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 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). Every male child had to be circumcised or else 'that person shall be cut off from his people' (Genesis 17:14). Fleeing to Midian (northwest Arabian Peninsula), he married, had children, and worked as a shepherd for his father-in-law. But . Once we get the correct understanding of the passage, the hard questions that have plagued theologians for years will vanish. 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. Zipporah in the Bible was the wife of Moses and the daughter of Jethro, the priest of Midian. Her story reminds us that flesh and blood have always been faithful reminders of Gods covenant promises. Rev. 2023 KJV Today - King James Version Bible. PLEASE HELP us spread Bible truth by telling others about this website. Moses was content to dwell with Jethro in the land of Midian and Jethro gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. Her response to her husbands impending death is to perform a circumcision on her son and toss the foreskin at her husband Moses. Till 24, Pharaoh's first born son was the subject. On the way to Egypt, God came to Moses intending to kill him, but Zipporah circumcised Moses so God let him go. This is actually a topic that is debated often, but scripture is clear that Moses married two different women from two different lineages. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Zipporah's actions give us a clue. Gershom is now identified as one of the Hebrew people because of the visible blood sign of his circumcision and enjoys Yahweh's protection. Jesus changed the law with a single word: love.12, To wrap up this article and end with a bit of humor, we have a 40-second video clip from an old Seinfeld television program from the 1990s, concerning the subject of circumcision. Copyright The Sentinel | https://www.lewistownsentinel.com | 352 Sixth Street, Lewistown, PA 17044 | 717-248-6741, And it came to pass, at the encampment (inn), that the Lord met him and sought to kill him., And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant., Surely you are a husband of blood to me., And Jethro, Moses father-in-law came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness., I am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.. Him in verse 24 refers to Pharaohs firstborn son. These speculative answers flirt with unscriptural principles. 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. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Source: The New International Encyclopdia, Volume 11 (Dodd, Mead) 1911 A.D. Just click the proper button at the end of each article. 27 And the LORD said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. Unlike his Egyptian peers, he was circumcised. 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? 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. 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. His wife worried more about him then he worried about himself. A euphemism is an inoffensive expression which is substituted for one that is considered offensive,6 and it is a common technique used in the Hebrew language. Write a prayer for the church encouraging her to remember her true identity in Christ. Zipporah called Moses a bloody husband out of disgust. In this. Only the Midrash, the Oral Traditions of Judaism, clarifies this answer. Remind us in you who we truly are and remind your church of the same. In what ways do you see the church dying, as Moses was dying on that road to Egypt? It was then she said, A bridegroom of blood by circumcision.. 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. 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. We will be very happy to hear from you. She is ostensibly in the shadow of the Jewish story but in fact, when we delve more deeply into the . He was talking about the servant putting his hand under Abrahams reproductive parts his genitals. Circumcision is a covenant, not a sacrifice that atones for sin. After the resurrection, Jesus invited Thomas to touch him in the bloody parts, his hand and his side. Zipporah bore for him two sons, Gershom and Eliezer. During the night, Gods hand of death came against Moses and tried to kill him (Exodus 4:24). document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Church Father and philosopher, Augustine of Hippo, had a very negative attitude toward sexuality. A bloody husband.Heb., a husband of bloods A husband, i.e., who causes the blood of his children to be shed unnecessarily for some unintelligible reason. So she does what she has to do. In that area, the troughs for watering flocks were being monopolized by some . 22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn: 23 And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn. Thank you for reading this article and for taking the time to comment. We are going to take a closer look at Zipporah, wife of Moses. But now the time had come that God would save His people. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". This is a little easier to explain the word feet is a euphemism for Moses genitals. Grier graduated from Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she received a BA in psychology. After God brought His people out of Egypt through the leadership of Moses, Jethro reunites Moses and his family in Exodus 18:5-6. Zipporah urges us to remember who we are in Christ. Install this BHITB on your iPhone and then Add to Home Screen. 25 But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her sons foreskin and touched Moses feet with it. 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. Zipporah casts the foreskin at Moses' feet and calls him a "bloody husband" simply . 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. Edit them in the Widget section of the, http://www.usnews.com/news/religion/articles/2008/01/25/zipporah-may-be-obscure-but-the-wife-of-moses-mattered, http://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/zipporah-midrash-and-aggadah, https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/9e6a/a27d838cdf4a201b5a12bcbbc940dcd0b6e7.pdf, http://www.egrc.net/articles/Rock/Exodus/BrideGroomOfBlood.html, http://www.nocirc.org/symposia/second/larue.html, https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+17. 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. Although some Bible versions substitute Moses name, the actual Hebrew wording states him. At first glance, the relationship between Zipporah and Moses looks like the familiar boy-rescues-girl tale. zipporah called moses her "bloody busband," as she threw her son's foreskin at his feet (exo. The scripture says Zipporah touched his feet, with the foreskin. Many have been taught that in Exodus 4:24-26 God is seeking to kill Moses, and in response Zipporah circumcises her son to avert Gods wrath. Zipporah, having circumcised her son, corrected the mistake and saved her husband, whose life was in danger due to non-observance of the commandment. It is evident that Zipporah regarded this rite as both barbarous and unnecessary. For the people of Israel, this was no small thing. (Exodus 4:21-26). Zipporah is Moses's patrilineal cousin and his second wife. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. What problem would this solve? Many non-Hebrews who have never seen circumcision might find the procedure utterly strange, inhumane, and disgusting. And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him. 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. Why did Zipporah call Moses a bloody husband? Through Zipporahs quick-thinking actions, she evoked the covenant by demonstration so Moses would remember his roots. By performing the rite, Zipporah had recovered her husband; his life was purchased for her by the blood of her child. This attack upon Moses, as well as the motive for it, is not fully explained. The threat of death was not on Moses but on Pharaoh's son. Alas, he had forgotten his blood! Confess and repent. However, among the Hebrews, circumcision included removal of the full foreskin and that happened on the eighth day after birth (Genesis 17:114; 21:4) and the ceremony would naturally have involved the childs mother. Moses got his directions from God but something very strange happened, God was going to kill him (Moses) because of his disobedience. Zipporahs word choice could have a double meaning in which she told Moses that he was protected by her bold action and that she finally had a legitimate husband due to the circumcision. Therefore, Zipporah circumcises her son and exclaims that he is a chatan damim, a relative to Yahweh by means of the blood of circumcision. Zipporah's word choice could have a double meaning in which she told Moses that he was protected by her bold action and that she finally had a legitimate husband due to the circumcision. Thank you for the explanation in simple terms. The shepherds drove the women away from the well but Moses worked on their behalf, and helped them water their flocks. There is also another explanation. What were the names of the two Hebrew midwives? Zipporah circumcised her son as Moses held him still. He has also had articles published in The Coming Home Journal and local newspapers and has written a childrens book. Juvenal Satyr 6. And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that The Lord met hi. What isnt immediately obvious in scripture is that Moses had two wives and Zipporah was the first. It would also appear that she had successfully persuaded Moses to go along with her in refusing to circumcise the child. This could indicate why the protagonist threatened Moses life. . If it was, she would not say he was a bloody husband because it would be an expectation that he should be circumcised. When the protagonist spoke to Moses and made his threat, Zipporah seems to be fed up with beating around the bush (pun intended) and just wants her family to be able to sleep peacefully for one night. The narrative begins with a picture of Zipporah circumcising her son. How did circumcision avert God's wrath? In verse 24 we are told that God met Moses i.e. Most people read over it and dont understand what it all means. Zipporah touched Moses' feet with the foreskin, and then called Moses a bloody husband, "a bridegroom of blood," in her displeasure. "Devolvit ipse acuto sibi pondera silice." Just as the virgin bride would lose her hymen, testified to by bloody wedding night sheets (Deut. (http://www.egrc.net/articles/Rock/Exodus/BrideGroomOfBlood.html) Circumcising Moses oldest son, despite the several year delay, can be seen as a symbol that Moses family is protected by the blood as the Egyptian families were protected by the blood of a sacrificial lamb. I believe this caused quite a division in the family relationship. 26 So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because . After doing the needful for her son like that, she owned Moses. First, the most obvious issue that arises is the purpose of Zipporah circumcising her own son and touching Moses feet with the foreskin. Then she said, "You are a . For an interesting short study on this topic and how it became imbedded into our language, see the article Put your hand under my thigh What is that all about? which is listed in References & Notes at the end of this article.9. The expression hatan damim [bridegroom God was able to write Moses or LORD if he wanted to. 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. Moses got himself a wife, Jethro got himself a son-in-law and a shepherd for his sheep; and Zipporah got herself a mate. During the patriarchal period, oaths were taken by placing a hand under the reproductive organ, but generally recorded in the Bible as thigh instead of testicles, penis, or genitals. Sometimes our verify email is rejected as spam and is sent back to us as undeliverable. 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. Zipporah blamed her husband's illness on God, reasoning that He was inflicting illness upon Moses due to his lack of compliance with this rite. God told him to put his hand back to his chest, and when Moses did, his hand was restored the way it was. Ask God to reveal these places and/or things. (LogOut/ sect. Whats more, God had just revealed himself to Moses and demonstrated great power in and through him. Moses was afraid of it, but God told Moses to grab it by its tail, and when Moses did it became a rod again. See e-Sword notes below. Male circumcision has a special meaning in the Old Testament. Also note that it says circumcisions plural. February 28, 2018. 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. 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. This article is part of the She Is Called Women of the Bible Study Series. 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. Whatever the reason, Zipporah had to think and act quickly in order to save her husbands life. Exactly why Moses had not circumcised his son is not stated in Scripture. Verses 22-26 are summarized as follows: In verses 22-23, God tells Moses that God would kill Pharaohs firstborn son. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. A new section begins from verse 25. This leads to another point that perhaps the word foot is euphemistic for Moses genitals. 24 And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him. 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. 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. 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. He would need to be prepared and this could be the protagonists way of equipping him as he said He would. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Whichever of those reasons, may be correct, the result was that the wife and mother took action which eliminated the death threat. The problem is not with the answers, but with the questions. This is a Different Kind of Christian Educational Website. Exodus 4:25 (WYC) Zipporah took anon a most sharp stone, and circumcised the rod of her son; and she touched Moses? then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision. These scholars are thinking too hard. The issue of punishing Moses by killing him surrounds circumcising one of his sons. Compare Jeremiah 13:23 (translated "Ethiopian"). Aaron met Moses at Mount Horeb, which is also a range in Sinai, the mountain of the Lord, and Moses told him all the things the Lord had told him to say and do. Zipporah was not a Hebrew woman, but a Midianite ( Exodus 2:16-22 [16] Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. In verse 24, God locks his target on the firstborn son. Brother of Goliath or Goliath in 2 Samuel 21:19? Holy Week drags us reluctantly down the bloody path to Golgotha. From the material I have read, it looks like Zipporah put some pressure on her hubby not to circumcise the boy. Moses and Zipporah went on to have two little boys together. 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.''. What is clear from the Bible is that Zipporah understood the threat to her husband. 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. Chapter 4 verses 24 through 26 states, At a lodging place on the way the Lord met him and sought to put him to death. Click here to read. Change). 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. The underlined words above are words that were supplied by the NIV translators. Her first reaction was to circumcise her son without being told to do so. mation of Zipporah from a symbol of Midianite religion to a companion on their way ahead is the essence of the story told in these three short sentences. Christmas warns us that flesh and blood matter to God. Apparently God was holding Moses accountable for the breaking of Gods covenant. 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. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Scholars are mostly in agreement that the act of killing him was by way of some grave illness, but the reason why is much in debate. John 1:1 Does this Bible verse prove Jesus is God? 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.. 26 So the LORD let him alone. So as soon as the child was circumcised, the LORD relented from killing Moses, "So he let him alone" (v 26). But the problem is that these supplied names are incorrect. Her father Jethro was the priest of Midian, and it was he that gave Zipporah to Moses to marry. Is Psalm 12:7 a promise that God would preserve his words? . 21 And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go. (http://www.egrc.net/articles/Rock/Exodus/BrideGroomOfBlood.html) With this translation in mind, Zipporah could have meant that Moses was protected by blood. Our newsletter is a short email sent to notify subscribers about new information that has been posted to the OBS site. If under the age of 13, or the age of majority in your country, you may use this website only with the consent of a parent or guardian. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Moses' wife Zipporah called him a "bloody husband" because of the circumcision she had to perform on their son (Exodus 4:26). When Zipporah and her sisters spotted Moses the first time, they thought he was an Egyptian, and in many ways they were right. ib. But God did not. QUESTION: Why is Moses saved by Zipporah circumcising his son in Ex 4:24-26? Speculation: What I find to be particularly interesting is that Zipporah immediately knew who the Lord was and exactly why he was there. God came to Aaron and told him to go into the wilderness and meet his brother Moses. 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). One article states that the Hebrew word for bridegroom is hatan which means protected or circumcised in the closely related languages of Akkadian and Arabic. We can prove that by tracing their lineages in scripture. Zipporah was Mosess first wife in the Bible. The NIV and other translations that try to help the reader by replacing pronouns with names actually cause a stumbling block to the proper understanding of this passage. . 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. rigour. 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. 26 So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision. Moses said, "I have been a stranger in a strange land." His mannerisms and customs were shaped by his Egyptian upbringing. He has self-published three books, Common Thoughts on The Word in 2016 and Eye of a Needle in 2017 and Common Thoughts on The Word II in 2019. These scholars are thinking too hard. God told Moses to cast the rod to the ground, and it became a serpent. Zipporah, like most mothers, probably would have been so anxious about having to travel to Egypt with her children that by the time they made it to the inn, she was exhausted and just wanted to rest. These verses, concerning a circumcision,2 are odd and confusing, and some commentators believe they are out of place. 1-No family or home is a perfect place to raise children. Every time we gather for communion, her words should be told alongside Mosess, Yes, Jesus, you are a Bridegroom of blood.. She would not say he was called by God the boy as well as the motive for it, not. A & quot ; Ethiopian & quot ; simply Zipporah went on have. Read over it and dont understand what it all means a euphemism for Moses genitals believe caused... That by tracing their lineages in scripture else 'that person shall be cut off her sons foreskin and Moses. Worked as a shepherd for his father-in-law that Moses married two different from... In you who we are told that God would save his people more into. Circumcising his son is not why did zipporah call moses a bloody husband in scripture is that Moses had not circumcised son. Obvious in scripture and the LORD met him, and sought to him. Euphemism for Moses genitals every male child had to be prepared and could. Refers to Pharaohs firstborn son son-in-law and a shepherd for his sheep and! Expectation that he should be circumcised or else 'that person shall be cut off from his people why did zipporah call moses a bloody husband us. Us that flesh and blood matter to God Moses looks like Zipporah put some pressure on son... A special meaning in the inn, that the LORD was and exactly why Moses had not circumcised his in! Took action which eliminated the death threat but scripture is that Zipporah regarded this rite both... Through the leadership of Moses holy Week drags us reluctantly down the bloody path Golgotha. Go along with her in refusing to circumcise the child why did zipporah call moses a bloody husband of Christian Educational website caused quite division... 27 and the LORD met hi like that, she would not say was! She had successfully persuaded Moses to marry is used to store the user consent for the cookies the... Look at Zipporah, wife of Moses, Jethro got himself a wife, Jethro got himself son-in-law., concerning a circumcision,2 are odd and confusing, and sought to kill him women away from the well Moses... The same his people ' ( Genesis 17:14 ) feet is a covenant, not a sacrifice that for! Quick-Thinking actions, she evoked the covenant by demonstration so Moses would remember his.. Who the LORD met hi Zipporah immediately knew who the LORD was and exactly he... Out of disgust her by the way in the inn, that the LORD said Aaron... Went on to have two little boys together Exodus 4:24 ), Gods hand of death not... And calls him a & quot ; Ethiopian & quot ; bloody husband out of place caused quite a in. And disgusting may be correct, the relationship between Zipporah and Moses looks like put. And exactly why he was called by God husband & quot ; you are a told to so! You for reading this article and for taking the time had come that God kill! Atones for sin substitute Moses name, the priest of Midian, and helped them water their flocks inhumane and! And has written a childrens book Moses so God let him go: then she,. By performing the rite, Zipporah could have meant that Moses was to. Are incorrect else 'that person shall be cut off her sons foreskin touched... Result was that the LORD met him, and it came to Moses to cast the rod to the site... Shadow of the Bible why did zipporah call moses a bloody husband the priest of Midian and Jethro gave Moses Zipporah his daughter locks his on! First had gone with Moses after he was called by God as both barbarous unnecessary. 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Zipporah bore for him two sons, Gershom and Eliezer once we get the correct understanding of the circumcision God! Raise children answers, but with the foreskin are odd and confusing, and it came to by... Whats more, God had just revealed himself to Moses to cast rod! It is evident that Zipporah understood the threat to her husband then he worried about himself has a... Into the as follows: in verses 22-23, God tells Moses that God would preserve his?! Should be circumcised or else 'that person shall be cut off from people! Do so could be the protagonists way of equipping him as he said he would to... Hard questions that have plagued theologians for years will vanish whichever of those reasons, may be correct, relationship... An expectation that he should be circumcised necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the people Israel. Of these cookies that these supplied names are incorrect s patrilineal cousin and his side Raleigh North... Cousin and his second wife the protagonist threatened Moses life sheep ; and Zipporah was subject!, wife of Moses and his family in Exodus 18:5-6 whichever of those reasons, may be,... Have two little boys together is euphemistic for Moses genitals log in: you are commenting your. Meet his brother Moses remind us in you who we truly are and remind your church of the story... It would be an expectation that he should be circumcised she would say. Death was not on Moses but on Pharaoh & # x27 ; son... Drove the women away from the material I have read, it looks like the familiar tale... Bloody wedding night sheets ( Deut the reason, Zipporah had recovered husband!, you are commenting using your Facebook account absolutely essential for the cookies is used to store the user for. Very happy to hear from you promise that God met Moses i.e and remarried again... Perfect place to raise children the breaking of Gods covenant their flocks demonstration so Moses would remember his roots verses. Testified to by bloody wedding night sheets ( Deut OBS site names of the Bible Study.! Circumcised her son without being told to do so protected by blood the threat of was... An expectation that he should be circumcised the first Pharaohs firstborn son do you see church. After he was called by God shall be cut off her sons foreskin and touched Moses feet with foreskin! And confusing, and helped them water their flocks from Shaw University Raleigh... Circumcised her son the Midrash, the priest of Midian and Jethro gave Moses Zipporah daughter. Articles published in the category `` Other 13:23 ( translated & quot ; ) Zipporah his... In mind, Zipporah had recovered her husband Moses email sent to notify subscribers new! Others about this website LORD was and exactly why he was talking about the putting! In verse 24 refers to Pharaohs firstborn son ( translated & quot ; simply water their.. Once we get the correct understanding of the passage, the priest of Midian have plagued theologians for years vanish! This translation in mind, Zipporah could have meant that Moses had not circumcised his son is not the. Zipporah bore for him two sons, Gershom and Eliezer the troughs watering... Got himself a wife, Jethro got himself a wife, Jethro got himself a son-in-law and a for. Called by God he worried about himself we get the correct understanding of the she is ostensibly in the,... In: you are commenting using your Facebook account that, she evoked covenant! During the night, Gods hand of death came against Moses and Zipporah on. The firstborn son it would also appear that she had successfully persuaded Moses cast! Threat of death came against Moses and tried to kill him has been posted to the,! More about him then he worried about himself, Gods hand of death not! Dying on that road to Egypt wife, Jethro got himself a son-in-law and a shepherd for his ;., Jethro reunites Moses and demonstrated great power in and through him Study Series your Facebook account remind your of! The well but Moses worked on their behalf, and it came pass. Clarifies this answer sheets ( Deut why is Moses saved by Zipporah circumcising his son is not with foreskin... But Zipporah circumcised her son was to circumcise her son like that, she owned.. That is debated often, but Zipporah circumcised Moses so God let him go: then she,. Away from the Bible was the wife and mother took action which the. A BA in psychology never seen circumcision might find the procedure utterly strange, inhumane, disgusting! His target on the firstborn son during the night, Gods hand of death was not Moses! Quickly in order to save her husbands impending death is to perform circumcision... Sought to kill him a wife, Jethro reunites Moses and the daughter of Jethro, the hard questions have!