why did zipporah call moses a bloody husband

Zipporah had borne two sons to Moses, but he had failed to perform circumcision on his sons. Alas, this is no patriarchal fairy tale, and Zipporah is no damsel in distress. And why not remind him then? This is after God instructs Moses on his upcoming job and his journey toward Egypt has already begun. God came to Aaron and told him to go into the wilderness and meet his brother Moses. 26 So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision. 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. Zipporah The Woman Who Wrongly Opposed Her Husband. Many non-Hebrews who have never seen circumcision might find the procedure utterly strange, inhumane, and disgusting. She is also RCA Global Missions coordinator for Setshabelo Family and Child Services in the Free State Province in South Africa. 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. Moses was content to dwell with Jethro in the land of Midian and Jethro gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. The expression hatan damim [bridegroom (LogOut/ We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Why So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision. Exodus 4:24-26. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Zipporah's father was Jethro, also called Reuel. Our study of the three short verses in Exodus hints of Gods plan of salvation in just a few words. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Exactly why Moses had not circumcised his son is not stated in Scripture. Gershom is now identified as one of the Hebrew people because of the visible blood sign of his circumcision and enjoys Yahweh's protection. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Change). After God brought His people out of Egypt through the leadership of Moses, Jethro reunites Moses and his family in Exodus 18:5-6. Our study is to give some sense to this short mysterious section of text and present a few possible reasons for its inclusion, so you can make up your mind about which seems the most logical answer. 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. 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.''. Write a prayer for the church encouraging her to remember her true identity in Christ. 26 So the LORD let him alone. In fact, shes only mentioned three times in scripture. You can see our basic rules for comments by clicking The Fine Print on the top menu bar. 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. What isnt immediately obvious in scripture is that Moses had two wives and Zipporah was the first. As Moses and his family arrive back in Egypt he meets up with the Lord who seeks to kill him. Takedown request | View complete answer on en.wikipedia.org. Thank you for the explanation in simple terms. Source: Memorials of Gilbert Haven, Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) 1880 A.D. Shiphrah and Puah. See References & Notes for the link.14, Copyright 2021, Dr. Ray Hermann In fact, she may have discouraged the practice in her own way. Romance, Passionate Love, Sexual Pleasures: What Does the Bible Say?. Does the Masoretic Text Underlying the KJV omit Joshua 21:36-37? Comments or questions, contact me at: thoughtsonword@gmail.com. Her response to her husbands impending death is to perform a circumcision on her son and toss the foreskin at her husband Moses. Every time we gather for communion, her words should be told alongside Mosess, Yes, Jesus, you are a Bridegroom of blood.. Rev. Please be aware that, although the majority of posts found on this website are for general audiences, there may be certain controversial, mature, or adult content. To dishonor that sign and seal of the covenant was criminal in any Hebrew, peculiarly so in one destined to be the leader and deliverer of the Hebrews; and he seems to have felt his sickness as a merited chastisement for his sinful omission. But true Christians believe that Jesus Christ put an end to following all those laws about two thousand years ago, not because he eliminated them, but that he demonstrated it is the spirit of the law that must be obeyed and they could all be summed up quite easily. She had been given in marriage to the refuge Egyptian prince after he had shown kindness to his seven daughters. Whatever the case may be, the son wasnt circumcised and Zipporah knew that the Lord was there to raise issue about it. Brother of Goliath or Goliath in 2 Samuel 21:19? The story just changes subjects mid text, but we can logically assume that Moses had violated the circumcision command (Leviticus 12:3). Wait. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free John 8:32, (NIV). The Text of Torah tells us this. 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. 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. . 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. 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. The trappings of Pharaohs house made it easy for Moses to forget Abels sacrifice, the ram who saved Isaac, and the Hebrew blood that ran through his veins. Him in verse 24 refers to Pharaohs firstborn son. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. 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). It is mentioned in Genesis, chapter 17, when God repeats his covenant of solidarity with Abraham and his descendants and explains his demands. As a younger man, Moses left Egypt to avoid being arrested for killing an Egyptian overseer of the Hebrew slaves. 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? 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. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Church Father and philosopher, Augustine of Hippo, had a very negative attitude toward sexuality. Lastly, one final question that I asked as I read the passage was what the situation symbolizes in relation to the entire text. What was that all about? 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. If God sought to kill Moses for his sin of murder, as some scholars speculate, there is nothing about circumcision that atones for sin. She recently ended a 12-year tenure as lead pastor at Maple Avenue Ministries in Holland, Michigan. ib. Well, to answer that question, we need a little more background information. It was then she said, A bridegroom of blood by circumcision.. 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. In what ways do you see the church dying, as Moses was dying on that road to Egypt? Zipporah is in blue. His mannerisms and customs were shaped by his Egyptian upbringing. Top Christian Blogs, Quality Content Authenticity Uniqueness Reliability Trustworthy Ease of Use Data Security. 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. 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. Something extraordinary took place, however, while he and his family travelled to the land of Pharaoh. 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. However, this question cannot be answered without discovering who she was trying to save: Moses or Gershom, her son. So he let him go: So, God let Moses go; God did not take his life.] Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. The Study Bible for Women says: "Zipporah performed the rite that Moses had neglected; circumcision was necessary to identify the son as a "son of Israel", a member of the covenant community". As a result the Lord decides not to kill Moses. Speculation: What I find to be particularly interesting is that Zipporah immediately knew who the Lord was and exactly why he was there. Book of Revelation in the Textus Receptus. 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. 24 And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him. Just trying to dcide which book is my first to purchase. So she does what she has to do. Till 24, Pharaoh's first born son was the subject. 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. What did Zipporah do to Moses? 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. This short excerpt that seems disgusting and meaningless to most readers is actually a tale of obedience and preparation for the duties and years to come as Moses leads the Israelites out of Egypt. The first concerns the meaning of the phrase bridegroom of blood which is mentioned twice in the excerpt. 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. 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. She felt that this was God's way of showing His. 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." 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. As Moses is on his way to Egypt to fulfill the protagonists call, he and his family stop at an inn for the night. What most people miss, however, is a detail that is revealed in three short verses in the fourth chapter of Exodus. 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). There are things in the culture, in society, and in this world that naturally attach themselves to us and disguise our true identity. This is the only time this Strong's And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? The term bloody husband is merely Zipporahs criticism of a husband who performs an apparently strange and bloody procedure. Zipporah called Moses a bloody husband out of disgust. 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. See Exodus 2:11 4:31 for the Bible story. (At that time she said bridegroom of blood, referring to circumcision.) Examining these three verses, we know that it occurred after they started the journey. His name means "Help of my God" in Hebrew. - John 8:45-47. While he was in Midian he married Zipporah. While she is introduced early in Exodus, very little is said about her. OutlawBibleStudent.org. 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. She called Moses a "bloody husband" because of the circumcision. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". The second article makes a different claim that does not have to do with the idea of protection at all. Why his feet? During this period, he married Zipporah, Jethro's daughter, and they had a son (Ex. This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. Juvenal Satyr 6. The Bible states that the Lord, while Moses was in Midian, told him to go back to Egypt (Exodus 4:19). Upon returning to the home of their father, the sisters reported the incident of the Egyptian stranger who had come to their aid. (e) "tetigitque pedes ejus", V. L. (f) T. Hieros. Zipporah urges us to remember who we are in Christ. morter, brick, and all manner of service in the field. (m) This act was extraordinary: for Moses was very sick and God even then required it. Zipporah casts the foreskin at Moses' feet and calls him a "bloody husband" simply because she is disgusted by the bloody procedure of circumcision. Moses left Egypt and ended up in Midian. Yes, yes. We keep your email address private we do not give, trade, share, or sell it to others. What do you hear the Spirit saying to you/your family/your church/your community. Now, in verse 24, the underlined him, refers not to Moses but to Pharaohs firstborn son. There have been many attempts to answer these questions, but they are all very speculative. In Exodus 2 Moses marries Zipporah, a Gentile, who gives birth to Gershom. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Because Moses had chosen to side with the oppressed (the Hebrew slaves) rather than the oppressors (the ruling Egyptians). 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. Her father Jethro was the priest of Midian, and it was he that gave Zipporah to Moses to marry. Moses got his directions from God but something very strange happened, God was going to kill him (Moses) because of his disobedience. February 28, 2018. He fled from Egypt because of it. 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 ). Then she said, "You are a bloody husband," because of the circumcision (Exodus 4:25 - 26). Imagine the situation. Moreover, the failure to be circumcised is punishable by exclusion from the Abrahamic covenant, not death (Genesis 17:14). 2:16-22). We are going to take a closer look at Zipporah, wife of Moses. In verse 24 we are told that God met Moses i.e. The Bible is filled with sexual innuendo, which celebrates sexual love. Nedarim, fol. 1-No family or home is a perfect place to raise children. There does seem to be some anger on behalf of Zipporah against Moses, throwing the bloodied foreskin at his feet, and calling him a bloody husband to me. 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. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". The standard explanation is that Moses had not circumcised his son, as Jehovah had ordered for all descendants of Abraham. Zipporah said to Moses "A bloody husband you are to me, because of the circumcision." One may wonder why God would come to Moses to kill him before he was circumcised, but I think it's a safe assumption that the Lord had told him to be circumcised but he refused. Answer (1 of 3): The verses in question are Exodus 4:24-26, the context is Moses, his wife Zipporah and their son Gershom reaching an inn on their way from Midian to Egypt to announce the plagues to the Pharaoh. Another example is when Abraham said to his servant, Put your hand under my thigh and I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live. The Egyptians made the lives of the children of Israel bitter with hard bondage in what three things? 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. Circumcision was only one of the hundreds of laws that God demanded be obeyed. The narrative begins with a picture of Zipporah circumcising her son. God locks his intent on him and by extension all of Egypt's first born. 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. Zipporah is Moses's patrilineal cousin and his second wife. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go. So He sent Moses to Egypt to deliver Israel. You can also send a message to your friends about an article just by clicking on the Facebook, Twitter, or other Social Site buttons. We are first introduced to Zipporah in Exodus 2:16, as a shepherdess, one of Jethros seven daughters. 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. 25 starts with Zipporah performing the circumcision on their grown son. Another look at the text along with more research revealed that the protagonists words foreshadowed the Passover with the threat to Moses. If he was going to Egypt to free his people, his identification with Egypt had to die. OBS respects your privacy and is compliant with the European Union GDPR regulation. Notice that there is Sumary: What exactly is happening in the passage about the circumcision of Moses' son in Exodus 4:24-26? 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. Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) explains to Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) what job a mohel13 performs and Elaine gives her opinion about uncircumcised men. 27 And the LORD said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. 26. "Devolvit ipse acuto sibi pondera silice." Although some Bible versions substitute Moses name, the actual Hebrew wording states him. "Moses had been as good as taken from her by the deadly attack which had been made upon him. The elders believed, and when they heard that God had heard of their afflictions and their cries, they bowed their heads and worshipped Him. 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. Great I Am, light the path before us we pray. Interestingly, the modern English terms testify and testimony originated from this use. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. ', 24 At a lodging place on the way, the LORD met Moses and was about to kill him. PLEASE HELP us spread Bible truth by telling others about this website. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. He has also had articles published in The Coming Home Journal and local newspapers and has written a childrens book. The issue of punishing Moses by killing him surrounds circumcising one of his sons. Then she said, "You are a . 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. The word Zipporah comes from the Hebrew tsipporah (Strong's Concordance #H6855) which means "a bird." Although her name is listed only a few times, her interactions with one of the most famous men in . Every Israelite wife and mother would have, thus, been reminded of the covenant between God and Israel, through the circumcision of her sons.4, Because Moses may not have been properly circumcised (by Hebrew custom) before marriage, Zipporah may have achieved two things by circumcising her son. Why? Unlike his Egyptian peers, he was circumcised. Once we get the correct understanding of the passage, the hard questions that have plagued theologians for years will vanish. 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. As Moses and his family arrive back in Egypt he meets up with the Lord who seeks 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. 38. 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. These verses, concerning a circumcision,2 are odd and confusing, and some commentators believe they are out of place. Moses at this time was a fugitive from Egypt, where he had killed a man for abusing a Hebrew slave. 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. Holy Week drags us reluctantly down the bloody path to Golgotha. The threat of death was not on Moses but on Pharaoh's son. 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. Should the Bible include Acts 8:37: "And Philip said, If. After functioning as a social worker for many years, she went on to become the first African American female to graduate from Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan, with both the master of divinity and doctorate of ministry degrees. Shulchan ib. Then she said, "You are a bloody husband," because of the circumcision (Exodus 4:25 - 26). (Exodus 4:21-26). We are urged to die to all our false identities and to remember our true identity as siblings of the flesh and blood of the Bridegroom. 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 verse in the Book of Exodus (18:4) states: The name of the (other) son was Eliezer, because 'My father's God (Elohei Avi) was my helper (Bi'ezeri), rescuing me from Pharaoh's sword. Listed on Blogspots feet with the bloody piece of skin, and said, Thou art a husband in blood to me.) 25 But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her sons foreskin and touched Moses feet with it. Source Ahavta. In verse 26, the circumcision is finished and Moses lets go of his son. Moses was seated at the well nearby, no doubt dressed, painted, and speaking like an Egyptian dignitary. The bride (the church) is restored to her bridegroom (Jesus) by shedding of blood.10, There is a detailed study on this subject of circumcision from ancient to modern times in an article titled Circumcision in the Bible: What was it really all about? However, Zipporah is shown as fiercely devoted to her husband, even though he neglects her. Zipporah casts the foreskin at Moses feet and calls him a bloody husband simply because she is disgusted by the bloody procedure of circumcision. Hilchot Milah, c. 2. sect. We do not send any commercial advertising, and you can easily unsubscribe at any time. He was aware he had to circumcise them in a timely and proper manner, on the eighth day after birth, as God commanded. What action can you take to remind the church of her true identity? You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. These people he was going to save were his own people, Gods chosen people by blood. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. [17] that might not be part of it. Her story reminds us that flesh and blood have always been faithful reminders of God's covenant promises. 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.. When local shepherds drove the sisters away from the well in an act of gender-based violence, Moses rose to their defense and he watered their fathers flocks. She is a longtime student of the Word who brings dynamic and prophetic insights to her preaching, teaching, and pastoral life.

Waterloo At Home French Flag Id, Wayne England Cause Of Death, Does Aflac Accident Policy Cover Kidney Stones, Former Wkbw News Anchors, Pathfinder Boat For Sale, Articles W