In Hebrew, her name means bird or little bird. We first meet Zipporahwho later became Mosess wifeat a well in her hometown of Midian. The Bible states that the Lord, while Moses was in Midian, told him to go back to Egypt (Exodus 4:19). 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 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.. 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. The standard explanation is that Moses had not circumcised his son, as Jehovah had ordered for all descendants of Abraham. Note: Page 209 of the source. 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. 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." So He let him go. This is after God instructs Moses on his upcoming job and his journey toward Egypt has already begun. On the way, at a place where they spent the night, the Lord met him and tried to kill him. Moses got himself a wife, Jethro got himself a son-in-law and a shepherd for his sheep; and Zipporah got herself a mate. In the Samaritan Bible, which featured the first five books of Moses, Zipporah is called Kaashet . 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. Juvenal Satyr 6. The issue of punishing Moses by killing him surrounds circumcising one of his sons. The underlined words above are words that were supplied by the NIV translators. Why? Article By the way, the phrase of the title "a bloody husband art thou to me" is how the King James Version renders what the NIV here gives as "you are a bridegroom of blood to me." Some background to the story. In Genesis 17:14 it says, 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. Because of the age of the child, it seems likely that Moses was being held accountable for the sin of omission. The two boys were known as her sons. We can also safely conclude that Zipporah opposed the circumcision of her son. Answer. (m) This act was extraordinary: for Moses was very sick and God even then required it. 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. Although some Bible versions substitute Moses name, the actual Hebrew wording states him. 26 So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because . God said to Abraham, As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. 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. We can only speculate as to why the ceremony of circumcison was not performed. 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. God said that if the children of Israel would not believe the first sign, they will believe the second. It is mentioned in Genesis, chapter 17, when God repeats his covenant of solidarity with Abraham and his descendants and explains his demands. What action can you take to remind the church of her true identity? WE ENCOURAGE SHARING. It is easy to print, download, and email articles. 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. There are things in the culture, in society, and in this world that naturally attach themselves to us and disguise our true identity. Just as the virgin bride would lose her hymen, testified to by bloody wedding night sheets (Deut. She is also RCA Global Missions coordinator for Setshabelo Family and Child Services in the Free State Province in South Africa. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. This article is part of the She Is Called Women of the Bible Study Series Prayer Great I Am, light the path before us we pray. 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. 25 starts with Zipporah performing the circumcision on their grown son. His name means "Help of my God" in Hebrew. Jethro takes her and both of Moses sons and go meet him to celebrate Israel leaving Egypt. 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. 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). Sometimes our verify email is rejected as spam and is sent back to us as undeliverable. Circumcision is a covenant, not a sacrifice that atones for sin. Takedown request | View complete answer on jewishrhody.com Wha. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Thank you for the explanation in simple terms. In verse 23, God makes it clear that he will slay Pharaohs firstborn son if Pharaoh refuses to let go of Israel. She calls Moses, who represents Christ, a "bloody husband" and this represents the tribulation time. Punishment for failing to be circumcised falls upon the child, not the father (Genesis 17:14). 1-No family or home is a perfect place to raise children. This is a little easier to explain the word feet is a euphemism for Moses genitals. If you are referring to Exodus 4:21-26 in King James Version then it is because his wife had to perform a circumcision of their son and she "cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his. After a new Pharaoh comes to power back in Egypt, God commands Moses to return to lead the Israelites out of their bondage. God asked Moses what was in his hand, and Moses said a rod. Imagine the situation. 26 So he let him go: then she said , A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision. Zipporah complains to her husband about the Abrahamic Covenant when she says, Surely you are a husband of blood to me. In most of the Jewish households, the eighth day after the child was born, was a ceremonial day when the male child (which was viewed as a blessing) was given his name and also circumcised on the same day. In fact, he most likely dreamt in the language of Pharaoh. In verse 24, God locks his target on the firstborn son. A couple of examples are when a husband and wife had sexual relations, it is said that they lay together or they knew each other. 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 . Unlike his Egyptian peers, he was circumcised. I believe this caused quite a division in the family relationship. In gratitude, the father urged them to go back and bring the kind Egyptian Moses to their village, and soon after, Zipporah would become Mosess wife. On the way, at a place where they spent the night, the LORD met him and tried to kill him. 25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me. Zipporah immediately takes a sharp stone cuts the foreskin off of her son and throws it at the feet of Moses and declares he is a bloody husband. 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. God reminded Moses that when He performs miracles through Moses that He will harden Pharoahs heart so he will not let the people go. During the night, Gods hand of death came against Moses and tried to kill him (Exodus 4:24). 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. (At that time she said bridegroom of blood, referring to circumcision.) --Heb., a husband of bloods A husband, i.e., who causes the blood of his children to be shed unnecessarily for some unintelligible reason. After doing the needful for her son like that, she owned Moses. 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. She took the razor-sharp flint stone and severed her son's foreskin. Devils Line Season 2: Release Date CONFIRMED or CANCELED! After the resurrection, Jesus invited Thomas to touch him in the bloody parts, his hand and his side. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Is Psalm 12:7 a promise that God would preserve his words? You can see our basic rules for comments by clicking The Fine Print on the top menu bar. 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. . Shulchan ib. Zipporah's father was Jethro, also called Reuel. The narrative begins with a picture of Zipporah circumcising her son. It does not store any personal data. 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 No matter what each questionable word or symbol means, circumcising Gershom and touching the foreskin to Moses is a monumental step in the salvation of the Hebrews. . (Genesis 17:9-12a). Her story reminds us that flesh and blood have always been faithful reminders of God's covenant promises. why Zipporah called Moses a bloody husband circumcision, UNANSWERED QUESTIONS TO YOUR WORD SEARCHES (CHURCH OFPHILADELPHIA), why did God want to kill Moses unless he was circumcised. It would be rivaled soon after as the blood of the Egyptian children ran cold at the final plague, as the blood of lambs was smeared on the doorposts of the Hebrew households that first Passover, and with the bloodying of the sea as the waters closed over the Egyptian army. This article is part of the She Is Called Women of the Bible Study Series. Before delving in to the scholars theories, it is important to remember that due to the fact that Moses was being hidden as a baby and raised as an Egyptian, he was probably not circumcised. Nedarim, fol. People are asking the wrong questions because they are reading the passage incorrectly in faulty translations. Thus in verse 25, Zipporah circumcises her son as Moses holds him still. Source: The New International Encyclopdia, Volume 11 (Dodd, Mead) 1911 A.D. Moses got his directions from God but something very strange happened, God was going to kill him (Moses) because of his disobedience. Her telling Moses he was a bloody husband because of the circumcision reveals that this was not a custom to her people to be circumcised. Thank you for sharing the words of god. OBS respects your privacy and is compliant with the European Union GDPR regulation. Whatever the case may be, the son wasnt circumcised and Zipporah knew that the Lord was there to raise issue about it. God told Moses that those who sought his life in Egypt, meaning especially Pharoah, had died. From the material I have read, it looks like Zipporah put some pressure on her hubby not to circumcise the boy. We must remember who we arebride of Christ, circumcised in our hearts, dead to sin, our flesh perpetually cast at the feet of Jesus in confession and repentance. Zipporah gave Moses two sons, Gershom and Eliezer. Zipporah and her six sisters were attending to their daily chores of drawing water and watering their fathers flock. Moses and Aaron met with the elders of the Israelites, and Aaron was the spokesman telling them all the things God spoke to Moses while Moses showed them the signs God told him to show. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Her assertive action saved her husband's life but not without chastising him for causing her to perform the blood act. The scripture, after all, did not actually name Moses as who was to be killed; all it states is tried to kill him, (Exodus 4:24b). Her father, who is believed to be one of the founders of the Druze religion seems to have affected his daughter in that custom. Click here to read. 2. What did the Egyptians make the children of Israel serve with? In his mission to Pharaoh, Moses was to be placed in a position of great peril; his life could be preserved only through the protection of holy angels. How might these things have been allowed to trump your identity in Christ? then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision. Moses' wife, Zipporah, calls Moses a "bridegroom of blood" in Exodus 4:25. 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. 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. HaShem found Zipporah most acceptable as Moses wife, she was a loving woman that chose to save her husband's life to include the lives of the masses when Moses failed to circumcise one of his sons. 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. The expression hatan damim [bridegroom She called Moses a "bloody husband" because of the circumcision. This is actually a topic that is debated often, but scripture is clear that Moses married two different women from two different lineages. 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. She heroically saves Moses and her sons from a random attack from an angel by cutting off her son's foreskin; the explanation for this act is unclear. 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