Moses was married to Zipporah, the daughter of Reuel (also known as Jethro), who was a priest of Midian according to Exodus 2:16-22. After Moses fled from Egypt to the land of Midian, he met Zipporah at a well and helped water her father’s flock. Reuel invited Moses to stay with them, and later gave his daughter Zipporah to be Moses’ wife. They had two sons together – Gershom and Eliezer.
Later, after the Exodus from Egypt, Moses sent Zipporah and his sons back to Midian to stay with her father while he led the Israelites out of Egypt (Exodus 18:2-5). His father-in-law Jethro later brought Zipporah and Moses’ sons to rejoin him after the Israelites had crossed the Red Sea and were camped at the wilderness of Sinai (Exodus 18:5).
The Bible does not provide much detail about Zipporah beyond this. She appears to have returned to Midian after being reunited with Moses and is not mentioned again. Some key verses about Zipporah are:
- Exodus 2:21 – “Moses agreed to stay with the man, who gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage.”
- Exodus 4:25 – “But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it. “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me,” she said.”
- Exodus 18:2 – “After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro received her”>
- Exodus 18:5 – “Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, together with Moses’ sons and wife, came to him in the wilderness, where he was camped near the mountain of God.”
Beyond Zipporah, some other women who were part of Moses’ family include:
Jochebed – Moses’ Mother
Jochebed was the mother of Moses and his brother Aaron and sister Miriam (Exodus 6:20, Numbers 26:59). She was from the tribe of Levi. When Pharaoh ordered that all newborn Hebrew boys be killed, Jochebed hid Moses for three months after his birth. When she could no longer hide him, she made a papyrus basket coated with tar and placed Moses in it, then set it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile river. This allowed the infant Moses to be discovered and adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter (Exodus 2:1-10). Jochebed later became Moses’ nursemaid, and was paid wages by Pharaoh’s daughter to nurse and care for her own son (Exodus 2:7-9).
Miriam – Moses’ Sister
Miriam was the sister of Moses and Aaron (Exodus 15:20, Numbers 26:59). She watched over Moses when he was set adrift in the basket on the Nile as an infant. When Pharaoh’s daughter discovered and adopted Moses, Miriam approached her and arranged for their mother Jochebed to nurse him (Exodus 2:4-8). Miriam led the women in a celebratory song and dance after the Israelites crossed the Red Sea and escaped from the Egyptians (Exodus 15:20-21). She and Aaron criticized Moses for marrying a Cushite woman, which led to God striking Miriam temporarily with leprosy as punishment, after which Moses interceded for her healing (Numbers 12).
Pharaoh’s Daughter – Moses’ Adoptive Mother
The daughter of the unnamed Pharaoh discovered baby Moses in a basket while bathing in the Nile river. She adopted him as her own son, in spite of knowing he was a Hebrew baby that was supposed to have been killed (Exodus 2:5-10). At Miriam’s offer, she arranged for Jochebed to nurse the infant Moses and paid her wages to do so. The Pharaoh’s daughter raised Moses in the Egyptian palace as the son of Pharaoh. Some Jewish traditions name Pharaoh’s daughter as Bithiah.
Tzipporah – Moses’ Cushite Wife
Moses took a Cushite (Ethiopian) wife, referred to as “Tzipporah” in Numbers 12:1. This caused Aaron and Miriam to criticize Moses. There is scholarly debate about whether this Cushite woman was the same as Zipporah or a second wife taken some time after Zipporah returned to her father Jethro in Midian. The Cushite wife is not named, so it is uncertain if this refers to Zipporah or another woman Moses may have married.
In summary, the key women in Moses’ life were:
- Jochebed – His biological mother
- Pharaoh’s Daughter – His adoptive mother
- Zipporah – His Midianite wife and mother of his sons
- Miriam – His sister
- A possible Cushite (Ethiopian) wife
Moses had close and important relationships with many women who shaped his life and calling to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Though the Bible does not provide extensive details about most of them, they clearly played crucial roles in the story of Moses’ life, from his miraculous survival as a baby to becoming the leader of the Exodus.
Moses and Zipporah’s Marriage
The Bible provides some details about how Moses and Zipporah met and came to be married in Exodus 2:16-22:
- Moses was living in Midian after fleeing Egypt. He met the seven daughters of the priest of Midian named Reuel at a well.
- Some shepherds tried to drive the daughters away from the well but Moses stood up for them and watered their flock.
- The daughters returned home early and their father Reuel asked how they finished so quickly. They told him about the Egyptian man (Moses) who had helped them.
- Reuel invited Moses to stay with them and live in their household.
- Reuel gave his daughter Zipporah to be Moses’ wife.
- She gave birth to their first son Gershom.
So Zipporah became Moses’ wife through the hospitality of her father after Moses helped Zipporah and her sisters. This set the stage for all that would follow in Moses’ life. Their marriage connected Moses to Jethro’s family and the land of Midian, where God would eventually appear to Moses in the burning bush and commission him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt (Exodus 3).
Zipporah and Circumcision of Moses’ Son
One interesting episode involving Zipporah occurs in Exodus 4:24-26. This happens after Moses has returned to Egypt to free the Israelites from Pharaoh. God was about to kill Moses but “Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it. ‘Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me,’ she said. So the Lord let him alone.” The reason is unclear but seems to relate to circumcising their son in accordance with the Abrahamic covenant.
Zipporah Returns to Her Father
After the Exodus from Egypt, Moses sent Zipporah and his two sons back to her father Jethro’s home in Midian while he led the Israelites towards Mount Sinai (Exodus 18:2-5). Later, Jethro brought Zipporah and Moses’ sons to rejoin the Israelites after they crossed the Red Sea and were camped at Sinai. Some scholars think Zipporah may have chosen not to continue on with Moses at that point but instead returned to live with her father’s family in Midian.
In summary, the marriage between Moses and Zipporah connected him to the Midianite priest Jethro. This became a refuge for Moses after he fled Egypt. Zipporah bore two sons with Moses but may have spent significant time apart from him both before and after the Exodus. The Bible does not provide further details about their marriage relationship or Zipporah’s role following the Exodus.
What Can We Learn from Moses’ Wife?
While we don’t have a complete picture, Zipporah’s life offers some insights:
- God can orchestrate providential meetings, as when Moses “just happened” to meet Zipporah at the well.
- Zipporah was brave and decisive in protecting her husband and son.
- She worshipped the true God, ensuring her son was circumcised into the Abrahamic covenant.
- Though married to a great leader, she appears content living quietly in Midian away from the limelight.
- She chose to recede into the background and not demand more attention or prominence.
Zipporah reminds us that there are many important but unseen people playing a role behind the scenes. The focus is on Moses, Aaron and the Israelites, yet Zipporah and Jethro provided refuge and support at crucial times. She was loyal to Moses and his calling, willing to surrender his time and attention to service for God.
Other Obscure Mentions of Moses’ Family
A few other brief, obscure references to Moses’ family exist in the Bible:
- Numbers 26:59 – A genealogy lists Jochebed as the mother of Moses, Miriam and Aaron.
- 1 Chronicles 23:14-15 – Moses’ sons Gershom and Eliezer are listed in a Levite genealogy.
- The letter of Jude verse 9 may contain a reference to a non-biblical Jewish tradition about Moses’ body after death.
But in general, the Bible says remarkably little about Moses’ wife and sons. The focus is always on Moses’ public ministry in leading the Israelites, not his private family affairs. Yet Zipporah and others clearly played a supporting role to facilitate God’s work in and through Moses.
Lessons from Moses’ Marriage
Though the Bible does not provide many details, some possible lessons can be gleaned:
- Be wise in choosing a spouse – someone who shares your faith and values.
- Make sure your children are raised to follow and honor God.
- Spouses should support each other’s calling and ministry.
- Be willing to faithfully fulfill your duties in obscurity.
- Trust God even when He calls your spouse away for a season.
- Remain faithful no matter how much time apart ministry may require.
Moses and Zipporah faced unique challenges, yet their marriage seemed to reflect mutual understanding. Moses focused on leading Israel while Zipporah quietly supported him in the background – each accepting their role. In ministry, God must come first, even above marriage. Yet each spouse playing their part makes ministry possible.
Significance of Moses’ Wife
Moses’ wife Zipporah played a small but significant role both in Moses’ personal life and in the biblical narrative. She:
- Became his wife and the mother of his children
- Connected Moses to Jethro’s family, his refuge in Midian
- Protected Moses spiritually through her quick thinking and action
- Returned to support Moses after the Exodus at Mount Sinai
- Illustrates the importance of obscurity, supporting spouses in ministry
God chose Moses to fill a prominent public position. Yet he also worked through Moses’ wife, though she remains largely unknown. Zipporah’s quiet fidelity highlights that there are no “insignificant” roles when it comes to serving the Lord.
Conclusion
In the end, the Bible tells us just enough about Moses’ wife Zipporah to provide some lessons, but keeps the focus on Moses’ public leadership role. Even the names and details of other family members are scarce. God was shaping Moses for a crucial, demanding task – he would bear that burden alone. Yet Zipporah’s presence enabled him to fulfill his calling. Their marriage was a partnership, each playing their part. In ministry, the two must not be in competition but rather complement one another.
The lives of biblical characters like Moses remind us that all believers have a role to play in God’s plan, whether prominent or obscure. Each person and calling is important. Zipporah’s relative obscurity does not diminish her significance in God’s greater plan. Though unknown by many, “she who is faithful in little will also be faithful in much.”