Zipporah was the wife of Moses and daughter of Reuel (also called Jethro), according to the Book of Exodus in the Bible. Though she is not mentioned often, she plays a pivotal role in several key events in Moses’ life.
Zipporah’s background
The first time we meet Zipporah is in Exodus 2:16-22. Here we learn that she was one of seven daughters of Reuel (also called Jethro), who was a priest of Midian. Midian was a desert region located in the northwestern Arabian Peninsula, east of the Gulf of Aqaba. So Zipporah grew up in this desert region as a Midianite.
One day, while tending the flock of her father Jethro, Zipporah and her sisters met a man named Moses. Moses had fled Egypt after killing an Egyptian slave master, and he ended up living in Midian as a shepherd for Jethro. Exodus 2:21 says that Moses agreed to stay and live with Jethro, and Jethro gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses as a wife.
Zipporah saves Moses’ life
In Exodus 4, Moses was headed back to Egypt to free the Israelites from slavery, as God had commanded him. But on the journey, in verse 24-26, God sought to put Moses to death. The passage says this was because Moses had failed to circumcise his son. His wife Zipporah swiftly circumcised the child with a flint knife, touching Moses’ feet with the foreskin and said “Surely you are a husband of blood to me!”. This action saved Moses’ life, as the Lord let him go after this circumcision took place.
So while the text does not explain fully the reasons behind this strange and dangerous episode, it reveals Zipporah as having great spiritual insight and faith to act so swiftly and decisively to save her husband. Some see it as indicating she understood the importance of adhering to the Abrahamic covenant of circumcision, or understood the spiritual dynamics at work better than Moses in that moment.
Zipporah returns to her father
In Exodus 18:2, we learn that after the Exodus from Egypt, Moses sent Zipporah away, back to her father Jethro’s house along with her two sons Gershom and Eliezer. The reason for this is not given. Some speculate there was marital discord or danger to her during the Exodus. Others think she was sent away because her father Jethro was skilled in organizing communities and settling disputes, which would be useful for the nation of Israel in its infancy.
Whatever the reason, Exodus 18 says Jethro later brought Zipporah and her sons to rejoin Moses and the Israelites after they had traveled and set up camp in the wilderness near Mount Sinai. Jethro gave Moses wise counsel on delegating authority through appointing judges, and then he and Zipporah departed again back to Midian.
The lineage of Zipporah
In addition to being the wife of Moses, Zipporah bore him two sons who are part of biblical lineage. Their firstborn was Gershom (Exodus 2:22), whose name meant “stranger there” since Moses said he was a sojourner in a foreign land. Their second son was Eliezer (Exodus 18:4), whose name meant “my God is help” reflecting that God delivered Moses from Pharaoh.
These two sons became heads of Levite clans. The Levites were responsible for priestly duties and assisting the Aaronic priests. Gershom’s descendants are listed in 1 Chronicles 23:14-16, and Eliezer’s descendants are in 1 Chronicles 23:17. Zipporah’s father Jethro was also a priest, albeit a Midianite priest rather than a Levite. But her two sons with Moses carried on spiritual leadership and service roles for the nation of Israel.
Insights into Zipporah’s character
Though brief, the passages about Zipporah reveal aspects of her character and faith. Her quick action to circumcise her son shows decisiveness in a crisis. Her return to her father may reveal humility and deference to authority. Her lineage bore sons who served Israel’s spiritual needs for generations. And though a Midianite, she apparently supported Moses’ call to deliver and lead the Israelite people, leaving her own country behind. In a story that often focuses on male leads like Moses and Pharaoh, Zipporah’s part shines through as a woman of courage, faith and insight.
Zipporah as a foreign wife
Zipporah was Moses’ first wife, and she was not an Israelite but a Midianite. Moses’ marriage to her happened during his early adulthood, while he was a fugitive from Egypt living in Midian for a time. At that time, marriage to a non-Israelite may not have been uncommon or automatically forbidden.
Later on, after the Exodus when Moses gave the law to Israel, restrictions were codified against intermarriage with foreign nations (see Exodus 34:15-16, Deuteronomy 7:1-4). This was due to the corrupting influence of foreign idol worship. But during the earlier time of Moses’ marriage to Zipporah, no law yet existed against it as Israel was not yet a defined nation. So their marriage occurred in a different cultural context than those later commands.
This illustrates how Zipporah’s marriage to Moses was not contrary to biblical laws that would come later. Their marriage took place in a different era before God formally established Israel as a nation to be separate from other people groups.
Significance of Zipporah’s life
Though playing a small part in the grand Old Testament story, Zipporah’s role was vital and courageous. As Moses’ wife, she solemnized his fellowship with his Midianite in-laws, broadening his cross-cultural experience beyond just the Egyptians. As the mother of his children, she perpetuated Moses’ lineage within the tribe of Levi, securing future generations of spiritual leadership. Her quick thinking spared Moses’ life in the circumcision incident, securing his destiny. And her character as a priest’s daughter and foreign wife shows how God values and works through all cultures who seek Him in faith.
So while easily overlooked among giant figures like Moses, Pharaoh and Joshua, Zipporah’s part wove together key threads that greatly impacted the deliverance and formation of the nation of Israel. Though mentioned briefly, God used her mightily as part of His grand tapestry of Exodus redemption.
Zipporah’s burden and blessing
Zipporah occupied a unique and challenging position as the wife of Israel’s great deliverer Moses. She was called to stand by her husband’s side and support him in the daunting task of leading the Hebrews out of Egypt. This was no easy assignment for a Midianite woman who hailed from a vastly different culture and upbringing.
On the one hand, Zipporah could have felt out of place, overwhelmed and unable to fully understand or embrace Moses’ divine calling. His Hebrew heritage and crusade to liberate the Israelite slaves was foreign to her experience as the daughter of a Midian priest. The Exodus story could have marginalized and minimized her voice and contributions.
On the other hand, God chose Zipporah specifically to be the helpmate and partner of His chosen leader Moses. Her background and connection to her father Jethro provided key counsel, wisdom and organization to aid Moses in governing and judging the fledgling Hebrew nation. Her prompt action to circumcise her son shows remarkable spiritual insight and bravery that actually saved Moses’ life for his mission. And the legacy of her sons Gershom and Eliezer left a lasting impact on Israel’s spiritual leadership.
Zipporah’s marriage to Moses brought unique burdens but even greater divine blessings as she answered God’s call. She is an example of a faithful woman placed in trying circumstances beyond her control or comfort, who nonetheless leaned on God to find purpose in her position. The Exodus story was not just about Moses but also strong yet overlooked women like Zipporah who shared in the toil and fulfillment of God’s plan.
Lessons from Zipporah for women of faith
As a Gentile woman who married the Hebrew leader Moses, Zipporah’s place in the Exodus story provides meaningful lessons for women of faith today:
- God calls ordinary people to take part in His extraordinary plans. Zipporah was a humble Midianite daughter tending sheep, yet God chose her to support Moses in liberating Israel from Egypt.
- Be quick to discern God’s will and act. Zipporah’s prompt circumcision of her son shows bold faith to understand and obey God’s purposes, saving Moses’ life.
- Support God’s calling on your spouse. Zipporah stood behind Moses in answering God’s call to lead Israel, though it disrupted her own life as she knew it.
- Pass on a godly legacy to your children. Zipporah raised sons who led the priestly Levites in Israel for generations, impacting many down the line.
- Have courage to use your voice. Though quiet, Zipporah spoke wisely and boldly to Moses, declaring her sons a “bridegroom of blood” through circumcision.
- Bloom wherever God plants you. As a foreign woman, Zipporah could have felt isolated or marginalized. But she valued her unique position and calling.
Zipporah’s inspiring example encourages every woman to find purpose in God’s plan, use your voice, courageously live out your faith, support the callings around you, and pass on an enduring legacy – wherever you are planted.
Conclusion
Zipporah, though not prominent, played a vital role as the wife of Moses and daughter of Reuel/Jethro during the key events of the Exodus. Her background as a Midianite, marriage to Moses, brave circumcision of their son, temporary return to her homeland, and the legacy of spiritual leadership through her children Gershom and Eliezer reveal a strong woman of faith courageously fulfilling her calling. Though her part was small compared to giants like Moses, Zipporah’s impact was significant and her character inspiring. Her story encourages modern women of faith to find purpose in God’s plan wherever He plants you and boldly support the callings around you.