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. 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. . (Genesis 24:2-3). The first concerns the meaning of the phrase bridegroom of blood which is mentioned twice in the excerpt. 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. 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. This is a Different Kind of Christian Educational Website. Description: In verses 25 and 26, Zipporah calls Moses a "bloody husband" because of his strange and bloody procedure of circumcision. Zipporah's father, Jethro, was a priest in the land of Midian where Moses fled after killing an Egyptian. You are a bridegroom of blood, Zipporah declares as she tosses flesh at Mosess feet. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Most people read over it and dont understand what it all means. The threat of death was not on Moses but on Pharaoh's son. This article is part of the She Is Called Women of the Bible Study Series. Rev. Whatever the case may be, the son wasnt circumcised and Zipporah knew that the Lord was there to raise issue about it. Answer. Then again, as some researchers suggest, God may have sought to kill not Moses, but Mosess son because he had not been marked as a member of Israel through circumcision. 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. The writer asserts that perhaps the reference to blood-bridegroom reflects the custom of circumcision before marriage. 2-God expects obedience and submission from His people. What did Zipporah do to Moses? 26 So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision. Exodus 4:24-26 (KJV) 24 And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Zipporah, being a woman, probably did not have enough strength to completely keep still a grown boy. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". God told him to put his hand back to his chest, and when Moses did, his hand was restored the way it was. God said that if the children of Israel would not believe the first sign, they will believe the second. (b) Maimon. Moses was seated at the well nearby, no doubt dressed, painted, and speaking like an Egyptian dignitary. Zipporah and her six sisters were attending to their daily chores of drawing water and watering their fathers flock. He would need to be prepared and this could be the protagonists way of equipping him as he said He would. 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. Zipporah urges us to remember who we are in Christ. 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. Why did Zipporah do what she did? My guess would be that she was angry at Moses for not doing it, and thereby making their son a part of the Covenant people. Answer: Technically, no. This is the only time this Strong's 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. The expression hatan damim [bridegroom These scholars are thinking too hard. 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. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. 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. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Should the Bible include Acts 8:37: "And Philip said, If. His mannerisms and customs were shaped by his Egyptian upbringing. From the material I have read, it looks like Zipporah put some pressure on her hubby not to circumcise the boy. All rights reserved. O Zipporah says this "bloody Husband" phrase twice. Why did Moses kill this man? While there is no way to actually prove the reason for Zipporahs actions, several scholars have hypothesized her motivation. then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision. 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. Moses had been in the household of Pharaoh in Egypt since infancy. 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. Exodus 4:24-26: "On the way, at a place where they spent the night, the Lord met him and tried to kill him. Her response to her husbands impending death is to perform a circumcision on her son and toss the foreskin at her husband Moses. God told Moses to cast the rod to the ground, and it became a serpent. And why not remind him then? She calls Moses, who represents Christ, a "bloody husband" and this represents the tribulation time. Devils Line Season 2: Release Date CONFIRMED or CANCELED! Then she said, "You are a bloody husband," because of the circumcision (Exodus 4:25 - 26). Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. (http://www.egrc.net/articles/Rock/Exodus/BrideGroomOfBlood.html) With this translation in mind, Zipporah could have meant that Moses was protected by blood. Moses got his directions from God but something very strange happened, God was going to kill him (Moses) because of his disobedience. The church is married to a bridegroom of blood. Halter portrays Zipporah as a proud, black-skinned woman who refuses to marry Moses, even after bearing his two sons, until he accepts God's mission to lead his people out of slavery. . Her story reminds us that flesh and blood have always been faithful reminders of Gods covenant promises. It was then that she said, A bridegroom of blood, because of the circumcision. (http://www.esvbible.org/Exodus+4/) The portion of the text from which this passage comes yields several questions about the purpose of Zipporahs actions, whose life she was actually saving, the meaning of the phrase bridegroom of blood and what the overall situation symbolizes in relation to the entire text. 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. Lastly, one final question that I asked as I read the passage was what the situation symbolizes in relation to the entire text. At his feet.Moses feet, undoubtedly. His name means "Help of my God" in Hebrew. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Which of you convinceth me of sin? 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. In Hebrew, her name means bird or little bird. We first meet Zipporahwho later became Mosess wifeat a well in her hometown of Midian. Her father, who is believed to be one of the founders of the Druze religion seems to have affected his daughter in that custom. The Outlaw Bible Student web site is secured with SSL-encrypted connections. This interpretation makes sense grammatically because the nearest antecedent is firstborn in verse 23. 26 So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision. (Exodus 4:21-26, KJV). Moses' brother, Aaron, married a woman named Elisheba . The narrative is obscure, but the meaning seems to be, that, led during his illness to a strict self-examination, he was deeply pained and grieved at the thought of having, to please his wife, postponed or neglected the circumcision of one of his sons, probably the younger. 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. Yes, yes. Moses and Zipporah went on to have two little boys together. 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. By looking at the lineages we can safely conclude that Moses had at least two wives mentioned in scripture. 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. (New American Standard translation) . 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. On the trip, at an overnight campsite, it happened that the Lord confronted him and sought to put him to death. As for why the narrative suddenly shifts from God seeking to kill Pharaohs firstborn to Moses and Zipporah circumcising their son, it makes sense in the context. Exodus 4:25 (WYC) Zipporah took anon a most sharp stone, and circumcised the rod of her son; and she touched Moses? 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. The last we hear of Zipporah is shortly after the Exodus. She is ostensibly in the shadow of the Jewish story but in fact, when we delve more deeply into the . 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. Christmas warns us that flesh and blood matter to God. Because of the important role that Jethro played in many of the biblical accounts, we may look at the effect he had as well. Note: Page 604 of the source. Circumcision was important to God, at least until Christ was crucified. People are asking the wrong questions because they are reading the passage incorrectly in faulty translations. Through Zipporahs quick-thinking actions, she evoked the covenant by demonstration so Moses would remember his roots. Comments or questions, contact me at: thoughtsonword@gmail.com. It was a Monday morning Editors note: To submit a nonprofit announcement to The Sentinels Religion section, contact Tom Laub at (717) Each year Christians embark on spiritual journeys that culminate with Easter celebrations. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Moses was a murderer to Egyptians. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free John 8:32, (NIV). Amen. Our study will be but three verses in chapter four of the Book of Exodus. Zipporah and her sisters appear too weak to defend themselves from the threat of local shepherds at the well. What isnt immediately obvious in scripture is that Moses had two wives and Zipporah was the first. ((c) Maimon. Why would such drastic measures be necessary? 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. In an act which seems to indicate Zipporahs displeasure (in some Bible versions), she circumcises her son and touches Moses with the removed foreskin. 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. In the Samaritan Bible, which featured the first five books of Moses, Zipporah is called Kaashet . The standard explanation is that Moses had not circumcised his son, as Jehovah had ordered for all descendants of Abraham. By performing the rite, Zipporah had recovered her husband; his life was purchased for her by the blood of her child. Alas, he had forgotten his blood! Zipporah called Moses a bloody husband out of disgust. Perhaps He may have thought the act was not that important and therefore did not do it. That is why when the circumcision was over, verse 26 says, he let him go. This he is Moses because the nearest male antecedent is bloody husband. This phrase is not about God letting Moses go, but about Moses letting his son go after the circumcision was over. If God sought to kill Moses for his sin of murder, as some scholars speculate, there is nothing about circumcision that atones for sin. 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. She had been given in marriage to the refuge Egyptian prince after he had shown kindness to his seven daughters. 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. . On the way, at a place where they spent the night, the Lord met him and tried to kill him. Here is a grown boy who had to be circumcised. The underlined words above are words that were supplied by the NIV translators. And, here comes Moses to the rescue. 2. 27 And the LORD said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. Then she said, "You are a bloody husband," because of the circumcision (Exodus 4:25 - 26). Why on the 8th day? (, Hermann, Ray, A Letter from an Atheist about the 12 Commandments! (. Source: The New International Encyclopdia, Volume 11 (Dodd, Mead) 1911 A.D. Change). "She received Moses back from the dead, as it were, and remarried him again." He fled from Egypt because of it. 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. 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. 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. One scholar believes that the surrounding verses highlight Moses as fearful or ill-equipped and Zipporah counteracts his timid behavior by stepping up to circumcise her son in order to save Moses and the Hebrews lives. Her first reaction was to circumcise her son without being told to do so. God was able to write Moses or LORD if he wanted to. 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. 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. Eliezer was Moses' and Zipporah's second son. How might these things have been allowed to trump your identity in Christ? 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? It does not seem to me that she was opposed to the circumcision. Zipporah was Moses's first wife in the Bible. Zipporah was Mosess first wife in the Bible. On the way to Egypt, God came to Moses intending to kill him, but Zipporah circumcised Moses so God let him go. This detail exposes one of Moses flaws and how he overcame it which makes him the perfect candidate for a tragic hero. During the night, Gods hand of death came against Moses and tried to kill him (Exodus 4:24). 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. In verse 23, God makes it clear that he will slay Pharaohs firstborn son if Pharaoh refuses to let go of Israel. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This is a text widget, which allows you to add text or HTML to your sidebar. Moreover, the failure to be circumcised is punishable by exclusion from the Abrahamic covenant, not death (Genesis 17:14). 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.. What were the names of the two Hebrew midwives? Many non-Hebrews who have never seen circumcision might find the procedure utterly strange, inhumane, and disgusting. 26. This act eventually became part of the agreement between God and Israel. Zipporah had borne two sons to Moses, but he had failed to perform circumcision on his sons. 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. The term bloody husband is merely Zipporahs criticism of a husband who performs an apparently strange and bloody procedure. The story of Moses being born to a Hebrew, hidden from the Pharaohs men until he was three months old, placed in a homemade basket on the Nile River, and found and raised by Pharaohs daughter is one of the most famous tales from the Old Testament. Some parents who have taken their children to the dentist or vaccination will understand. . (Genesis 17:9-12a). It is mentioned in Genesis, chapter 17, when God repeats his covenant of solidarity with Abraham and his descendants and explains his demands. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. Zipporah referred to Moses as a "bridegroom of blood", which seems to fit Yeshua's position: the Bridegroom of the Covenant. Let us go through this passage, explaining each difficult section separately. The Text tells us he was 120 when he die. Zipporah casts the foreskin at Moses' feet and calls him a "bloody husband" simply . Of her three appearances in the text, she only speaks one time, in Exodus 4. ib. Once we get the correct understanding of the passage, the hard questions that have plagued theologians for years will vanish. The flesh and blood in the hands of his wife Zipporah would not let Moses forget. She is a longtime student of the Word who brings dynamic and prophetic insights to her preaching, teaching, and pastoral life. In fact, they might even be aware that he was chosen by God to lead the Israelites out of Egypt in the episode called the Exodus. 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. Now, he wanted to go back, but what would happen to him if he did? This is the marriage pattern of Horite Hebrew rulers. After doing the needful for her son like that, she owned Moses. Shulchan Aruch, par. It does not store any personal data. (LogOut/ 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? (Macho 1970: 24-25). 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. Just trying to dcide which book is my first to purchase. See e-Sword notes below. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. It is like, as if Moses was forgetting something or he was being bullheaded by not complying with something important. Zipporah circumcised her son as Moses held him still. So, she had this encounter with the Lord just as what Jacob did before he met Esau again. Where once she was the beneficiary of male benevolence, she then stepped in to save the life of the patriarch. You can use them to display text, links, images, HTML, or a combination of these. The action was petulant and reproachful. After this event, Zipporah simply disappears from scripture and we never hear anything about her ever again. He has also had articles published in The Coming Home Journal and local newspapers and has written a childrens book. 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). Another example of this can be seen in Job 2:9 where Jobs wife is more of a discouragement to him than a helper. It was then she said, A bridegroom of blood by circumcision, (Exodus 4:24-26, NRSV).1. Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) explains to Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) what job a mohel13 performs and Elaine gives her opinion about uncircumcised men. Why did Zipporah circumcise her son rather than letting Moses do it? Moses became a shepherd and dwelt with Jethro. 21 The LORD said to Moses, When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do. Moses went to Jethro, his father in law, and asked him to let him go so he could go to his brothers in Egypt. He belonged to the household of his maternal grandfather, Jethro (Yetro) the priest of Midian. Remember who you are; you are a bridegroom of blood. Moses said, "I have been a stranger in a strange land." 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.''.