Zipporah Protects Her Husband Moses

Moses, Israel’s great deliverer, would not have gotten far without the women in his life. After being saved by the midwives, his birth mother, sister, and adopted mother, he needs yet another woman to protect him—Zipporah (Ex 2:15–22).

Zipporah is one of the seven daughters of Reuel,¹ (also called Jethro), a priest and shepherd (Ex 3:1) of Midian. As such she, like Moses, is a descendant of Abraham but from a son of his second wife (Gen 25:1–6).² Moses rescues the sisters from shepherds who harass them at a well while they attempt to draw water for their flocks. When they get home and tell to their father about the brave Egyptian, he admonishes them for not inviting Moses home. Moses accepts the subsequent invitation and settles down. He marries Zipporah and they have two sons, Gershom (meaning sojourner) and Eliezer (God my help) (Ex 18:3–4).

After about 40 years (Acts 7:30), Moses receives his call from God to lead his people out of slavery (Ex 3:10). We see no record of Zipporah questioning Moses’s encounter with God at the burning bush or his desire to return to Egypt. In fact, she and her sons(or at least the firstborn) go with him after seeking permission from Jethro (Ex 4:18).

Next we find a bizarre incident that happens during an overnight stay on the journey (Ex 4:24–26). In full disclosure, no one really understands this incident mainly because it is unclear exactly who the male pronouns refer to—Moses or his son.³

However, most commentators believe Moses has neglected to circumcise his son, thus failing to fulfill his part in the covenant with God (Gen 17:9–14). As he approaches his task of leading the people out of Egypt, Moses himself must follow the laws of God before instructing others. This experience can also been seen as a spiritual crisis moment where Moses learns to recognize and surrender to God’s sovereignty similar to Jacob’s wrestling with God (Gen 32:22–32).

We can only speculate why Moses’ son is not yet circumcised. It is believed that other nations at that time practiced circumcision as a puberty or pre-marriage rite.⁴ Maybe Zipporah objects. Or perhaps Moses has forgotten the Hebrew laws after all the years of living apart from them. For whatever reason, his son needs the procedure and Moses needs to obey God.

So as the account goes, Zipporah whips out her flint knife and circumcises her son, throwing the newly severed skin at Moses’s feet. Then she says, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me.” Wait! What?

Some think that Zipporah throws the skin down in disgust. Others think she is relieved because now her husband (who almost died) is restored to her. We do know that all firstborn sons will soon die in the upcoming final plague unless they have blood on their doorposts, whereupon God will pass over them (Ex 12:12–13). And only those who are circumcised may participate in the Passover celebrations going forward (Ex 12:48–49). In light of this, the firstborn of Moses must be circumcised.

Despite the ambiguity, it is clear that Zipporah averts God’s wrath by thinking quickly, acting bravely, and thus protecting her husband.

At some point, Moses sends Zipporah back to her family in Midian (Ex 18:2) because we next see her when the Israelites are camped at Mt. Sinai (Ex 18:2–6). She accompanies her father and brings her sons to Moses. After they arrive, there is no further mention of her while her father’s greeting and assistance to Moses is detailed in full.

We then read that Jethro returns to Midian but Zipporah’s future remains unclear. A few verses about Moses’s grandsons indicate they, at least, entered the promised land (Judges 18:30; 1 Chron 23:16–17; 26:24).

One further possible reference to Zipporah remains (Num 12:1–2). At some point Moses marries a Cushite (Ethiopian) woman. Some believe this isn’t Zipporah at all but rather a second wife after she died. Again, the facts remain a mystery.

I feel rather sorry for Zipporah while admiring her also. The first years of her marriage may have been idyllic. God brought an educated, handsome husband (after all he was a beautiful baby Ex 2:2) out of nowhere to join the family business and give her children. But then one day, he receives marching orders and takes off. And we wonder if she’s ever thought of again. She appears to be quite neglected. And yet, she is one of a the brave women who save Moses’s life enabling him to fulfill his destiny.

May we, like Zipporah, be discerning, take initiative, and act bravely to protect others. while no longer required to obey the laws given at Mt. Sinai, nor circumcise our sons (Col 2:11–13), God may ask us to be a mediator, helping others to follow him and live according to his new covenant.

One may have been a family name and the other a personal one. Because Reuel means “Friend of God,” some think he was a believer in Jehovah. But if not then, he did eventually became a follower of God (Ex 18:9–11). ↩︎
The Midianites first appear as traders taking part in the buying and transfer of Joseph to Egypt (Gen 37:28). Later Moses employs the help of Hobab, his Midianite brother-in-law (Num 10:29–32). Relations between the Israelites and Midianites deteriorate when the Midianites join with the Moabites to hire Balaam to curse Israel (Num 22:1–6). ↩︎
https://concordiatheology.bibleodyssey.com/articles/zipporah/ ↩︎
https://soniclight.com/tcon/notes/html/exodus/exodus.htm#head25 ↩︎

Post Views: 49