Possible that he was alive during the Exodus, remember Moses was 80 years old then. 2:12 state that he married a Levite woman. Then verse 18 shows that Kohath's sons were Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel. Jochebed is identified by some rabbis in the Talmud with Shiphrah, one of the midwives described by the book of Exodus as being ordered by Pharaoh to kill the new-born male children. [15], Some rabbinic literature attempts to resolve the textual discrepancy in which the Torah lists 34 children of Leah born in Mesopotamia, stating that two were dead, and then immediately states that there were 33 in total,[16] by arguing that the figure referred only to the surviving children, and that Jochebed was the 33rd;[17][18] however, since the Book of Numbers describes Jochebed's birth as occurring in Egypt,[1] this necessitated the further rabbinic argument that Jochebed was born exactly on the border of Egypt, in the gateway of the city. First, many unwed mothers refuse to have an abortion, yet have no choice but to place their baby for adoption. Perhaps God might use him to fulfill the Promise. The narrative of her pregnancy with Moses is amusingly incorporated in an exegesis relating to the time of the Rabbis. She also gave birth to Aaron, a high priest of Israel. Jochebed: Levi's daughter and Amram's wife. She loved all of her children dearly and proved this when she risked her life to save her youngest child, Moses, from Pharaoh Seti I's soldiers. Also not to the tribe of Levi. We are thinking of faith in this lesson, not as saving faith, but as sustaining faith. Probably about 3 years. Why did she do this? According to social media posts written by Gov. God had told Abraham, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; and also that nation, whom they shall serve will I judge; and afterward shall they come out with great substance (Genesis 15:13-14). But that was not the case. He had two mothers who loved him, two mothers who did all they could to save him from a certain death. And the woman took the child, and nursed it (Exodus 2:9). Jochebed was the mother of Moses, one of the major characters in the Old Testament. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023, Women of Influence Surrounding the Life of Moses. This was God responding to the faith of a mother who dared to trust in Him. We learn that secret by reading Hebrews 11:23, which says, By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months by his parents, because they saw that he was a proper child, and they were not afraid of the kings commandment. Moses was hid in his home for three months, and then in the reeds by the river, not because Jochebed could not bear to see her child perish, or because she loved him too much to cast him into the river. Their lives were made bitter with hard service in mortar and brick, and in many kinds of field labor. She therefore was called daughter [bat, which also means young girl] of Levi, because she was once again as a young girl (BT Bava Batra 120a). A little boy spent many hours making a small boat and then he took it to the lake. Amram and Jochebed had no fear of the kings decree. Part of her reward was an extremely long life, living to witness the positions of leadership held by her children, and she was even one of the Israelites who entered the land of Canaan. Nile was considered emanation (em uh ney shun) THE SOURCE of the pagan god Osiris( O sigh rus) and the waters had magical properties. Jochebed was the mother of Moses, one of the major characters in the Old Testament. Joshua 24:14 throw away gods your forefathers worshipped beyond the river and in Egypt. Moved with compassion when she discovered the child, she decided to adopt him. Their heartbreak at giving up their baby is balanced by God's favor when they obey his command not to kill the unborn. The God of Israel was more real to Amram and Jochebed than was the king of Egypt. Jacob, his sons, and their families had gone into Egypt to live because there was a severe famine in their land, and they were able to find food in Egypt. [1] Amram was the son of Kohath, who was a son of Levi. When a womans heart and a babys tears meet, something happens. 1:21), which the Rabbis understand as priestly and Levitical households, or as royal households. By faith, Jochebed and her husband Amram hid their son Moses even against the king of Egypt's edict that all Hebrew boys should be put to death at birth. First, we need to estimate the population that went down to Egypt with Jacob, the amount of time and generations that elapsed between then and the Exodus, and any relevant data points that . After three months Jochebed was forced to obey the decree of Pharaoh. F. Hebrew 11:23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment. She was told to do that. Can you imagine what it would be like to give away your 3-month-old baby, not knowing what would happen to him? Thus it was easy for Amram and Jochebed to add up the years of Israels stay in Egypt, and see that the time of deliverance which God had promised had almost come. Jochebed, shes the one, who took him to the Royal Palace. If so, then why does Ex. JOCHEBED: THE MOTHER OF MOSES. The film The Ten Commandments calls her "Yoshebel". No details are given concerning her life. My pastor often says Give up the hope of a better past, its keeping you from a better tomorrow Past hurt, past decision? This is a clear example of how God gives, provides, and answers more abundantly than we can even ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). 1:17 relates that the midwives, fearing God, let the boys live; their reward for fearing God, according to the midrash, is Torah: because Jochebed feared the Lord, she gave birth to Moses, through whom the Torah was given (Ex. Her hometown was probably Goshen, in the land of Egypt. Jochebed and her husband served God and all though we know not a lot about them, their son Moses saved the Israelis from the Egyptians. Yet the Bible reveals that Levi and his son and grandson all had very long life spans. [Amram lived 137 years]. 4 Then his sister positioned herself some distance away in order to find out what would happen to him. Growing up, we wanted him to have all the normal experiences of childhood, sleepovers, soccer, basketball, baseball, and football, field trips, then dates, eventually college and marriage: without me. Hebrews 11:23 and Exodus 2:1-2 and 6:20. 26:59). (We learn later, in Exodus 6:20, that the father and mother of Moses are named Amram and Jochebed.) Rabbah 1:25). One of the great hymns of the church says: God moves in a mysterious way Exodus 2:1-2 A man from the household of Levi married a woman who was a descendant of Levi. Moses was a fortunate and blessed man. The second lesson is for heartbroken people who have to turn their dreams over to God. Jochebed did not say, Im going to throw the child into the river; if hes Gods man, God will somehow save him. That is not faith; that is fanaticism. The princess adopted Moses eventually but never knew that Jochebed was the little boy's biological mother. This portrayal emphasizes the painstaking attention that Jochebed paid to every detail in the ark. Resources Lockyer's All the Women of the Bible Chapter 2. JOCHEBED. We often think of this passage as the story of Moses, but it might be more appropriate to call it the story of Jochebeda woman who is relatively unknown to many Christians. Epstein-Melamed], p. 6; BT Sotah 12a; Pesikta Rabbati 43). Have you ever had to give up and let go of someone or something very precious to you? And works His sovereign will. But this couple worshipped Jehovah God. A number of miracles were performed for Jochebed in connection with the birth of Moses: she bore him at the age of one hundred and thirty, and God restored her youth and her beauty. 18. There arc three arks mentioned in Scripture. In 2014 film Exodus: Gods and Kings, she was portrayed by British Actress Anna Savva. And so Jochebed did what she could. The Rabbis say that when the daughter of Pharaoh asked of Jochebed: Take [helikhi] this child and nurse it for me (Ex. Devorah was as active an anti-vaxxer as you'll see on this site. According to tradition, Moses' parents, Amram and Jochebed (whose other children were Aaron and Miriam), hid him for three months and then set him afloat on the Nile in a reed basket daubed with pitch. 2 R. Alan Cole, Exodus, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, ed. for a little while. Faith is not testing God by jumping off bridges or having oneself deliberately bitten by rattlesnakes. Why to Trust? One of the arguments advanced by Moses was his mothers suffering. Amram and Jochebed still enjoyed a forbidden sexual relationship which produced three famous children, Aaron, Miriam and Moses, Exodus 6:20, 15:20. Ex. V. 1 begins with the marriage of Jochebed and Amram, and then the reader is immediately told of Mosess birth, concealment and rescue. His three friends sat for seven days and simply shook their heads in despair without saying a word (Job 2:13). In Thy service pain is pleasure, Would he be treated differently because he was Hebrew? (NET). Help JWA continue to lift up Jewish womens stories, this month and every month, by. Answer (1 of 23): Re your query: According to Exodus 2, Moses' mother gave him back to Pharoah's daughter. In the Old Testament this is the name of the mother of Miriam, Aaron and Moses. After many hardships, Moses was used by God as his servant to free the Hebrew people from slavery and lead them to the edge of the promised land. The mother of Moses is famous in the eyes of God, not because she bore the baby Moses, but because of her faitha faith that knew no defeat. She named him Moses. 1 Clearly one of the Bible's most outstanding figures, she served ancient Israel as a prophet, 2 judge, military leader, songwriter, and minstrel (Judges 4-5). Another proof that "bare" in Numbers 26:59 cannot indicate an immediate father-son or father-daughter relationship is found by considering that this verse states Jochebed was a daughter of Levi. Jochebed enjoyed longevity, living to witness the positions of leadership held by her children, and was even one of the Israelites who entered the land of Canaan. And when she could no longer hide him, she made a little basket, sealed it with pitch, and put the child in the basket, and laid it among the reeds by the rivers brink (Exodus 2:3). She sent one of her attendants, took it. The sun has not stopped shining just because the traveler in the tunnel doesnt see it. Jochebed just happened to be available and able to nurse? We don't know but we hope that she too was alive to see the Exodus. He treasures up His bright designs She had to walk away. 2 Later, the woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son. Maybe youve not given a child up for adoption, but Im sure that most everyone here has some experience with giving up something precious to you. A compilation of the commentary and discussions of the amora'im on the Mishnah. The Pharaoh in the opening of the book of Exodus was afraid of the Jews because there were so many of them. When Jacob went to stay with his uncle Laban, he met one of his daughters, Rachel, and loved her. Yes, Miriam is watching from a distant place on the shore, but she, his mother had to let him go. At the time when the account opens in Exodus 2, the condition of the Children of Israel was very pitiful. Exodus 6: 20 Instead of letting him be murdered, she took a basket and coated the bottom with tar, to make it waterproof. Zavada, Jack. Several rabbinic commentaries attest to this and comment that maidenhood was restored to Jochebed at the time of her marriage to Amram. But once again we see God behind the scenes! In the midrashic exegesis, the Egyptians counted the months of her pregnancy only from her return to Amram; they did not know that she was already in the third month (see above), and so Moses could be hidden in his parents home until he had had time to grow and develop. Zavada, Jack. The story of Jochebed is thought to be described in the Book of Exodus (2:110) although she is not explicitly named here. How do we know? The smaller lad began to cry even more, because he thought his brother was trying to sink the boat. Surely this was a time of great trial for Jochebed, but instead of manifesting fear and despair, she seemed to have confidence and hope. Finally, when they did speak, they concluded that Job was among the worst of sinners, and that he suffered as a result of deep sin in his life (Job 4:7). . She also was a descendant of Levi, born among the Levites in the land of Egypt. She chose bulrushes, a soft and flexible material that is capable of withstanding contact with both soft and hard objects. The midrash describes in detail how she prepared the ark for Moses. They may have desired a happy marriage, a successful career, developing their talent, or some other worthwhile goal, yet circumstances prevented it. Sometimes we need to slow down and learn to see Him and His presence in our circumstances and thank Him for His care. Exodus 6:20 And Amram took his aunt Jochebed to him for a wife. But soon he noticed that the stones were going beyond the boat and forming huge circular waves in the waterand those waves were bringing his boat toward the shore. After all she did have a husband and two other children to consider and take care of. Pharaohs daughter just happened to see the basket? Yet another tradition explains that she shiprah her actions before God (i.e., performed good deeds that were pleasing to the Lord). Moses was a prophet during biblical times. 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