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. After all she did have a husband and two other children to consider and take care of. 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. This word conveys the possibility that Jochebed sensed something was special about her new baby boy. Jochebed his father's sister. Would I ever see him again? Beginning at verse 4 in Exodus 2, we see how God, in response to the faith of this mother who dared to trust in His Wordsets in motion a whole chain of wonderful events to accomplish His purposes and to honor her faith. The woman conceived and bore a son, since she conceived before this second marriage? His wonders to perform; And she bore to him Aaron and Moses. "the written Torah." Jochebed just happened to be available and able to nurse? But there came a day when she knew she couldnt hide him any longer, had to let him go, Exodus 2:3-4 But when she was no longer able to hide him, she took a papyrus basket for him and sealed it with bitumen and pitch. The painting "The Mother of Moses" by Simeon Solomon depicts Jochebed and Miriam looking and holding Moses. JOCHEBED. (The length of Amrams life was 137 years.) For others, a family member rebels against the Gospel plan of salvation. Doing nothing would have condemned Moses to death at the hands of the Egyptian death squads. The Scripture says, And, behold, the babe wept (Exodus 2:6). The latest date that Jochebed could have been born was 2385 AM (1620 BC), the year her father died. That Jochebed could still be bearing children at the age of forty-eight might seem unlikely by modern standards. Would he forget our family? 2. Pharaoh of ancient Egypt saw that the Hebrews were multiplying greatly and feared that they would consider a revolt. We will notice several aspects of Jochebeds faith-walk. Waiting for Breakthrough - Elizabeth's story. The new Pharaoh reduced the Hebrews to slavery, he robbed them of their liberties, and he put them to work in the brick yards under cruel taskmasters. So she made a little miniature Nile boat for her baby.2) She put the child in the basket among the reeds near the bank of the river. 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. What are some areas of your life you need to stop holding on to and start trusting God? If you want to read the first two Bible studies check out: Zarephath Widow Bible Study - A lesson in courage and surrender. She also was a descendant of Levi, born among the Levites in the land of Egypt. The film The Ten Commandments calls her "Yoshebel". The outcome of this brave action of defying the King of Egypt is now known to all. Resources Lockyer's All the Women of the Bible Chapter 2. Jochebed: Mother of Moses. Rabbah 1:25; for the identification of Jochebed with Shiphrah, see above). This would make Jochebed the aunt of Amram, her husband. Verbs tell us that she herself opened it and saw Moses and at that very moment he cried. Can you imagine trying to hide a newborn baby? And when the little crib was brought to Pharaohs daughter, she saw that it was a little Hebrew baby. While he was still in Egypt, Moses killed an Egyptian guard who was assaulting a Hebrew slave, and he hid the body. [1] Amram was the son of Kohath, who was a son of Levi. His mother, Jochebed (Arabic: , romanized:Ykbid), and her efforts to save the baby Moses are recounted. First, many unwed mothers refuse to have an abortion, yet have no choice but to place their baby for adoption. The babys own mother. Pharaohs daughter just happened to have enough influence to save the baby 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. It is an unquestionable fact of scripture that God blessed the forbidden marriage of Amram and Jochebed. Some Greek and Latin manuscripts of the Septuagint state that Jochebed was Amram's father's cousin, and others state that she was Amram's cousin. Lesson two study group Questions (Click Here). The Pharaoh had decreed that all their baby boys were to be thrown into the Nile, because he feared that they might become too powerful. Jochebeds name means, Honor of God or God is glory. Moses' sister, Miriam, accompanied her younger brother when he led the Hebrew people in their escape from slavery in Egypt. But in the midst of this trial, she had confidence and hope. As she raised her children, she implanted the seeds of hope in their hearts. Then she brought him back to Pharaoh's daughter, who raised him as her own. The sage, who wanted to awaken them, said: A single woman in Egypt gave birth to sixty myriads from a single stomach. There was a pupil there named R. Ishmael son of R. Yose, who asked him: Was this really so? He [Rabbi] replied: This is Jochebed, who bore Moses, who is deemed the equivalent of sixty myriads of Israel (Song of Songs Rabbah 1:15:3). Exodus 1; 2. She was seen crying once she let the basket that held . It was not uncommon for Pharaohs and other Egyptians to bathe ceremonially in the sacred Nile River, as many Indians do today in the Ganges River. 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). Miriam, who was six years old at the time, said: Father, father, your decree is harsher than that of Pharaoh. Surely Jochebed would have told little Moses stories of the faithfulness of the God of Israel. Zavada, Jack. Pharaoh decreed only for this world, but you decreed both for this world and the next [a baby that was born and died as a result of Pharaohs decree would merit the World to Come, but an unborn child would not attain this]. . One of the most stimulating accounts in the Bible, pointing to great faith during trial, is that of Job. Pursuing her life passion to teach the Word of God, train leaders and connect people in community, Dianne Miller has dedicated years as a teaching leader in Bible Study Fellowship as well as directing Womens Ministries at the Church of the Apostles in Atlanta, Georgia and Northwest Bible Church, More, The Net Pastors Journal, Eng. Exodus 2:10 When the child grew older she brought him to Pharaohs daughter, and he became her son. What would she do if he was snatched out of her arms and taken to certain death? Jacob, too, married two sisters t. The story of Moses' mother is found in chapter two of Exodus, Exodus 6:20, andNumbers26:59. The time of darkness is planned by our Heavenly Father to bring praise and glory to Him in the great day when Jesus returns. When Moses, her youngest child, was born, Jochebed hid him for three months until she could hide him no longer. 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. The midrash describes in detail how she prepared the ark for Moses. 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. Rabbah 7:3; Ex. Alphabetical Exposition of Named Bible Women J Jochebed. God saw to it that the baby should weep at this very moment. She brought him to all the Egyptian women, but Moses was not willing to nurse from any of them. "teaching," "study," or "learning." Of never-failing skill, It is interesting to consider that, in Leviticus 18:12, such marriages were forbidden, but this was before that injunction. Jochebed is most known as the mother of Moses. Perhaps there would be some shade too from the sun in the reeds. Moses, in the wilderness, instructed them to put away pagan gods. Meet Miriam: Moses' Sister and Prophetess During the Exodus. 2:1), and thus was Amram's paternal aunt (Ex. Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women. All three point to Christ. Moses, in the wilderness, instructed them to put away pagan gods. She was the daughter of a Levite, and she married Amram, another Levite ( Exodus 2:1 ). (NET), Exodus 6:20 Amram married his fathers sister Jochebed, and she bore him Aaron and Moses. A type of non-halakhic literary activitiy of the Rabbis for interpreting non-legal material according to special principles of interpretation (hermeneutical rules). Summary of the story of Jochebed in the Bible Generations after Joseph died, the reigning Pharaoh became paranoid. The Pharaoh in the opening of the book of Exodus was afraid of the Jews because there were so many of them. She was only shown onscreen at the time that Moses was exiled and got to meet his biological mother. Jochebed placed Moses in a basket and released him in the flow of River Nile. She felt a firm unity with her Creator and was exhilarated by this bond. Her thoughtful nature was consistent throughout the Bible story of Moses in the basket. Rabbah 1:25). The Rabbis say that when the daughter of Pharaoh asked of Jochebed: Take [helikhi] this child and nurse it for me (Ex. 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 . His sister stationed herself at a distance to find out what would happen to him. He ordered all male Hebrew babies to be killed. According to another interpretation, Jochebed named her son "Tov" or "Tobiah," which was what his parents called him until Pharaoh's daughter renamed him "Moses" (BT Sotah 12a). Instead of letting him be murdered, she took a basket and coated the bottom with tar, to make it waterproof. Every genuine believer in Christ has already demonstrated saving faith, but sustaining faith speaks of the simple trust in God that one needs to exercise daily, in order to live a victorious Christian life and to serve God acceptably. I was in shock. 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. So we know some of the Jews had compromised. There is great historical debate on who was Pharaohs daughter? Jochebed gave birth to Moses, future Giver of the Law, and cleverly spared him from death as an infant. And the princess told the little slave girl to go and get a nurse of the Hebrew womenand when she came back with their own mother, Pharaohs daughter said to her, Take this child away and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. Exodus 6:20 And Amram took his aunt Jochebed to him for a wife. Jochebed's story is one of trust, courage, and faith. Moses's mother, a Levite, later identified as Jochebed (Numbers 26:59), had married a Levite and given birth to a son. Epstein-Melamed], p. 6; BT Sotah 12a; Pesikta Rabbati 43). About 1486, the reigning Pharaoh tried to kill Moses when he sought identity with his people Israel, but Moses escaped to Midian. According to tradition, Moses' parents, Amram and Jochebed . Jochebed complied with the royal decree, but in protecting the child from the deep waters of the river, the essential point of the decree (killing the male babies) was disregarded. Jochebed's name is given various allegorical interpretations;[12][13] the Leviticus Rabbah identifies her as the person named in the Book of Chronicles as Jehudijah,[14] by arguing that the name should be interpreted as meaning the Jewess, in reference to her founding the Jewish nation by disobeying the Pharaoh's order to dispose of the firstborn males. Exodus 2:1-2. and Rabbah 1:16). The life of Jochebed is an amazing demonstration of the walk by faith. Here then, we have Moses' own parents, living in a relationship clearly condemned as abomination under the Law of Moses. 18. Lesson two study group Questions (Click Here). It is our Christian duty to walk by faith in this world, until we come to live by sight in the eternal world. The princess adopted Moses eventually but never knew that Jochebed was the little boy's biological mother. Jochebed had such a deep abiding faith in the trustworthiness of Gods Word that it drove her to act. And rides upon the storm. 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). (Isaiah 18:2 writes that the Egyptians made their boats, skiffs out of this material. Print copies of this booklet may be obtained from: BIBLE HELPS Or would it be wise to just distance herself from this baby and let someone else throw him in the Nile? 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. And her influence is felt to this day by the followers of the God of the Bible as we read about the great things that her son did for the people of God of his time. The name of Amram's wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt; and to Amram she bore Aaron and Moses, and their sister Miriam. According to another midrash, Moses rejected the breasts of the Egyptian women because he said: God will speak with me. Jochebed showed great trust in God's faithfulness. Rabbah 1:26). Has anything just happened to you recently that you know really was God working for you? Answer Moses' mother, Jochebed, was a Hebrew woman living in slavery in Egypt before the exodus. In Ex., ii, 10, a derivation from the Hebrew Mashah (to draw) is implied. Zavada, Jack. Why did she do this? She is only mentioned twice by name in Scripture, but she is the mother of Miriam, Aaron and Moses. As Moses grew up Jochebed educated Moses in the religion and history of Israel, ensuring that Moses did not lose his Hebrew identity. Her appearance is short and we are not told much about her, but one trait stands out: trust in God. (We learn later, in Exodus 6:20, that the father and mother of Moses are named Amram and Jochebed.) Also not to the tribe of Levi. Thus Jochebed nursed her son until he was old enough and brought him to the Pharaoh's daughter, who adopted him as her son. Jochebed was the daughter of a Levi man and born in Egypt. Whatever it is, we must remember that God is still on the thronethat He is behind the scenes working out all things for our ultimate good. We are thinking of faith in this lesson, not as saving faith, but as sustaining faith. 6:20: Amram took to wife his fathers sister Jochebed. Amram was the son of Kohath and the grandson of Levi, while Jochebed was the daughter of Levi, and therefore his aunt. The conditions described in the first two chapters of Exodus indicate that indeed those were dark days for the Children of Israel. This portrayal emphasizes the painstaking attention that Jochebed paid to every detail in the ark. There is nothing immoral in marrying your aunt unless the Torah explicitly forbids it. Josephus and the Fathers assign the Coptic mo (water) and uses (saved) as the constituent parts of the name. Hebrews 11:23 BY FAITH they hid MosesThey saw life through the eyes of faith. 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 . 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