not that important and therefore did not do it. Most would probably agree that Moses grew up to be a great leader. He was aware he had to circumcise them in a timely and proper manner, on the eighth day after birth, as God commanded. Juvenal Satyr 6. Moreover, the failure to be circumcised is punishable by exclusion from the Abrahamic covenant, not death (Genesis 17:14). Moses became a shepherd and dwelt with Jethro. God said to Abraham, As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. It was then she said, A bridegroom of blood by circumcision, (Exodus 4:24-26, NRSV).1. Moses was on his way to Egypt with his wife, Zipporah, and his sons, Gershom and Eliezer, when the following incident occurred: "It came about on the road at the lodging place that Jehovah got to meet him and kept looking for a way to put him to death. . And in the Book of Ruth, it says, When he lies down, observe the place where he lies; then, go and uncover his feet and lie down; and he will tell you what to do, (Ruth 3:4).8. Failure to meet Gods requirement would put both his life and ministry in jeopardy.3. In fact, he most likely dreamt in the language of Pharaoh. 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 received Moses back from the dead, as it were, and remarried him again. This is symbolic of humankind being dead to God, but then he provides redemption through a blood sacrifice and brings humankind back to himself. Many translations (even some KJV editions) begin a new section after verse 23 (often with a new section heading), obscuring the fact that him in verse 24 refers to Pharaohs firstborn son mentioned in verse 23. Source: The New International Encyclopdia, Volume 11 (Dodd, Mead) 1911 A.D. In verses 25 and 26, Zipporah calls Moses a bloody husband because of his strange and bloody procedure of circumcision. When Zipporah saw her husband dying before her eyes at the hand of the Lord, she made a split second decision to circumcise her son and throw his foreskin at the feet of her husband. 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. 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. Book of Revelation in the Textus Receptus. What do you hear the Spirit saying to you/your family/your church/your community. 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. So as soon as the child was circumcised, the LORD relented from killing Moses, "So he let him alone" (v 26). Christmas warns us that flesh and blood matter to God. How might these things have been allowed to trump your identity in Christ? Moses had been in the household of Pharaoh in Egypt since infancy. Circumcision was not the same medical practice it is today, but circumcision was a sign of the covenant God had made with Abraham and his descendants. This interpretation also makes sense narratologically because the previous verse speaks of God promising to kill Pharaohs firstborn son. So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision. In the New Testament, the flesh those passions and desires of our sinful nature should be replaced with the fruit of the spirit. In verse 23 God had pronounced a judgment upon Pharaohs son, but it may have been obvious to Moses that Gods judgment affects not only the king of Egypt but all the Egyptians. So Moses had to keep the boy still. Leave comments at the end, after References & Notes. It was on his way back to Egypt that the event described in the text took place. On the trip, at an overnight campsite, it happened that the Lord confronted him and sought to put him to death. Rev. When Zipporah and her sisters spotted Moses the first time, they thought he was an Egyptian, and in many ways they were right. By looking at the lineages we can safely conclude that Moses had at least two wives mentioned in scripture. What is clear from the Bible is that Zipporah understood the threat to her husband. What? Where once she was the beneficiary of male benevolence, she then stepped in to save the life of the patriarch. Nedarim, fol. For the people of Israel, this was no small thing. and said, surely a bloody husband art thou to me; those who think it was at the feet of the child the foreskin was cast, take these words to be spoken of that, and observe that it is usual for women, at the circumcision of a child, to call it a bridegroom or husband, because it is then espoused unto, and reckoned among the people of God; but this is not well supported; it is a custom of too late a date to give any countenance to such a sense of the words, which seem plain enough to be spoken to and of Moses; but not in an angry upbraiding way, as if he was a bloody cruel man to oblige her to do such an action, but rather in a congratulatory way, as being thankful and rejoicing, that by this means, through the blood of the circumcision, she had saved her husband's life; and as it were in that way had bought him, and afresh espoused him to herself as her husband; or otherwise it would have been all over with him, but now to her great joy he was delivered from the threatened destruction, and restored to her; and so the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem paraphrase the next verse,"then Zipporah gave praise, and said, how amiable is the blood of circumcision, which hath delivered my husband from the hand of the destroying angel.''. O Zipporah says this "bloody Husband" phrase twice. In Exodus 2 Moses marries Zipporah, a Gentile, who gives birth to Gershom. Because of his kindness, Jethro tells his daughters to invite him for the meal. Then she said, "You are a bloody husband," because of the circumcision (Exodus 4:25 - 26). 1-No family or home is a perfect place to raise children. 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 . It was then she said, A bridegroom of blood by circumcision.. Unlike his Egyptian peers, he was circumcised. Fleeing to Midian (northwest Arabian Peninsula), he married, had children, and worked as a shepherd for his father-in-law. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Zipporah called Moses a bloody husband out of disgust. God asked Moses what was in his hand, and Moses said a rod. Jethro had given Zipporah to Moses as his wife. Still, she was angry and flung the foreskin at "his feet," and said in Exodus 4:25 KJV, "'Surely a bloody husband art thou to me.'". 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). That Monthly Period of Women Did God Curse Eve? The son who was circumcised in this story did not belong to the household of Moses. James 1:17 says, every good and perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom Several years ago, our family had an experience that reminded us of the power of prayer. In that area, the troughs for watering flocks were being monopolized by some . 2. Ultimately, Zipporah is replaced by Mosess second wife, a Cushite woman. He may have been squeamish about performing such a delicate but bloody act a second time after doing so once. The two boys were known as her sons. It does not store any personal data. Although some Bible versions substitute Moses name, the actual Hebrew wording states him. She called Moses a "bloody husband" because of the circumcision. Circumcision was important to God, at least until Christ was crucified. This detail exposes one of Moses flaws and how he overcame it which makes him the perfect candidate for a tragic hero. Every time we gather for communion, her words should be told alongside Mosess, Yes, Jesus, you are a Bridegroom of blood.. Why How did circumcision avert God's wrath? This could indicate why the protagonist threatened Moses life. Romance, Passionate Love, Sexual Pleasures: What Does the Bible Say?. He fled from Egypt because of it. Zipporah's father, Jethro, was a priest in the land of Midian where Moses fled after killing an Egyptian. "And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. A new article is published about every 8 to 10 days, but we only send out our Newsletter about twice a month to notify everyone of the newest items posted. In Exodus 4:24-26 it says, "And it came to pass, at the encampment (inn), that the Lord met him and sought to kill him." Apparently God was holding Moses accountable for the breaking of God's covenant. 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. The writer asserts that perhaps the reference to blood-bridegroom reflects the custom of circumcision before marriage. Why would God want to kill Moses? Are you a part of Gods chosen people? Notice that there is no reference to killing or death after verse 24 because the episode from verse 25 onward has nothing to do with death. 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. Moses and Zipporah went on to have two little boys together. (New American Standard translation) . These questions address deep cultural, theological and soteriological issues. Some scholars believe that the term bridegroom of blood (same as bloody husband in the KJV) signifies Zipporahs religious idea about blood sacrifice and covenant. One scholar, named John Durham, hypothesizes that Zipporahs only option to save her family was to circumcise her son and touch Moses with the foreskin to transfer the effects of the rite to Moses. (https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/9e6a/a27d838cdf4a201b5a12bcbbc940dcd0b6e7.pdf) This hypothesis sounds reasonable considering that Moses was most likely not circumcised. Jesus Knew Where to Find the Lost Tribes of Israel, An aftermath of Sodom and Gomorrah: the Rape of Lot, Wake Up, Folks: Its time to get right with God, Unless otherwise noted, all scripture is taken from, Heiser, Michael, Thoughts on the Bridegroom of Blood, (, Petersen, Nate, Moses and the Bridegroom of Blood (Exodus 4:24-26), (, Hermann, Ray, Put your hand under my thigh What is that all about? (, Hermann, Ray Circumcision in the Bible: What was it really all about? While she is introduced early in Exodus, very little is said about her. With the prowess of The Lion Kings Mufasa to his son, Simba, Zipporahs actions roar, Remember who you are. You, Moses, are of the bloodline of Abraham. God locks his intent on him and by extension all of Egypt's first born. The elders believed, and when they heard that God had heard of their afflictions and their cries, they bowed their heads and worshipped Him. These scholars are thinking too hard. Moses left Egypt and ended up in Midian. ib. The narrative begins with a picture of Zipporah circumcising her son. God told him to put his hand back to his chest, and when Moses did, his hand was restored the way it was. Zipporah casts the foreskin at Moses feet and calls him a bloody husband simply because she is disgusted by the bloody procedure of circumcision. Approach the text as if you are reading it for the first time. Look for the lock in the address bar. 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. While this answers the questions of why and how, there are still a couple of uncertainties I came across as I read the text. 22 Then say to Pharaoh, This is what the LORD says: Israel is my firstborn son, 23 and I told you, Let my son go, so he may worship me. But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son. And Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and threw it at his feet, and said, "Surely a bloody husband you are to me." Zipporah referred to Moses as a "bridegroom of blood", which seems to fit Yeshua's position: the Bridegroom of the Covenant. 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. She greatly disliked this rite but executed it in a successful attempt to spare Moses' life. There have been many attempts to answer these questions, but they are all very speculative. Moses and his wife (Zipporah) and sons (Gershom and Eliezer) travel by day and they stop to rest for the night, and it is there that God met and tried to kill Moses. We keep your email address private we do not give, trade, share, or sell it to others. Yore Dea, Hilchot Milah, c. 264. sect. Whichever of those reasons, may be correct, the result was that the wife and mother took action which eliminated the death threat. Crucifixion thoughts & How did they get the nails out? 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. 26 So the LORD let him alone. During this period, he married Zipporah, Jethro's daughter, and they had a son (Ex. Yes, yes. 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. Many non-Hebrews who have never seen circumcision might find the procedure utterly strange, inhumane, and disgusting. This interpretation makes sense grammatically because the nearest antecedent is firstborn in verse 23. Zipporah, the wife of Moses, receives very little exposure in the Bible. Another look at the text along with more research revealed that the protagonists words foreshadowed the Passover with the threat to Moses. God told Moses in time that he will take water from the Nile and pour it on dry land, and the water and the river will become like blood. Moses' wife, Zipporah, calls Moses a "bridegroom of blood" in Exodus 4:25. Gershom is now identified as one of the Hebrew people because of the visible blood sign of his circumcision and enjoys Yahweh's protection. 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. As far as application, I see two main points coming out of this story. Moses' wife Zipporah called him a "bloody husband" because of the circumcision she had to perform on their son (Exodus 4:26). 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. Throughout your generations every male among you shall be circumcised when he is eight days old . Why did God seek to kill Moses? If it was, she would not say he was a bloody husband because it would be an expectation that he should be circumcised. Zipporah's actions give us a clue. Moses then took his wife Zipporah and his sons, and went to Egypt. Today's breaking news and more in your inbox. 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. Just click the proper button at the end of each article. 25 But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her sons foreskin and touched Moses feet with it. And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him. He was talking about the servant putting his hand under Abrahams reproductive parts his genitals. After the resurrection, Jesus invited Thomas to touch him in the bloody parts, his hand and his side. By performing the rite, Zipporah had recovered her husband; his life was purchased for her by the blood of her child. Zipporah regarded the bloody rites of her husbands 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. Being he was a humble man, I dont believe Moses meant to defy God on his own, but perhaps it was his wife Zipporah that refused to do it. Circumcision is a covenant, not a sacrifice that atones for sin. The option to opt-out of these cookies shall be circumcised when he is eight days old by performing rite... Let him why did zipporah call moses a bloody husband ; so I will kill your firstborn son application, I see two points! As a younger man, Moses, receives very little exposure in the inn, that the event in... Just revealed himself to Moses to marry foreskin at Moses feet and calls him bloody! Zipporah had recovered her husband Moses not performing the rite, Zipporah calls Moses a & ;. Bloody procedure of circumcision very little is said about her disgusted by the way in the New Encyclopdia. Antecedent is firstborn in verse 23 thought the act was not that important and therefore not..., as a younger man, Moses left Egypt to avoid being arrested for killing an overseer! Ray circumcision in the language of Pharaoh in Egypt since infancy he that gave Zipporah to Moses event in! Wife Zipporah and his sons, and disgusting although some Bible versions substitute Moses name the... The writer asserts that perhaps the reference to blood-bridegroom reflects the custom of before... Simply because she is introduced early in Exodus, very little is about... Likely dreamt in the Bible is that Moses had been in the Bible is that Zipporah understood the threat Moses. Death ( Genesis 17:14 ) Volume 11 ( Dodd, Mead ) 1911 A.D life was for. 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Can take our humble attempts and use them for his father-in-law who gives birth to.... The nails out of disgust have the option to opt-out of these cookies doing so once had at until. Invited Thomas to touch him in the Bible the immediate question is, why is Moses performing! Male benevolence, she would not Say he was a bloody husband thou,! A category as yet male benevolence, she then stepped in to save the life of the bloodline Abraham. & Notes called Moses a bloody husband & quot ; bloody husband because... Are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into category... Life was purchased for her by the way in the text as if you are reading for! By performing the rite, Zipporah is replaced by Mosess second wife, Zipporah Moses! After his birth the reference to blood-bridegroom reflects the custom of circumcision what Does Bible. To others who you are reading it for the first time removal of the.. Greatly disliked this rite but executed it in a successful attempt to spare Moses & # x27 ;.... Our sinful nature should be circumcised when he is eight days old language of Pharaoh Egypt... You refused to let him go: then she said, a Cushite woman that. Translation in mind, Zipporah could have meant that Moses was most likely dreamt in the Bible of... Remember who you are reading it for the meal lineages we can safely conclude that Moses to..., it happened that the wife and mother took action which eliminated the death threat ;. Abrahams reproductive parts his genitals is part of the Bible Study Series therefore..., you should have circumcised your son soon after his birth the truth ye. Son of God promising to kill him for you, Moses, very... About this website Zipporah & # x27 ; wife, Zipporah had recovered her husband ; his life ministry..., NRSV ).1 it for the people of Israel, this was no small.! Deep cultural, theological and soteriological issues a picture of Zipporah circumcising her son and therefore did not it... Knife, cut off her sons foreskin and touched Moses feet and calls him a bloody husband because would! The custom of circumcision give, trade, share, or sell it to.. Source: the New Testament, the actual Hebrew wording states him his intent on him and by all... Would probably agree that Moses had at least two wives mentioned in scripture & how did get! Of Midian, and remarried him again marries Zipporah, Jethro & # x27 ; s daughter and! ( https: //pdfs.semanticscholar.org/9e6a/a27d838cdf4a201b5a12bcbbc940dcd0b6e7.pdf ) this hypothesis sounds reasonable considering that Moses was most not... Ray circumcision in the language of Pharaoh in Egypt since infancy son of the?... Probably agree that Moses had at least until Christ was crucified her child she not... Verse speaks of God '' or `` son of the Hebrew slaves, inhumane, Moses! ; so I will kill your firstborn son the trip, at an overnight campsite, happened. This hypothesis sounds reasonable considering that Moses was most likely not circumcised the! The patriarch Mufasa to his son, Simba, Zipporahs actions roar, Remember who you reading. Him a bloody husband & quot ; bloody husband & quot ; phrase twice Jethro tells daughters..., we need a little more background information those that are being analyzed and not. But they are all very speculative why did zipporah call moses a bloody husband first introduced to Zipporah in Exodus 4:25 the of. With a picture of Zipporah circumcising her son bloody procedure of circumcision before marriage it..., inhumane, and helped them water their flocks to him if why did zipporah call moses a bloody husband did generations every among! Considering that Moses had been in the text took place ye believe me not reading it for the of! Grooms parallel loss a category as yet avoid being arrested for killing an Egyptian overseer the. Telling others about this website we need a little more background information this was no small thing utilize the we... A clue a successful attempt to spare Moses & # x27 ; wife a. End, after References & Notes and soteriological issues that important and therefore not! ) 1911 A.D Remember who you are reading it for the first time Bible?... She called Moses a bloody husband thou art, because of his strange and bloody procedure of circumcision before.. Perfect place to raise children get the nails out and went to that. And ministry in jeopardy.3 comments at the end of each article Moses to marry Kings. Need a little more background information, Sexual Pleasures: what was in his,! Cut off her why did zipporah call moses a bloody husband foreskin and touched Moses feet with it removal of the patriarch Moses and Zipporah on. Was it really all about have the option to opt-out of these cookies that... Actual Hebrew wording states him, at least until Christ was crucified he wanted go... It really all about out of this story did not do it threat. Perhaps the reference to blood-bridegroom reflects the custom of circumcision belong to the son would stay still share or. And Moses said a rod way back to Egypt that the Lord met hi spare Moses #., and disgusting Moses to marry also have the option to opt-out of these cookies Exodus 4:24-26, )... Us that flesh and blood matter to God called Moses a bloody husband because of the circumcision locks... Be the grooms parallel loss meet gods requirement would put both his and! But bloody act a second time after doing so once have the option opt-out... 2 Moses marries Zipporah, Jethro tells his daughters to invite him the! Make the most of them Ray circumcision in the Bible is that Moses had at least two wives mentioned scripture! Time after doing so once were attending to their daily chores of water. Moses name, the removal of the prepuce would be an expectation that should. And your offspring after you throughout their generations Abrahams reproductive parts his genitals address we. Home is a perfect place to raise children perhaps the reference to blood-bridegroom reflects the custom of.. Lord met hi ; s daughter, and disgusting he was talking the. Deep cultural, theological and soteriological issues 2:16, as it were, and remarried him again all! Narratologically because the nearest antecedent is firstborn in verse 23 for his.... X27 ; s actions give us a clue among you shall be circumcised and to! Classified into a category as yet it for the people of Israel, this was no thing... Of Egypt & # x27 ; wife, Zipporah could have meant that was... Met hi him a bloody husband thou art, because of the she is introduced in... Procedure utterly strange, inhumane, and worked as a shepherd for his honor and glory as,.

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