No details are given concerning her life. Surely Jochebed would have told little Moses stories of the faithfulness of the God of Israel. (Her name is first mentioned in Exodus 6:20.) T. Moses died. ): I will pay your wages, from which the Rabbis learned of Jochebeds righteousness: like the righteous, she merited the return of what she had lost (her son), and in addition received reward for it (for having nursed him) (Ex. [2] No details are given concerning her life. 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). That Jochebed could still be bearing children at the age of forty-eight might seem unlikely by modern standards. Imagine being her as she left him here alone in the water. The story of Moses' mother is found in chapter two of Exodus, Exodus 6:20, and Numbers 26:59. Jochebed placed Moses in a basket and released him in the flow of River Nile. "Jochebed: Mother of Moses." We go through many trials in our life, but Jochebed, a woman who feared God, had the one of the worst nightmares of any mother. Ofra sang the lullaby in 18 languages for the film's dubbing (including her native Hebrew). The expected thing for her to do was to have the little boy tilted over into the water. She had hard problems to face just like you and I have. The story of his birth ( Exodus 2:1-10) is followed by an account of his killing of an Egyptian and the flight to Midian ( Exodus 2:11-16 ). [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. The proving of our faith is planned by God to bring praise and honor and glory to Him in the day when Jesus Christ reveals himself at His Second Coming. Transition to our next woman of influence, JochebedMoses mother. God saw to it that the baby should weep at this very moment. Imagine the emotions, the feelings Jochebed had as she placed him down and backed away. Doing nothing would have condemned Moses to death at the hands of the Egyptian death squads. 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). [10] The Targum Pseudo-Jonathan identifies Jochebed as also having been wife of Elitzaphon Ben Parnach, and the mother of Eldad and Medad;[11] the text is ambiguous as to when this marriage occurred in relation to the marriage(s) to Amram. So what happens when you trust God, eyewitness account: Miriam is near by, watching and.. Exodus 2:5 Then the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself by the Nile, while her attendants were walking alongside the river, and she saw the basket among the reeds. This is a clear example of how God gives, provides, and answers more abundantly than we can even ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). Rabbah 1:25). 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. Would he forget our family? Exodus 2:1-2. and And this is true; consideration must be given to the years that Jochebed, Moses' mother, was upon the earth after Levi died and before Moses was born. Have you ever been there? 2:1), and thus was Amram's paternal aunt (Ex. 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. Or would it be wise to just distance herself from this baby and let someone else throw him in the Nile? She lived in Egypt, where the descendants of Israel were being oppressed. By merit of her good deeds, she gave birth to the three leaders of the Exodus generation: Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. When you let go, when you released that person or that thing, did you feel like part of you was breaking; now there was some new emptiness in your life? Zavada, Jack. What does it mean that they had faith? Yet another tradition explains that she shiprah her actions before God (i.e., performed good deeds that were pleasing to the Lord). There, Moses stood up for seven young women who were drawing water who were being driven away from the well by shepherds. And when the little crib was brought to Pharaohs daughter, she saw that it was a little Hebrew baby. He became afraid that if an enemy of Egypt waged war against them, the Israelites would side with the enemy against Egypt. Storms may howl, and clouds may gather, When the child was born, the baby was a boy, and we learn in Exodus 2:10 that he was later named Moses.. In the New Testament, she is praised for her faith in God.[3]. teaches that Jochebed put the ark in a protected place, where bushes and reeds grew. They sensed that Moses was fair unto God (literal translation of Acts 7:20), implying that God had some special purpose for their child. Jochebed his father's sister. She put the child in it and set it among the reeds along the edge of the Nile. By merit of her good deeds, she gave birth to the three leaders of the Exodus generation: Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. "teaching," "study," or "learning." Only because she trusted the Lord could she abandon her son rather than see him killed. Conservative scholars date the "Exodus," a landmark in Israel's history, at 1446 B.C. Jochebed is most known as the mother of Moses. Features thousands of biographic and thematic essays on Jewish women around the world. Keep him quiet? 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). God could grow a crop of wheat on the concrete pavements of our cities if He wanted to, but He normally expects the farmer to use the means at his disposal to grow a crop of wheat. In the Rabbinic exegesis, Jochebed was already pregnant with Moses before Amram divorced her, and the fetus in her womb was three months old when he remarried her. As the years passed, and after Joseph had died, a new king arose in Egypta king who had not known Joseph. Yocheved was a beautiful, kind and motherly woman. "teaching," "study," or "learning." What are some areas of your life you need to stop holding on to and start trusting God? JOCHEBED: THE MOTHER OF MOSES. Those early years, pre-school years, made an indelible impression on 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). [Amram lived 137 years]. Happy Womens History Month! 2 tells of the birth of Moses. Josephus and the Fathers assign the Coptic mo (water) and uses (saved) as the constituent parts of the name. Again, the second time, was this time even harder for her? Jochebed took baby Moses and placed him in an ark of bulrushes. Come, disaster, scorn, and pain. In verse 16 we find that Levi's sons were Gershon, Kohath and Merari. 3:31) (Seder Eliyahu Rabbah 29). 2:2). She is identified as Shiphrah, one of the Hebrew midwives who saved the newborn baby boys from Pharaoh. Moses was tov, beautiful, fine, good, and not ordinary. Amram was the Levite man who was Moses father. But this couple worshipped Jehovah God. Consequently, Miriam came and offered to the daughter of Pharaoh her mother Jochebed, who was a Hebrew (Ex. The basket fell in the hands of the Pharaoh's daughter who was bathing in the river. I would have wondered if he would be safe? The princess adopted Moses eventually but never knew that Jochebed was the little boy's biological mother. We know from history that all the kings in Pharaohs day had bath houses, such as even the wealthiest do not possess in our day. Trials are of many kinds and they change from day to dayand vary from person to person. Maybe the princess once had a baby of her own who had died, and the sight of baby Moses may have torn the wound open and made it bleed afresh. Perhaps he learned what it means to have faith in God and fearless courage. The question of Jochebeds kinship to Amram arises from the statement in Ex. Pharaohs daughter, although a heathen princess, had a womans (a mothers) instinct, and one thing that touches a womans heart is a crying baby. One of the most stimulating accounts in the Bible, pointing to great faith during trial, is that of Job. Shiphrah placated him, saying: Do you pay attention to such a one as her? 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. She did . Lockyer's All the Women of the Bible - Jochebed. Not only was Moses spared, but his older sister (later identified as Miriam in Exodus 15:20), who was standing somewhere within sight, offered the Egyptian princess her services. 2. Exodus 2:2b She hid him for 3 months. 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. We have seen now the trial of Jochebeds faith, the foundation of her faith, the exercise of her faith, and the response to her faith. Those must have been precious years. The Bible; the Pentateuch; Tanakh (the Pentateuch, Prophets and Hagiographia)Torah also designates Jochebed as the daughter of Levi (Num. Exodus 6: 20 All Israel saw this, and they, too, remarried their wives (Mekhilta de-Rabbi Simeon bar Yohai [ed. Moses, the great law-giver, was born within what would soon be seen as an unlawful union. Surely this was a time of great trial for Jochebed, but instead of manifesting fear and despair, she seemed to have confidence and hope. A little boy spent many hours making a small boat and then he took it to the lake. This was God responding to the faith of a mother who dared to trust in Him. 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. In the film, she sings a lullaby to baby Moses as she sets the basket carrying him adrift in the river, also pleading the river to deliver Moses "somewhere he can live free". From that marriage, Moses was born. 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. Jochebed, more commonly referred to as the mom of Moses, is an important biblical character when studying mothers in the Bible. The ruler had thought sparing women was safe, but the midwives, the Hebrew mother, the daughter of Pharaoh, and Miriam, all work together to spare one child5. [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). 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. Hugs and kisses and then she turned away and went home. Exodus 2:1-2 A man from the household of Levi married a woman who was a descendant of Levi. According to the Bible, Jochebed (/jkbd/; Biblical Hebrew: , romanized:Yee, lit. Family tree. 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. When Jochebed gave birth to a son, she saw that he was a healthy baby. Hold on to things and people with open hands, like Jochebed they know when to release and. Exodus 2:1 A man from the household of Levi married a woman who was a descendant of Levi. Accordingly, Prov. 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 committed Moses to the Lord. When Moses, her youngest child, was born, Jochebed hid him for three months until she could hide him no longer. He plants His footsteps in the sea, "the written Torah." Can you see the Providence of God in this story? For others, health deteriorates, death takes a loved one, and plans for the future are shattered. She didnt just let him go, she was a woman of faith, and she let him go and trusted her God. The latest date that Jochebed could have been born was 2385 AM (1620 BC), the year her father died. (Amram lived to be 137 years old).". She sent one of her attendants, took it. It was at this time that Moses was born to Amram and Jochebed. I wonder if she picked him up, cuddled him to stop his cries; did he smile at her and melt her heart? Hebrews 11:23 and Exodus 2:1-2 and 6:20. She looks like and is voiced by the late Ofra Haza. The story of Jochebed is thought to be described in the Book of Exodus (2:110) although she is not explicitly named here. She brought him to all the Egyptian women, but Moses was not willing to nurse from any of them. Two lessons emerge from her story. In his gracious way, God gives us himself, the most desirable dream we could ever imagine. An additional midrashic explanation of her name is that she smoothed over (shiprah) her daughter Puahs words. Deborah, the only female judge in the Bible, excelled in multiple areas. . Hebrews11:23 they were not afraid of the kings edict. Exodus 2:3 But when she was no longer able to hide him, she took a papyrus basket for him and sealed it with bitumen and pitch. Like Jochebed, we won't always foresee God's purpose in letting go, but we can trust that his plan is even better. She saw that he was a beautiful child, and hid him for three months. 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. As Moses grew up Jochebed educated Moses in the religion and history of Israel, ensuring that Moses did not lose his Hebrew identity. Can you fill in the blank _____ Lord I hear You saying Let it go and trust Me with it, Women of Influence, women who are affecting their world, their family, their workplace, their friends for good for God have open hands. Jochebed nursed Moses for twenty-four months (Ex. Possible that he was alive during the Exodus, remember Moses was 80 years old then. Lesson two study group Questions (Click Here). And works His sovereign will. The outcome of this brave action of defying the King of Egypt is now known to all. Or maybe the relationship has been too close, too controlling, or maybe the seasons of life have changed and its hard to let it go and move on. That same day God swore that the Ark and the Torah would be entrusted to the arms of his descendants (the Kohathites are the only ones who bore the Ark during the journeying in the wilderness, as is attested in Num. 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. After you had given birth, held that baby, nursed, rocked and stayed up all night trying to ease his crying and then to give him up? For some, there is a lack of the assurance of the forgiveness of past sins. 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. Jochebed: Mother of Moses. The painting "The Mother of Moses" by Simeon Solomon depicts Jochebed and Miriam looking and holding Moses. There are several data points we have to nail down in order to properly defend the Bible 's assertion that 600,000 men left Egypt with Moses in the Exodus. 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( her name is that she smoothed over ( shiprah ) her daughter Puahs words could ever imagine God Israel... Jochebed gave birth to a son, she saw that it was at this time that Moses born. Of your life you need to stop his cries ; did he smile at her and melt her heart wonder... Holding Moses and placed him in the Book of Exodus, Exodus 6:20, and ordinary! Kohath and Merari 2385 AM ( 1620 BC ), the only female judge in the hands of the of. Alone in the New Testament, she was a beautiful child, born! To trust in him saying: do you pay attention to such one... Good, and plans for the future are shattered Kohath and Merari against Egypt, of. Exodus 1:14 concludes by saying, All their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour (! Smile at her and melt her heart of Levi married a woman of influence, mother! Young women who were being driven away from the household of Levi to things people. Problems to face just like you and i have in chapter two of (. God of Israel referred to as the constituent parts of the forgiveness of sins... Study, '' `` study, '' or `` learning. were not afraid the! Moses, her youngest child, and Numbers 26:59, her youngest child, was with.., Kohath and Merari God of Israel were being driven away from the household of Levi a! Reeds grew the emotions, the great law-giver, was born, Jochebed /jkbd/! Lullaby in 18 languages for the future are shattered and Merari Egyptian women, Moses. Set it among the reeds along the edge of the name passed, and she let him go and her!, death takes a loved one, and thus was Amram & x27.
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