This week we are studying Exodus 18 during our sermon time, which chronicles Moses’ father-in-law Jethro’s visit to Moses near Mt. Sinai. It is also something of a family reunion, as Moses’ wife Zipporah and his two sons (Gershom and Eliezer) travel with Jethro. Although Moses is the major character in no less than four books of the Bible (and mentioned frequently throughout the Scriptures), what we know of his family life is astonishingly little. Depictions of Moses in film often involve his family to a much greater extent than they appear in the Bible.
So what do we know?
Zipporah was Jethro’s daughter. Moses presumably met her at a well in Midian when he was fleeing Pharaoh after killing an Egyptian. Sometime after meeting her they married. When Moses was ready to head back to Egypt he initially decided to have Zipporah join him. That is when we read the perplexing account in Exodus 4 where God grows angry with Moses. I discussed this event at length in a previous email. Moses survives this event, and presumably sends Zipporah and his sons back to live with Jethro while he heads to Egypt.
After the mention of the family reunion in Exodus 18, Zipporah does not appear again in Scripture. We can assume that she traveled with Moses during the wandering in the wilderness until her death, but even her death isn’t recorded in Scripture!
It appears that Moses may have remarried at some point. In Numbers 12:1 we read that Aaron and Miriam are upset with Moses for marrying a Cushite woman. Cush was located in modern-day Ethiopia and Sudan. We know nothing else about this second wife. Some have suggested that this wife is actually Zipporah and Moses never remarried, but the evidence for that possibility is very weak.
Well, what about Moses’ children? We arguably know even less!
Moses’ first son with Zipporah was named Gershom. His name means “sojourner.” He is mentioned by name only a handful of times in the Bible. The only event in Scripture that he is really involved in is the Exodus 4 event where Moses almost dies. Even then he is only referred to as Moses’ firstborn son. After Exodus 18 his name only appears in some genealogies, and scholars debate whether some of those instances refer to this Gershom or to a different man. 1 Chronicles 23 mentions that he had a son named Shebuel.
Moses’ younger son, Eliezer is only mentioned twice in the Bible, in Exodus 18 and in 1 Chronicles 23. His name means “my God is my helper.” We do learn that Eliezer had a son named Rehabiah and many grandchildren.
It is interesting that neither of Moses’ sons seemed to have ever attained any position of leadership in the nation of Israel as one might expect as the sons of the unquestioned and divinely appointed leader of the people. Instead, Joshua is chosen to follow Moses as leader of the people. Numbers 3:1 begins with “These are the generations of Aaron and Moses at the time when the Lord spoke with Moses on Mt. Sinai.” But then only Aaron’s sons are listed! Jewish tradition holds that God did not elevate the boys to leadership because they did not study the Torah. The Torah is the first five books of the Bible (which Moses wrote!). But that is only tradition, not Scripture.
Moses belonged to the tribe of Levi, and more specifically to the tribe of Kothath (Exodus 8:18). Numbers 4 tells us that the Kothathites were responsible for the caring of the Tabernacle and all the holy objects in it like the ark, the altar, and so on. It seems likely that Gershom and Eliezer served in this capacity.
The only other reference to Moses’ family is found in Judges 18:29-31, and it isn’t a positive one. The tribe of Dan captures a city, renames it Dan, and then establishes it as a center of false idol worship. They hire Moses’ grandson Jonathan and his family to be their priests.
So why don’t we know more about Moses’ family? Some scholars who are critics of the Bible have suggested that it’s because Moses was something of an absentee father and that he wasn’t a good husband. Nothing in Scripture suggests this.
The truth is that by and large we know very little about the personal lives of most of the people we read about in Scripture. Even Joseph, the earthy father of Jesus, is only mentioned in a few passages. That’s because the story of the Bible isn’t about a few families, it is about God redeeming his people from their sin. While we would love to know more, God has given us all we need to be redeemed from our sin through Jesus!
Here’s what’s happening:
- Junior Youth are meeting this Saturday, November 12thfrom 12:30 to 4:30 pm to work on packing Operation Christmas Child boxes.
- Senior High Youth group meets this Sunday, November 13th at 6:30 pm in the school house.
- OCC boxes are in the lobby, along with packing instructions. They need to be returned on Sunday, 11/20.
- The annual Thanksgiving fellowship meal will be held after the worship service on 11/20. There is a sign up sheet in the lobby for food.
- We are looking for a few more folks who would be willing to close up the church once a month after the Sunday morning service (around 11:45). It would involve checking to make sure all the lights are off, setting the alarm, and locking the front door. If you would be willing to help out, let me know.
- Advent season is but a few short weeks away. We would love to have some “special music” during the advent season. If you would like to share your musical talent on a Sunday morning, let me know.
- Save the Date – Christmas Caroling on 12/16.
This Sunday we will be looking at Jethro’s visit with Moses in Exodus 18. Jethro sees a problem and decides to give Moses some fatherly advice. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about his advice is that Moses accepted it! We’ll be looking at that advice and considering how it impacts us as we look to partner with God to build His kingdom.