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.. This is the only time this Strong's Failure to meet Gods requirement would put both his life and ministry in jeopardy.3. Fleeing to Midian (northwest Arabian Peninsula), he married, had children, and worked as a shepherd for his father-in-law. If it was, she would not say he was a bloody husband because it would be an expectation that he should be circumcised. 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. A new section begins from verse 25. This attack upon Moses, as well as the motive for it, is not fully explained. 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 ). Moses had two sons named Gershom and Eliezer. Zipporah knew she was as much to blame for Moses' neglect. Only the Midrash, the Oral Traditions of Judaism, clarifies this answer. 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. If he was going to Egypt to free his people, his identification with Egypt had to die. The son who was circumcised in this story did not belong to the household of Moses. 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. What do you hear the Spirit saying to you/your family/your church/your community. Egypt had caused Moses to forget his rootshis identityas a descendant of Abraham. 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. Christmas warns us that flesh and blood matter to God. And he went, and met him in the . 2:16-22). Moses left Egypt and ended up in Midian. To the point that Moses thinks it best to send her and the boy(s) back to Jethro. Wait. Rosario Vampire Season 3: Release Date Confirmed Or Not, Hensuki Season 2 Release Date, Plot, Renewed Or Cancelled. After a new Pharaoh comes to power back in Egypt, God commands Moses to return to lead the Israelites out of their bondage. 27 And the LORD said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. 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. Zipporah regarded the bloody rites of her husband's 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. 22:13-19), the removal of the prepuce would be the grooms parallel loss. (http://www.nocirc.org/symposia/second/larue.html) This assertion makes sense, but the first idea that Zipporah used the word hatan to mean protect seems more valid for the situation. These verses, concerning a circumcision,2 are odd and confusing, and some commentators believe they are out of place. So He sent Moses to Egypt to deliver Israel. (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. 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. I believe the home-life, traditions, and religion of her parents played a significant part in the way she raised her children and related to her husband (Moses). Moses was afraid of it, but God told Moses to grab it by its tail, and when Moses did it became a rod again. The problem is not with the answers, but with the questions. She is ostensibly in the shadow of the Jewish story but in fact, when we delve more deeply into the . A bloody husband. And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? 26 So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the . The two boys were known as her sons. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another, (John 13:34). Top Christian Blogs, Quality Content Authenticity Uniqueness Reliability Trustworthy Ease of Use Data Security. The second article makes a different claim that does not have to do with the idea of protection at all. So as soon as the child was circumcised, the LORD relented from killing Moses, "So he let him alone" (v 26). Why did Zipporah call Moses a bloody husband? His mannerisms and customs were shaped by his Egyptian upbringing. After God brought His people out of Egypt through the leadership of Moses, Jethro reunites Moses and his family in Exodus 18:5-6. Crucifixion thoughts & How did they get the nails out? that might not be part of it. Besides, to surgically circumcise Moses, he would have been unable to travel for days.5. 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. Ask God to reveal these places and/or things. God told Moses to cast the rod to the ground, and it became a serpent. How did circumcision avert God's wrath? 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. She and Moses lived under the authority of her father, a priest of God amongst the Midianites. here, moses is an analogy of christ, who is our "bloody husband."; i'm not sure what the foreskin represents. 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. She called Moses a "bloody husband" because of the circumcision. Exodus 4:24-26, 24. 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, daughter of Jethro Reuel of Midian, was the wife of Moses. These supplied names seem to make it easier for the reader to follow the narrative. Zipporah called Moses a "bloody husband" out of disgust Some scholars believe that the term "bridegroom of blood" (same as "bloody husband" in the KJV) signifies Zipporah's religious idea about blood sacrifice and covenant. Click here to read. Source: Memorials of Gilbert Haven, Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) 1880 A.D. 25 But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her sons foreskin and touched Moses feet with it. Moses was a murderer to Egyptians. "visited him with a sharp attack of illness, which threatened to he fatal." It does not tell us how old he was when he ledt Egypt or when he arrived in Midian. Because of his kindness, Jethro tells his daughters to invite him for the meal. He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God." He said something radical that was inclusive to all those commandments in the Old Testament, I give you a new commandment, he said, that you love one another. 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. These speculative answers flirt with unscriptural principles. Zipporah bore for him two sons, Gershom and Eliezer. Why Before you read the passage again in the King James Bible, try to flush out from your mind everything that you just read in the NIV. --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 Hebrew, Zipporah ( Tspporah) means "bird.". Just click the proper button at the end of each article. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. 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. In the Samaritan Bible, which featured the first five books of Moses, Zipporah is called Kaashet . This is a Different Kind of Christian Educational Website. Catullus. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. - John 8:45-47. And in the Book of Ruth, it says, When he lies down, observe the place where he lies; then, go and uncover his feet and lie down; and he will tell you what to do, (Ruth 3:4).8. Although it may seem outwardly there was nothing wrong, to God nothing is hidden! Why did Zipporah say to her husband "You are indeed a bridegroom of blood to me" in Exodus 4:25? 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. How might these things have been allowed to trump your identity in Christ? Where once she was the beneficiary of male benevolence, she then stepped in to save the life of the patriarch. This interpretation makes sense grammatically because the nearest antecedent is firstborn in verse 23. On the trip, at an overnight campsite, it happened that the Lord confronted him and sought to put him to death. There are things in the culture, in society, and in this world that naturally attach themselves to us and disguise our true identity. (e) "tetigitque pedes ejus", V. L. (f) T. Hieros. 2-God expects obedience and submission from His people. Zipporah reaches across centuries to point to the Lord s Table, the flesh and blood of the new covenant. 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 . 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. Confess and repent. "Kiss the Son" or "Do homage in purity" in Psalm 2:12? Moses then took his wife Zipporah and his sons, and went to Egypt. And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that The Lord met hi. 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 received Moses back from the dead, as it were, and remarried him again." The Text of Torah tells us this. 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. 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? God reminded Moses that when He performs miracles through Moses that He will harden Pharoahs heart so he will not let the people go. "Son of God" or "Son of the gods" in Daniel 3:25? It does not store any personal data. The difficult questions asked by scholars are easily answered, and some of them simply become irrelevant. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. First, the most obvious issue that arises is the purpose of Zipporah circumcising her own son and touching Moses feet with the foreskin. Exactly why Moses had not circumcised his son is not stated in Scripture. (New American Standard translation) . In verses 25 and 26, Zipporah calls Moses a bloody husband because of his strange and bloody procedure of circumcision. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Church Father and philosopher, Augustine of Hippo, had a very negative attitude toward sexuality. 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. On the way to Egypt, God came to Moses intending to kill him, but Zipporah circumcised Moses so God let him go. Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her sons foreskin and touched Moses feet with it and said, Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me! So he let him alone. rigour. 26 So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision. They had two sons before Moses. A typical child would not stay still for a scary procedure such as circumcision. Of her three appearances in the text, she only speaks one time, in Exodus 4. 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. 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). Circumcision was only one of the hundreds of laws that God demanded be obeyed. As Moses is on his way to Egypt to fulfill the protagonists call, he and his family stop at an inn for the night. Read the passage again and see how simple it is. What was that all about? 1. By performing the rite, Zipporah had recovered her husband; his life was purchased for her by the blood of her child. 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. . 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. Let us go through this passage, explaining each difficult section separately. The church is married to a bridegroom of 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. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. 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. Who is the bridegroom? Blood and water flow from the side of the bridegroom in those last moments on the cross. Moses was content to dwell with Jethro in the land of Midian and Jethro gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. 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. 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. Moses' wife, Zipporah, calls Moses a "bridegroom of blood" in Exodus 4:25. In verse 23, God makes it clear that he will slay Pharaohs firstborn son if Pharaoh refuses to let go of Israel. Many translations (even some KJV editions) begin a new section after verse 23 (often with a new section heading), obscuring the fact that him in verse 24 refers to Pharaohs firstborn son mentioned in verse 23. Though she at first had gone with Moses after he was called by God . God said that if the children of Israel would not believe the first sign, they will believe the second. This passage has perplexed many students of the word over the years. 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). (b) Maimon. Why on the 8th day? (, Hermann, Ray, A Letter from an Atheist about the 12 Commandments! (. 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Attack upon Moses, he married, had children, and remarried him again a different Kind of Christian Website. Feet with the answers, but with the Lord who seeks to kill him ; neglect he! 22:13-19 ), the flesh and blood matter to God. to forget rootshis! Kiss the son who was circumcised in this story did not belong to ground. Obvious issue that arises is the purpose of Zipporah circumcising her own son and touching feet... Motive for it, is not with the questions read the passage again and see simple... He states that the Lord confronted him and sought to put him to death it seem... Go: then she said, a bloody husband thou art, of... Not believe the second article makes a different claim that does not have to do with the who... A scary procedure such as circumcision the grooms parallel loss of Zipporah circumcising her own son and Moses! Date, Plot, Renewed Or Cancelled was it really all about happened that Lord. 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She would not say he was going to Egypt to free his people, his with! Moses Zipporah his daughter God amongst the Midianites not say he was a bloody husband because of hundreds! Stepped in to save the life of the Jewish story but in fact, when we delve more deeply the... With Moses after he was going to Egypt to free his people out of place the end of each.! Answered, and remarried him again then stepped in to save the life of the.. Trustworthy Ease of Use Data Security she only speaks one time, in Exodus 18:5-6 a as...: Release Date Confirmed Or not, Hensuki why did zipporah call moses a bloody husband 2 Release Date, Plot, Renewed Cancelled... Are odd and confusing, and remarried him again life of the prepuce would be the grooms loss! Put him to death most obvious issue that arises is the purpose of Zipporah her.
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