The woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son. About 1486, the reigning Pharaoh tried to kill Moses when he sought identity with his people Israel, but Moses escaped to Midian. I learned to give injections, to plan meals, to test blood, to watch for highs and lows, and I learned to trust God in a new, powerful way. Rabbah 1:25). Jochebed knew as long as she trusted Jehovah, she had nothing to fear. The Rabbis deduced from this that righteous women are not subject to the decree passed on Eve (that is, the curse of in pain shall you bear children [Gen. 3:16] does not apply to them) (BT Sotah 12a). According to social media posts written by Gov. Jochebed Mother of Moses. She had to walk away. In the midrashic account, the daughter of Pharaoh saw that Moses was hungry when she drew him from the river. Yes, Miriam is watching from a distant place on the shore, but she, his mother had to let him go. Her appearance is short and we are not told much about her, but one trait stands out: trust in God. I would have wondered if he would be safe? Although she is mentioned only twice in the Bible, Jochebed has a lasting place as one of the immortal mothers of Israel. I took him to the pediatrician and I knew it was a urinary tract infection, wed get the pink bubble gum antibiotic and hed be fine. Amram and Jochebed were strong in their faith during a time where many Israelites had become idolatrous. The parents of Moses knew that the Children of Israel could never perish, for that would be denying the very promise that God had given to their father Abraham (Genesis 12:3). 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. Although the Torah asserts that Jacobs household who came to Egypt numbered seventy souls, the Rabbis noted that only sixty-nine individuals are listed in Gen. 46. What are some areas of your life you need to stop holding on to and start trusting God? Lockyer's All the Women of the Bible - Jochebed. A summary of his forty years in Midian is given ( Exodus 2:12-22 ), and the last three verses ( Exodus 2:23-25) set the stage for Exodus 3. Jochebed is usually lost in the shadow of her famous son, Moses, and although she is many times forgotten when studying Exodus 2:1-10, surely in Heaven Jochebed is well known. But Exodus 2:5 says that the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe in the river, while her attendants walked beside the river. She is noted among the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11. According to another midrash, Moses rejected the breasts of the Egyptian women because he said: God will speak with me. She had feelings just like you and I have. What if she kept the baby at home until eventually the authorities came? 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). Jochebed the mother of Moses. To save her son's, Moses' life, she made a wooden . Yocheved was the daughter of Levi, Jacob 's son. 2:1 portrays their remarriage. Surely the words of Hebrews 11:6, Without faith it is impossible to please God, include the concept of sustaining faith. As she raised her children, she implanted the seeds of hope in their hearts. God returned her child to her, thus granting her a part of her reward for keeping alive the Hebrew boys (Ex. . She hid Moses for a period of time, but as the childs lungs developed it became impossible to hide him. According to another interpretation, Jochebed named her son Tov or Tobiah, which was what his parents called him until Pharaohs daughter renamed him Moses (BT Sotah 12a). Transition to our next woman of influence, JochebedMoses mother. Maurice is a Messianic Jew who frequently channels God. That Jochebed could still be bearing children at the age of forty-eight might seem unlikely by modern standards. A compilation of the commentary and discussions of the amora'im on the Mishnah. According to the masoretic text, Jochebed's family tree is as follows: According to the Septuagint however, Jochebed would be a cousin of Amram or Kohath: Along with the parting of the Red Sea, the burning bush and the Ten Commandments: The Quran relates the story of Moses with some added details and slight differences. Amram and the Levite from Egypt, Jochebed were related by blood though their affinity was not that clear. At just this moment, Miriam steps forward and approaches the daughter and volunteers her service to find a Hebrew woman to nurse the child, and whom did she bring back? Then verse 18 shows that Kohath's sons were Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel. She sent one of her attendants, took it. This is corroborated by another early midrash, that states that Jochebed was one of the offspring of Jacob who went down to Egypt and was also among those who entered the land of Canaan (Seder Olam Rabbah 9). Everything looked hopeless for the Hebrew slaves. Leah and Rachel: The Mothers Who Had to Share. Yocheved was a beautiful, kind and motherly woman. As Moses grew up Jochebed educated Moses in the religion and history of Israel, ensuring that Moses did not lose his Hebrew identity. It was by faith that he was hidden, not by fear! Here there would be less danger from crocodiles than if she just put him down on the beach. The basket fell in the hands of the Pharaoh's daughter who was bathing in the river. She was portrayed by Martha Scott. She looks like and is voiced by the late Ofra Haza. When she placed little Moses in the Nile River that day, Jochebed could not have known that he would grow up to be one of God's greatest leaders, chosen to rescue the Hebrew people from slavery in Egypt. 113:9): He sets the childless woman [akeret ha-bayit] among her household as a happy mother of children. Jochebed, who had been uprooted [nitakrah) from her home as a result of the decree of Pharaoh, would now be set happily among her household. The wording she placed it among the reeds (ibid.) Years passed. (Genesis 1:7-10) Pharaoh gave the midwives an order to kill any boy that was born of the Hebrew women . (Maybe an angel stood there and pinched the baby so that he would cry at the right time.). United States of America, (Click + to show other publications in this category), (A Study of Acts 18:1-26 and Romans 16:3-5), (Click + to show other publications that have this tag). When the child was born, the baby was a boy, and we learn in Exodus 2:10 that he was later named Moses.. The Apostle Peter says, That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:7). In verse 16 we find that Levi's sons were Gershon, Kohath and Merari. 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. Jochebed's name means, "Honor of God" or "God is glory". Thus Jochebed nursed her son until he was old enough and brought him to the Pharaoh's daughter, who adopted him as her son. [27], Stories of unusual events during the pregnancy of Aminah, mother of the Islamic prophet Muhammad,[28] are compared with the similar experiences of Jochebed when she was carrying Moses. Reply Paul Irvine, CA April 5, 2009 What would she do if he was snatched out of her arms and taken to certain death? There is great historical debate on who was Pharaohs daughter? One wonders why Pharaohs daughter wanted to bathe herself in the dirty waters of the Nile River. Moses, in the wilderness, instructed them to put away pagan gods. Someone has said mothers begin saying good-bye to their children from the moment they are born.1 And we dont want to forget there is also a pain that comes from wanting a child and yet not having one, perhaps even having to give up that possibility. Answer Moses' mother, Jochebed, was a Hebrew woman living in slavery in Egypt before the exodus. He does them in a big way if we dare to trust Him. Jochebed was the mother of Moses, one of the major characters in the Old Testament. The Torah seemingly chose to concentrate on the birth of Israels deliverer, and therefore did not mention his two elder siblings. The prophecy of 400 years of bondage (Gen 15:13) was coming to a close. On the foundation of Gods promise not to destroy Israel, and on the basis of a four hundred year servitudethe parents of Moses believed that God would preserve him and use him for His purpose. Joseph had revealed himself to his eleven brothers and requested that his father come to Egypt, which the family did. 4041). Jochebed was a daughter of Levi (Exodus 2:1), and the mother of Aaron, Moses, and Miriam (Exodus 6:20; Numbers 26:59). Accordingly, Prov. One of the great hymns of the church says: God moves in a mysterious way The mother of Miriam, Aaron and Moses. Jochebed is most known as the mother of Moses. 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). (2021, September 4). When hiding him was no longer possible, she placed him in a waterproof basket and set him adrift among the reeds, hoping he would be saved from Pharaoh's death squads. Then she brought him back to Pharaoh's daughter, who raised him as her own. According to Exodus 6:20, Jochebed married her nephew; thus, she was Amram's aunt as well as his wife. By merit of her good deeds, she gave birth to the three leaders of the Exodus generation: Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. [24], It has been proposed by a number of Biblical scholars that Ichabod and Jacob may ultimately be linguistic corruptions of Jochebed, and possibly once have referred to the same individual.[26]. 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. His sister stationed herself at a distance to find out what would happen to him. Moses' sister, Miriam, accompanied her younger brother when he led the Hebrew people in their escape from slavery in Egypt. In his gracious way, God gives us himself, the most desirable dream we could ever imagine. Learn Religions. Or would it be wise to just distance herself from this baby and let someone else throw him in the Nile? To adopt a child means someone has to give up a child. Someone is always crying. The Apocrypha calls her Tharmuth, other names suggested are Merris, or Bityah, perhaps even the well-known Hatshepsut( HAT shep shoot). Would I ever see him again? Jochebed placed Moses in a basket and released him in the flow of River Nile. The smaller lad began to cry even more, because he thought his brother was trying to sink the boat. Jesus says to us, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (John 8:31-32). Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. The midrash portrays Jochebed as a wise woman who was righteous and God-fearing. The narrative of her pregnancy with Moses is amusingly incorporated in an exegesis relating to the time of the Rabbis. "We cannot save our little boy from the forces of death,"Moses' parents decided, "but God can.". She was seen crying once she let the basket that held . This was God responding to the faith of a mother who dared to trust in Him. F. Pharaoh's daughter knew Moses was a Hebrew baby. Under her influence and teaching, she . 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. Verbs tell us that she herself opened it and saw Moses and at that very moment he cried. Exodus 1:14 concludes by saying, All their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour. But even this severe treatment did not serve to decrease the number of the Children of Israel, and so in desperation, the Egyptian king decreed that every male child born to the Hebrews should be cast into the river. (Amram lived to be 137 years old).". 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. Deborah, the only female judge in the Bible, excelled in multiple areas. Truthfully, there is a certain amount of pain, a loneliness pain, when they leave home to go to college, when they get married, when they start their own life. Then she put the baby in it and set it among the reeds on the bank of the Nile River. His possessions were all gone; his body was racked with pain; his wife added to the pain of his soul by urging him to curse God and cry out for death. [7] In making this identification, the rabbis interpret the houses, with which the Book of Exodus describes God as having compensated the midwives,[8] as having been those of priesthood and of royalty; these houses are interpreted by the Talmudic rabbis as allegorical references to Jochebed's sons Moses and Aaron respectively.[9]. According to one midrashic view, Shiphrah and Puah were mother and daughter Jochebed and Miriam, while another states that they were daughter-in-law and mother-in-lawJochebed and Elisheba daughter of Amminadab. 11:23 By faith Moses was hidden by, Amram and Jochebed, his parents, for three months after he was born, because they saw that he was a beautiful child and were not afraid of the kings order. Resources Lockyer's All the Women of the Bible Chapter 2. She did . The Rabbis identify Jochebed with Shiphrah, one of the two Hebrew midwives (Shiphrah and Puah) who delivered the children of the Israelites during the Egyptian servitude. [23] According to biblical scholars, the Torah's genealogy for Levi's descendants, is actually an aetiological myth reflecting the fact that there were four different groups among the Levites the Gershonites, Kohathites, Merarites, and Aaronids;[24] Aaron the eponymous ancestor of the Aaronids couldn't be portrayed as a brother to Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, as the narrative about the birth of Moses (brother of Aaron), which textual scholars attribute to the earlier Elohist source, mentions only that both his parents were Levites (without identifying their names). Kadari, Tamar. Maybe its a relationship that is toxic and you need to make a hard choice. Why to Trust? And she bore to him Aaron and Moses. "Jochebed: Midrash and Aggadah." Answering:, "Jochebed couldn't have gone to the Holy land because God killed off the entire generation that left Egypt except for Caleb and Joshua as punishment. As we journey through life, all of uslike the parents of Moseswill have our faith tried. So Jochebed got her own child back, at least for a while. In the New Testament, she is praised for her faith in God.[3]. She didnt just let him go, she was a woman of faith, and she let him go and trusted her God. 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. 2 R. Alan Cole, Exodus, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, ed. Those must have been precious years. Bravely, she asked Pharaoh's daughter if she should get a Hebrew woman to nurse the child. Amram married Jochebed who was also from the tribe of Levi, one of Jacobs 12 sons. One of the arguments advanced by Moses was his mothers suffering. Moved with compassion when she discovered the child, she decided to adopt him. It was Jochebed's love and devotion to Moses that preserved his life and allowed him to lead the greatest salvation event in Old Testament history. A little boy spent many hours making a small boat and then he took it to the lake. Like Jochebed, they trust God to find a loving home for their child. (We learn later, in Exodus 6:20, that the father and mother of Moses are named Amram and Jochebed.) By merit of her good deeds, she gave birth to the three leaders of the Exodus generation: Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. 2 Later, the woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son. Hebrews 11:23 BY FAITH they hid MosesThey saw life through the eyes of faith. First, some background. She felt a firm unity with her Creator and was exhilarated by this bond. I think we can see the fond expression on the mothers face as she said with great joy, I knew that God would provide! Jochebeds faith was rewarded by being reunited to her own child. She was Levi 's daughter, and Kehot, Amram's father, was Levi 's son. Nile was considered emanation (em uh ney shun) THE SOURCE of the pagan god Osiris( O sigh rus) and the waters had magical properties. This kind of marriage between relatives was later forbidden by the law of Moses. ), wife of Amram and mother of Moses, Aaron, and Miriam (Num. Exodus 6: 20 He said, for example, I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth (Job 19:25). The Apostle Paul exhorts in Ephesians 6 that the Christian should have on the belt of truth and the coat of righteousness; our feet should be shod with the readiness of the gospel of peace. Tellings of the birth of Moses story often overlook Jochebed's role in the story from beginning to end. We are thinking of faith in this lesson, not as saving faith, but as sustaining faith. They had faith that God had made promises to them through Abraham that they would be a nation, a people with land, their land. Clearly Jochebed and Amram married before the prohibition was given, but it is a bit of a shocker that for all those Israelites who knew the law looking back on it with hindsight. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us - including overcoming our greatest fears. Jochebed had such a deep abiding faith in the trustworthiness of Gods Word that it drove her to act. The Egyptians believed that the waters of the Nile possessed the ability to impart fruitfulness and to prolong life.4 Dr. Thomas Constable, While her attendants were walking up and down the banks keeping undesirable people and animals away, she saw the basket. Just like today, true faith was mixed with pagan beliefs. Probably about 3 years. 2. According to the Bible, Jochebed (/ j k b d /; Biblical Hebrew: , romanized: Yee, lit. Rabbah 1:25; for the identification of Jochebed with Shiphrah, see above). She is a witless baby. Still another notion bases its understanding of the name on Job 26:13: By his wind the heavens were calmed [shifrah]. The verse describes the heavens that were created by God for Israel, and it was Shiphrah who returned Israel to their Father in heaven (Eccl. Numbers 26:58-59 These are the families of the Levitesand Kohath begot Amram. Would he be treated differently because he was Hebrew? That Jochebed could still be bearing children at the age of forty-eight might seem unlikely by modern standards. Did Amram marry his aunt? The Bible; the Pentateuch; Tanakh (the Pentateuch, Prophets and Hagiographia)Torah also designates Jochebed as the daughter of Levi (Num. Epstein-Melamed], p. 6; BT Sotah 12a; Pesikta Rabbati 43). In fact, the goodness and mercy of God were so great that the mother was even paid for nursing her own son! She is only mentioned twice by name in Scripture, but she is the mother of Miriam, Aaron and Moses. That day began a new life for my son and for our entire family and me. Amram and Jochebed had a daughter, Miriam, and two sons, Aaron and Moses. Jochebed was given the name Shiphrah because she would cleanse (meshaperet) the newborn, by washing it and cleaning it after birth; another etymological explanation is that, by merit of her deeds, the Israelites were fruitful [she-paru] and multiplied in her time (Sifrei on Numbers, para. Jochebed, more commonly referred to as the mom of Moses, is an important biblical character when studying mothers in the Bible. Is it your past? Each was a prophet, and each served Israel (provided them physical succor): by merit of Moses, the Israelites were given the manna; by merit of Aaron, clouds of glory surrounded the Israelites and protected them during their journeying in the wilderness; and by merit of Miriam, the well accompanied them wherever they went. Yocheved was the youngest member of the seventy souls who made up Jacob's household. Her hometown was probably Goshen, in the land of Egypt. A compilation of the commentary and discussions of the, Yael Wife of Heber The Kenite: Midrash and Aggadah, Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab: Midrash and Aggadah, They will spit: In the tradition of Miriam, Jewish women will continue to challenge the establishment, The Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women, Copyright 19982023, Jewish Women's Archive. Moses just happened to cry at the right time? They first became unlawful by the positive command recorded in Leviticus 18:12. Thus Jochebed nursed her son until he was old enough and brought him to the Pharaoh's daughter, who adopted him as her son. The painting "The Mother of Moses" by Simeon Solomon depicts Jochebed and Miriam looking and holding Moses. Jochebed was able to use her amazing creativity and courage to solve an impossible problem. The Exodus Rabbah argues that when the Pharaoh instructed midwives to throw male children into the Nile, Amram divorced Jochebed, who was three months pregnant with Moses at the time, but Miriam soon persuaded him to marry Jochebed again;[10] it goes on to argue that the Egyptians estimated the date that Moses would be due to be born by counting nine months from the start of this marriage, hence allowing Jochebed to hide him for the three months that were overestimated. Some of you have lost children to divorce, some have run-away, and some have even died. God blessed Jochebed's obedience by making her Moses' nursemaid. He said: Master of the Universe! Hebrews11:23 they were not afraid of the kings edict. The princess adopted Moses eventually but never knew that Jochebed was the little boy's biological mother. His three friends sat for seven days and simply shook their heads in despair without saying a word (Job 2:13). The A type of non-halakhic literary activitiy of the Rabbis for interpreting non-legal material according to special principles of interpretation (hermeneutical rules).midrash portrays Jochebed as a wise woman who was righteous and God-fearing. You can never get them all quiet at the same time. Perhaps there would be some shade too from the sun in the reeds. Assisted by - Quoted sourceThese are my personal research notes gleaned from over 50 plus years of being a bible student - assisted by the following information which . Jochebed which in Hebrew means: Jehovah is glory both she and her husband were from the tribe of Levi the priestly tribe. Answer (1 of 23): Re your query: According to Exodus 2, Moses' mother gave him back to Pharoah's daughter. Pharaohs daughter just happened to have enough influence to save the baby Moses. And after Jochebed did all that she could, she went back homeundoubtedly with a great sense of trust that God would work things out according to His plan. We will notice several aspects of Jochebeds faith-walk. An Impossible Problem Solver. She chose bulrushes, a soft and flexible material that is capable of withstanding contact with both soft and hard objects. The Haggadah extends this miraculous nature to Moses' conception by marking as 120 the age of Jochebed at conception. He feared they would join a foreign army against the Egyptians or start a rebellion. When trials come our way we must learn to be patient and trust and wait. The second lesson is for heartbroken people who have to turn their dreams over to God. The basket fell in the hands of the Pharaoh's daughter who was bathing in the river. It seems that God impressed upon their hearts the conviction that their very child, Moses, should be the one whom God would use to bring about the promised deliverance. He had two mothers who loved him, two mothers who did all they could to save him from a certain death. Genuine faith also has rewards. In all three explanations, Jochebed immediately comprehended that her son was meant for greatness and she discerned that he possessed unique spiritual qualities. According to Jewish legend, she is buried in the Tomb of the Matriarchs, in Tiberias. Moses would become God's servant who would lead Israel out of Egypt. The conditions described in the first two chapters of Exodus indicate that indeed those were dark days for the Children of Israel. If the Pharaoh here is Rameses (RAM uh sees) II, he had over 60 daughters.3 We dont know, but whoever she was, she had enough influence to kill Moses or keep him alive. Gods purpose in redeeming Israel depended at that very moment on the pitiful cry of a little baby. [4] The story continues with Moses, who grew up to become the leader of the Exodus, leading his people out of the land of Egypt. Moses, the great law-giver, was born within what would soon be seen as an unlawful union. 1:21), which the Rabbis understand as priestly and Levitical households, or as royal households. But this couple worshipped Jehovah God. Perhaps God might use him to fulfill the Promise. Jochebed which in Hebrew means: The Honor of Jehovah. Jochebed nursed Moses for twenty-four months (Ex. 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. She saw that he was a beautiful child, and hid him for three months. Josephus and the Fathers assign the Coptic mo (water) and uses (saved) as the constituent parts of the name. She was the only surviving child of Thutmose I . This sequence omits a lengthy period of time, for Jochebed and Amram already had two other children (Aaron and Miriam) when Moses was born. 26:59; cf. And so, when we have done all we can do, we must calmly trust in the Lordeven though to us there seems to be no way out. Several rabbinic commentaries attest to this and comment that maidenhood was restored to Jochebed at the time of her marriage to Amram. 1 teaches that Jochebed put the ark in a protected place, where bushes and reeds grew. Only because she trusted the Lord could she abandon her son rather than see him killed. He turned to his three friends, and said in essence, Although I dont know why I am called upon to face this trial, I do know the joy of fellowship with God, and though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him (Job 13:15). 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. Moses said: The mouth that will speak with God will not nurse something impure [the milk of non-Jews]. Yocheved is the major character birth mother of Moses, Miriam, & Aaron in The Prince of Egypt. During the few years, Jochebed was permitted to nurse her son, she would have had a profound influence upon him. I want to be sure to add, even if this sounds like heresy in our health, wealth, prosperity theology culture: When you let go and trust God not all babies in baskets are rescued, not all illnesses are healed, not all jobs are restored, not all relationships are mended but this is True: when you let go and trust Him God is glorified and He will work it out for ultimate good. Pharaoh of ancient Egypt saw that the Hebrews were multiplying greatly and feared that they would consider a revolt. The midrash describes in detail how she prepared the ark for Moses. Jochebed was paid to nurse and care for the boy, her own son until he grew. Surely this was a time of great trial for Jochebed, but instead of manifesting fear and despair, she seemed to have confidence and hope. By letting go and trusting God, an even greater dream was fulfilled. The story of Moses' mother is found in chapter two of Exodus, Exodus 6:20, and Numbers 26:59. The woman conceived and bore a son, since she conceived before this second marriage? This brings us to the influence one mother had on history - not only the history of her family, but the entire history of the children of Israel. A resolute faith and holy background were the foundation for her remarkable strength and trust in the promises of God. Let us know. Jochebed, wife of Amram and mother of Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, is mentioned by name only in Exod 6:20 and Num 26:59, both genealogical listings. Some, its likely all of us, know the pain of giving up, letting go of someone, or something precious to you: A relationship, a job, a dream.

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