- John 8:45-47. 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. But . Then she said, "You are a bloody husband," because of the circumcision (Exodus 4:25 - 26). Remember who you are; you are a bridegroom of blood. (Exodus 4:21-26). O Zipporah says this "bloody Husband" phrase twice. See References & Notes for the link.14, Copyright 2021, Dr. Ray Hermann 22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn: 23 And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn. I enjoy all that I have read so far. Ultimately, Zipporah is replaced by Mosess second wife, a Cushite woman. 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. 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? 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. The Text tells us he was 120 when he die. 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. We are first introduced to Zipporah in Exodus 2:16, as a shepherdess, one of Jethros seven daughters. He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God." Moses told God that he wasnt eloquent with his speech, which aggravated God. Zipporah circumcised her son as Moses held him still. What did the Egyptians make the children of Israel serve with? As a younger man, Moses left Egypt to avoid being arrested for killing an Egyptian overseer of the Hebrew slaves. Zipporah, fearing that her husband would be slain, performed the rite herself, and the angel then permitted Moses to pursue his journey. Rev. He would need to be prepared and this could be the protagonists way of equipping him as he said He would. 38. (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. Circumcision is a covenant, not a sacrifice that atones for sin. So He let him go. 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. The underlined words above are words that were supplied by the NIV translators. 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. It was then she said, A bridegroom of blood by circumcision, (Exodus 4:24-26, NRSV).1. Examining these three verses, we know that it occurred after they started the journey. She called Moses a "bloody husband" because of the circumcision. Why his feet? Are you a part of Gods chosen people? 26 So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision. This meant that Zipporah had symbolically transferred the circumcision she performed to her husband by touching the childs foreskin to his penis.This ritual of circumcision by proxy made Moses her bridegroom of blood, which satisfied God and, therefore, saved Moses life.7, Euphemisms are used all throughout the Old Testament. One scholar, named John Durham, hypothesizes that Zipporahs only option to save her family was to circumcise her son and touch Moses with the foreskin to transfer the effects of the rite to Moses. (https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/9e6a/a27d838cdf4a201b5a12bcbbc940dcd0b6e7.pdf) This hypothesis sounds reasonable considering that Moses was most likely not circumcised. Zipporah and her sisters appear too weak to defend themselves from the threat of local shepherds at the well. . Something extraordinary took place, however, while he and his family travelled to the land of Pharaoh. Why did Zipporah circumcise her son rather than letting Moses do it? ((c) Maimon. In order to complete his assignment, Moses had to die. There is also another explanation. And, here comes Moses to the rescue. The Outlaw Bible Student web site is secured with SSL-encrypted connections. Our newsletter is a short email sent to notify subscribers about new information that has been posted to the OBS site. God said that if the children of Israel would not believe the first sign, they will believe the second. 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. It would have marked the son as a member of Gods family, and by touching her husband with the foreskin, it would have symbolically acted as a circumcision on Moses. 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. He also could have easily justified to himself not carrying it out knowing his wife, a non-Israelite, would have been displeased with him performing it a second time. To the point that Moses thinks it best to send her and the boy(s) back to Jethro. In order to understand this scene, some background information is in order. She is a longtime student of the Word who brings dynamic and prophetic insights to her preaching, teaching, and pastoral life. Copyright 2017-2023 Ray Hermann, The Outlaw Bible Student. 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. God bless us all! The problem is not with the answers, but with the questions. We are committed to writing about what God wants you to know not what some churches only want you to hear. 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's father was Jethro, also called Reuel. Note: Page 603 of the source. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Church Father and philosopher, Augustine of Hippo, had a very negative attitude toward sexuality. Moses got his directions from God but something very strange happened, God was going to kill him (Moses) because of his disobedience. Why would God want to kill Moses? Maundy Thursday leads us to a bloody table and to a garden where Judas Iscariot has blood on his hands. While she is introduced early in Exodus, very little is said about her. Most would probably agree that Moses grew up to be a great leader. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another, (John 13:34). As a result, the Lord decides not to kill Moses. 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. 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. Eliezer was Moses' and Zipporah's second son. Is Psalm 12:7 a promise that God would preserve his words? Devils Line Season 2: Release Date CONFIRMED or CANCELED! 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). Why did Moses kill this man? 2. Article This passage is rather uneventful and straightforward if we read it properly. After the resurrection, Jesus invited Thomas to touch him in the bloody parts, his hand and his side. 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. Why do that? Her first reaction was to circumcise her son without being told to do so. The son who was circumcised in this story did not belong to the household of Moses. During the patriarchal period, oaths were taken by placing a hand under the reproductive organ, but generally recorded in the Bible as thigh instead of testicles, penis, or genitals. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. When Zipporah and her sisters spotted Moses the first time, they thought he was an Egyptian, and in many ways they were right. Should the Bible include Acts 8:37: "And Philip said, If. Confess and repent. Here is a grown boy who had to be circumcised. Zipporah gave Moses two sons, Gershom and Eliezer. at least, not anymore. She lives in Holland, Michigan, with her daughter Gezelle, son Chris, and doggie-woggie Kgabani. Apparently God was holding Moses accountable for the breaking of Gods covenant. _______________________________________________. 4:25). Exactly why Moses had not circumcised his son is not stated in Scripture. Moreover, the failure to be circumcised is punishable by exclusion from the Abrahamic covenant, not death (Genesis 17:14). 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). 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). 2-God expects obedience and submission from His people. (At that time she said bridegroom of blood, referring to circumcision.) Exodus 4:25 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 "Other. 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. She and Moses lived under the authority of her father, a priest of God amongst the Midianites. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. And he went, and met him in the . Zipporah touched Moses' feet with the foreskin, and then called Moses a bloody husband, "a bridegroom of blood," in her displeasure. Source: Memorials of Gilbert Haven, Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) 1880 A.D. While this answers the questions of why and how, there are still a couple of uncertainties I came across as I read the text. And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? Alas, he had forgotten his blood! God told Moses to put his hand to his chest, and when Moses did, his hand became white like it was leprous. 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. If it was, she would not say he was a bloody husband because it would be an expectation that he should be circumcised. . The custom in Egypt was associated with coming into manhood at about fourteen years of age and the entire foreskin was not removed. You can see our basic rules for comments by clicking The Fine Print on the top menu bar. Zipporah is in blue. Great I Am, light the path before us we pray. The meaning is: The marriage bond between us is now sealed by blood. Where once she was the beneficiary of male benevolence, she then stepped in to save the life of the patriarch. . 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. February 28, 2018. Your email address will NOT be published. She called Moses a "bloody husband" because of the circumcision. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The story just changes subjects mid text, but we can logically assume that Moses had violated the circumcision command (Leviticus 12:3). Catullus. Besides, to surgically circumcise Moses, he would have been unable to travel for days.5. This article is part of the She Is Called Women of the Bible Study Series. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Listed on Blogspots In fact, shes only mentioned three times in scripture. Notice that there is no reference to killing or death after verse 24 because the episode from verse 25 onward has nothing to do with death. Only the Midrash, the Oral Traditions of Judaism, clarifies this answer. It is like, as if Moses was forgetting something or he was being bullheaded by not complying with something important. 26 So the LORD let him alone. A bloody husband - Literally, "a husband of blood," or "bloods." feet (with the bloody piece of skin), and said, Thou art an husband of bloods to me. Her father, who is believed to be one of the founders of the Druze religion seems to have affected his daughter in that custom. Moses held him down so Zipporah had to do it, although she was disgusted with the whole . Her assertive action saved her husband's life but not without chastising him for causing her to perform the blood act. 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. . At his feet.Moses feet, undoubtedly. As such, you should have circumcised your son soon after his birth. (b) Maimon. (LogOut/ Jethro takes her and both of Moses sons and go meet him to celebrate Israel leaving Egypt. 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. 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. 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. 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. Who is the bridegroom? 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. While there is no way to actually prove the reason for Zipporahs actions, several scholars have hypothesized her motivation. Comments or questions, contact me at: thoughtsonword@gmail.com. 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. 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Abrahamic covenant, not death ( Genesis 17:14 ) bloody piece of skin ), and said, thou an... Two sons, Gershom and eliezer short email sent to notify subscribers about new that! Hypothesis sounds reasonable considering that Moses was forgetting something or he was 120 when he die ( John )... Should have circumcised your son soon after his birth her son rather than Moses! This answer why Moses had two wives and Zipporah was the beneficiary of male benevolence why did zipporah call moses a bloody husband would!