This is a little easier to explain the word feet is a euphemism for Moses genitals. Why did Moses kill this man? As Moses and his family arrive back in Egypt he meets up with the Lord who seeks to kill him. Because Moses had chosen to side with the oppressed (the Hebrew slaves) rather than the oppressors (the ruling Egyptians). Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. There are things in the culture, in society, and in this world that naturally attach themselves to us and disguise our true identity. 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. Till 24, Pharaoh's first born son was the subject. Some translations might be easier to read, but they may not be easier to understand. 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. 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.. 2:16-22). What is the significance of being left-handed as Ehud was inJudges. It would also appear that she had successfully persuaded Moses to go along with her in refusing to circumcise the child. In this version - we have to believe his wife became a follower of the one true God and took the initiative to obey God's commands. 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. Thank you for the explanation in simple terms. 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. 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. So He let him go. Moses had two sons named Gershom and Eliezer. 26 So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because . Exactly why Moses had not circumcised his son is not stated in Scripture. After this event, Zipporah simply disappears from scripture and we never hear anything about her ever again. So, she had this encounter with the Lord just as what Jacob did before he met Esau again. During this period, he married Zipporah, Jethro's daughter, and they had a son (Ex. And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him. The circumcision of one or both of Moses sons is one of those events. Moses at this time was a fugitive from Egypt, where he had killed a man for abusing a Hebrew slave. 26 So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the . Write a prayer for the church encouraging her to remember her true identity in Christ. The underlined words above are words that were supplied by the NIV translators. 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. . (Genesis 17:9-12a). WE ENCOURAGE SHARING. But God did not. Everything about him was Egyptian, except for one thing. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 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. 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. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Hilchot Milah, c. 2. sect. Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament. 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. (New American Standard translation) . 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. After the resurrection, Jesus invited Thomas to touch him in the bloody parts, his hand and his side. While he was in Midian he married Zipporah. The Outlaw Bible Student web site is secured with SSL-encrypted connections. What isnt immediately obvious in scripture is that Moses had two wives and Zipporah was the first. James 1:17 says, every good and perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom Several years ago, our family had an experience that reminded us of the power of prayer. The custom in Egypt was associated with coming into manhood at about fourteen years of age and the entire foreskin was not removed. Now, he wanted to go back, but what would happen to him if he did? God said to Abraham, As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. Since Moses was a Hebrew and was not circumcised, he was subject to be isolated from his people since he did not have a covenant with the protagonist. 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. (b) Maimon. What were the names of the two Hebrew midwives? It might refer to the child, for in response Zipporah cuts off her sons foreskin and thus saves his life. 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. Zipporah meets Moses at the well. So He sent Moses to Egypt to deliver Israel. The action was petulant and reproachful. 26. Soon after meeting the One Who instructs him to return to Egypt in order to lead his Israelite brethren out of bondage in Egypt, "Moses took his wife and his sons, put them on a donkey, and went back to the land of Egypt." (Exodus 4:20.) If you have any suggestions and queries you can contact us on the below details. How did circumcision avert God's wrath? Romance, Passionate Love, Sexual Pleasures: What Does the Bible Say?. In verses 25 and 26, Zipporah calls Moses a bloody husband because of his strange and bloody procedure of circumcision. God said that if the children of Israel would not believe the first sign, they will believe the second. Moses heard the words and the instruction from the Lord, but said that the Israelites will not believe him when he tells them that he saw the Lord. This is actually a topic that is debated often, but scripture is clear that Moses married two different women from two different lineages. 1. Whatever the case may be, the son wasnt circumcised and Zipporah knew that the Lord was there to raise issue about it. Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) explains to Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) what job a mohel13 performs and Elaine gives her opinion about uncircumcised men. And Jethro, Moses father-in-law came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness. Whats so interesting about this account is the fact that in the next verse (6) it says, I am coming to you with your wife and her two sons. This seems to be saying that although Moses was their biological father, Zipporah had done most of the child rearing while Moses was out in the wilderness with Jethros flocks. OutlawBibleStudent.org. Great I Am, light the path before us we pray. These people he was going to save were his own people, Gods chosen people by blood. At his feet.Moses feet, undoubtedly. She called Moses a "bloody husband" because of the circumcision. feet, and said, The blood of the circumcision of my child is stopped, and she went away from him; Let the dead bury their dead, but follow thou me. God had just given Moses an assignment to return to Egypt and demand that Pharaoh free the Hebrews from bondage. 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. 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. Apparently God was holding Moses accountable for the breaking of Gods covenant. 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. 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. Juvenal Satyr 6. Zipporah, being a woman, probably did not have enough strength to completely keep still a grown boy. Her father, who is believed to be one of the founders of the Druze religion seems to have affected his daughter in that custom. 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. So as soon as the child was circumcised, the LORD relented from killing Moses, "So he let him alone" (v 26). And he went, and met him in the . Note: Page 209 of the source. Change). The son who was circumcised in this story did not belong to the household of Moses. However, Zipporah is shown as fiercely devoted to her husband, even though he neglects her. I enjoy all that I have read so far. Notice that there is Sumary: What exactly is happening in the passage about the circumcision of Moses' son in Exodus 4:24-26? 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. Leave comments at the end, after References & Notes. (Exodus 4:21-26). A bloody husband. Does the Masoretic Text Underlying the KJV omit Joshua 21:36-37? If you dont receive the verify page, please try again after adjusting your email filter to recognize the email address containing: @outlawbiblestudent.org. Our newsletter is a short email sent to notify subscribers about new information that has been posted to the OBS site. Just as the virgin bride would lose her hymen, testified to by bloody wedding night sheets (Deut. Zipporah was Moses's first wife in the Bible. 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. People are asking the wrong questions because they are reading the passage incorrectly in faulty translations. Note: Page 340 of the source. But Zipporah took a flint and cut off her sons foreskin, and touched Moses feet with it, and said, Truly you are a bridegroom of blood to me! So he let him alone. Book of Revelation in the Textus Receptus. 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. This is after God instructs Moses on his upcoming job and his journey toward Egypt has already begun. The meaning is: The marriage bond between us is now sealed by blood. 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 touched Moses' feet with the foreskin, and then called Moses a bloody husband, "a bridegroom of blood," in her displeasure. She is a longtime student of the Word who brings dynamic and prophetic insights to her preaching, teaching, and pastoral life. Just click the proper button at the end of each article. - John 8:45-47. Why on the 8th day? (, Hermann, Ray, A Letter from an Atheist about the 12 Commandments! (. 2. 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. What? 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. His wife worried more about him then he worried about himself. 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. 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. We can only speculate as to why the ceremony of circumcison was not performed. Why do that? 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. God locks his intent on him and by extension all of Egypt's first born. Still, she was angry and flung the foreskin at "his feet," and said in Exodus 4:25 KJV, "'Surely a bloody husband art thou to me.'". The shepherds drove the women away from the well but Moses worked on their behalf, and helped them water their flocks. Thank you for sharing the words of god. Nedarim, fol. He may have been squeamish about performing such a delicate but bloody act a second time after doing so once. In fact, he most likely dreamt in the language of Pharaoh. (Macho 1970: 24-25). Zipporah calls Moses a blood-bridegroom, "because she had been compelled, as it were, to acquire and purchase him anew as a husband by shedding the blood of her son" (Glass). Thus verse 24 belongs together in the same episode as that of verse 23. 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. While there is no way to actually prove the reason for Zipporahs actions, several scholars have hypothesized her motivation. Only the Midrash, the Oral Traditions of Judaism, clarifies this answer. Brother of Goliath or Goliath in 2 Samuel 21:19? For the people of Israel, this was no small thing. Zipporah circumcised her son as Moses held him still. After a new Pharaoh comes to power back in Egypt, God commands Moses to return to lead the Israelites out of their bondage. The second article makes a different claim that does not have to do with the idea of protection at all. Gershom is now identified as one of the Hebrew people because of the visible blood sign of his circumcision and enjoys Yahweh's protection. When the passage is read correctly in the King James Bible, the passage becomes easy to understand. the Lord met him, and sought to kill himthat is, he was either overwhelmed with mental distress or overtaken by a sudden and dangerous malady. She and Moses lived under the authority of her father, a priest of God amongst the Midianites. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Moses' wife Zipporah called him a "bloody husband" because of the circumcision she had to perform on their son (Exodus 4:26). He was aware he had to circumcise them in a timely and proper manner, on the eighth day after birth, as God commanded. 2. 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. So he let him go: So, God let Moses go; God did not take his life.] The narrative begins with a picture of Zipporah circumcising her son. That Monthly Period of Women Did God Curse Eve? God asked Moses what was in his hand, and Moses said a rod. (http://www.usnews.com/news/religion/articles/2008/01/25/zipporah-may-be-obscure-but-the-wife-of-moses-mattered) Another scholar has a similar point of view when he states that the predicate of this verse is unclear. 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. Moses had been in the household of Pharaoh in Egypt since infancy. 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. In verse 24, God locks his target on the firstborn son. I have read so far queries you can contact us on the firstborn son art, because the! While there is no way to actually prove the reason for Zipporahs actions, scholars. People he was going to save were his own people, Gods chosen people by blood incorrectly! 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