As he will release any news regarding to his wife, we will also update it here soon. After Moses was informed by G‑d that he would be the redeemer of the Jewish people, Moses, together with his wife and children, left the comfort of Midian to travel down to Egypt where the Jews were enslaved. Besides that, his experiences run the gamut from prince to shepherd to servant of God, so there is a great deal to tell.A strange chapter of his life deals with his two wives, a situation that sparked the events of Numbers 12. Attention is drawn to th… If we don’t study then we’re only left with half the truth. Did Moses marry a second time? Pingback: Embracing Converts, and the Seeds of Amalek | Mayim Achronim, Pingback: How Did Moses Smite the Egyptian? Whether it was the case that Zipporah had died, or whether the two had been effectively divorced as a result of this incident, or whether the Cushite woman was Moses' second wife, scripture does not say. Now Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, had taken Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her home, along with her two sons. The rectification for the improper dispute between Cain and Abel was rectified in the dispute between Korach and Moses, with Moses’ victory. Moses’ prayer for Miriam – Numbers 12. (If you are wondering how Moses later married Tzipporah, who was not an Israelite, remember that the Midianites are also descendants of Abraham through his wife Keturah, see Genesis 25:2. All depends on the deeds of the particular individual. Fittingly, the Talmud (Sotah 5a) states that where there is an ego, there cannot be a Godly presence, because a person with a big ego essentially sees themselves as a god—and there cannot be two gods! God was not a fan of that since to Him all people, nationalities, and races were created by Him. We can learn from this that there really is no place for racism in Judaism. So, Moses married a Cushite queen. What is the WPS button on a wireless router? Rashi, for one, does not seem to offer a clear explanation why this in particular was her punishment. She is called an Ethiopian, which can also be translated as Kushite, meaning she was from the ancient African kingdom of “Kush”, which is where… Hobab the Kenite, who gave his Ethiopian daughter to Moses, and is the second father-in-law to Moses, cannot possibly be a descendant of Median, who was the son of the 140 year- old Abraham and his second wife ‘Keturiah.’ Kenites are born from Kenite fathers, Midianites are … 0 0. In the Book of Chronicles, two of her grandsons are mentioned: Shebuel, son of Gershom, and Rehabiah, son of Eliezer (1 Chronicles 23:16-17). The Midrash says he reigned over a prosperous Cush for forty years until his Cushite wife couldn’t take the celibacy anymore and complained to the wise men of Cush. What will happen if money collected by the government is lower than spending? Tharbis was the daughter of an Ethopian king, she was Moses' first wife. We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. | Mayim Achronim, #mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; } Matthew 19:1-30 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful. 1 0. The grateful Cushites gave Moses Koknus’ royal widow for a wife, and placed him upon the throne. Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Itzchaki, 1040-1105) prefers the second interpretation. For this we must look to the mysticism of the Arizal. Thus, Moses still married within the extended family of Abrahamites.) The material on this site can not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with prior written permission of Multiply. The only other reference found in the Bible pertaining to Moses’ wife is found in Numbers 12:1. He then returns to Egypt. Moses was so humble and modest that he did not respond at all: “…Moses was exceedingly humble, more so than any person on the face of the earth.” (Numbers 12:3). The second interpretation is problematic, since we know Tzipporah was a Midianite, not a Cushite. It’s important that we study the scriptures our self, even the scripts we are told are not part of the sixty-six books, we’re left with. “Moses and his Nubian wife” by Jacob Jordaens ((1593-1678) Numbers 12:1 Her Story: This woman married Moses, the prophet who led the children of Israel out of bondage in Egypt. Now when Jesus had finished these sayings, he went away from Galilee and entered the region of … This does not indicate that Zipporah had died and Moses had remarried an Ethiopian woman, as is commonly contended, for although "Cushite" usually refers to Ethiopians, it can also embrace those from Arabia. Rather, Rabbi Yosef Kaspi explains that Moses married a Cushite wife in addition to his pre-existing wife, Zipporah. */. * Moses’ other spiritual twin was the Cushite woman. Moses’ Second Wife: Ibn Kaspi’s Interpretation. Moses, a Jew, apparently married a black African and was approved by God. (Exodus 2:21) After that Moses showed willingness to dwell with the man, and he gave Zip‧po′rah his daughter to Moses. 12:1). Moses abdicated his throne and finally left Ethiopia. Josephus writes (Antiquities, II, 10:239 et seq.) How long will the footprints on the moon last? Even that though is not saying to only have one wife specifically. Moses had completely destroyed his ego, and so he merited to be filled with Godliness. All other prophets only communed with God through dreams or visions, while asleep or entranced. How quickly did help arrive in the christchurch earthquake 2011? Moses’ second son does have a name, Eliezer, but he does not have a story…except in the imaginations of those who wonder what happened to him, his unnamed wife, his one son and his many grandchildren. Although Moses married the Cushite queen, he never consummated the marriage. Zipporah or Tzipora (/ ˈ z ɪ p ər ə, z ɪ ˈ p ɔːr ə /; Hebrew: צִפֹּרָה ‎, Tsippōrāh, "bird") is mentioned in the Book of Exodus as the wife of Moses, and the daughter of Reuel/Jethro, the priest and prince of Midian. And the rectification for Cain murdering Abel was that Moses, in return, killed the Egyptian taskmaster. Jasher 73:32-34 states that the marriage was not consummated because: “Moses feared the Lord God of his fathers, so that he came not to her, nor did he turn his eyes to her [his wife]. Part 2 Philo’s Allegory. Other interpreters see the Cushite woman as a second wife, with Miriam and Aaron opposed to … We can see a hint in the name Cain (קין) to his three future incarnations: the ק for Korach (קרח), the י for Jethro (יתרו), and the ן for the Egyptian, whose name we don’t know but perhaps it started with a nun! Zipporah his first wife was a Midianite and his second wife was a Cushite (Numbers 12:1). This is a terrific version of the story, but it doesn’t answer why Miriam and Aaron complained to Moses. The “Cushite woman” mentioned in Numbers 12:1, was probably Moses’ second wife. Zipporah is never referred to as a Cushite. By looking at the lineages we can safely conclude that Moses had at least two wives mentioned in scripture. After this event, it seems that Moses sent Zipporah and his sons back home to … By looking at the lineages we can safely conclude that Moses had at least two wives mentioned in scripture. Some forums can only be seen by registered members. The Midrash describes in great detail what Moses was up to between the time that he fled Egypt and arrived in Midian. The unnamed woman from Cush was probably Moses’ second wife. Cain ultimately killed Abel over that second wife. Exodus 18:2 Then Jethro, Moses' father in law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her back, Exodus 18:3 And her two sons; of which the name of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been an alien in a strange land: In the book of Jasher it has her as the Queen of Cush. If so, God’s response indicates that the Lord’s people must reject such prejudice. Moses ends up dwelling with the family and eventually takes as a wife one of the priest's daughters named Zipporah (Exodus 2:15 - … When did organ music become associated with baseball? With him I speak mouth to mouth; in [plain] sight and not in riddles, and he beholds the image of the Lord…. Zipporah or Tzipora (/ ˈ z ɪ p ər ə, z ɪ ˈ p ɔːr ə /; Hebrew: צִפֹּרָה ‎, Tsippōrāh, "bird") is mentioned in the Book of Exodus as the wife of Moses, and the daughter of Reuel/Jethro, the priest and prince of Midian. Along the way, God came without warning to kill Moses. We learn in Numbers that “Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman” (Num. Now the sister and brother challenge Moses about his wife. But others point out that Moses married Zipporah, the daughter of a priest of Midian named Reuel, also called Jethro (Exodus 2:18-22, 3:1). I will share what David Guzik has to say regarding the subject: This is a problem passage for some, because Exo_3:16-22 indicates Moses’ wife (named Zipporah) was the daughter of a man from Midian. Wife is singular, and there is no mention of any other wife or wives that Moses had. On the way to Egypt, Zipporah circumcised their son and thus saved her husband’s life—Moses had neglected to obey the Lord in this matter, and the Lord would have killed Moses had not Zipporah intervened (Exodus 4:24–26). On the contrary, the evidence suggests Moses married the Cushite woman after Zipporah's death. Nevertheless, nothing in the Bible suggests that Moses was married to these two women simultaneously. Every now and again someone asks how it could be that Moses, the champion of the Lord for the chosen people, could have married an Ethiopian who was therefore of the descendants of Ham, youngest son of Noah. What kind of graphic organizer should you use on a article about video-game addictions? How many eligible voters are registered to vote in the United States? #2. … Moses Ethiopian Wife "And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married; for he had married an Ethiopian woman" (Num. Moses stands up for the virgins and chases away the rude and unkind shepherds. Zipporah was Moses only wife. The Arizal states that Miriam and Aaron were aware of this, and were frustrated that Moses did not consummate his marriage to the Cushite, for she was his true soulmate! By Beth Brophy, Contributor Jan. 25, … The controversy about her may have been due to ethnic prejudice. Their king, named Koknus (קוקנוס, elsewhere called Kikanos or Kikianus), fought a nine-year war that he was unable to win, and then died. Solomon had 1000! * Moses’ other spiritual twin was the Cushite woman. Where he found her it is useless to conjecture; she may possibly have been one of the "mixed multitude" that went up out of Egypt. MP Moses Kuria said Uhuru's second wife (Raila Odinga) has been disrespecting Tanga Tanga and asked Uhuru to warn him against that. (function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array();fnames[0]='EMAIL';ftypes[0]='email';fnames[1]='FNAME';ftypes[1]='text';}(jQuery));var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true); The Right Way to Observe the “Three Weeks”, Embracing Converts, and the Seeds of Amalek | Mayim Achronim, How Did Moses Smite the Egyptian? Maybe his first wife died or maybe we don't know for sure? (His enemy was none other than Bilaam!) Rashi cites one classic answer: because Moses had become so holy—recall how after coming down Sinai, his skin glowed with such a blinding light that he had to wear a mask over his face—he had essentially removed himself from this material world. God told them: If there be prophets among you, I will make Myself known to him in a vision; I will speak to him in a dream. Miriam complained about this because she felt that it was natural for a man to have only one wife, not two and thus she felt that Moses was wrong in marrying a second wife. Who is this Cushite woman? This Midrash is very ancient, and was already attested to by the Jewish-Roman historian Josephus (37-100 CE). They also claim there were two lands named Cush in the time of Moses. Moses then sends her and the children back to Zipporah’s father and they only meet again after the exodus out of Egypt. By juxtaposing the fact that Moses was the humblest man of all time, and also the greatest prophet of all time, the Torah may be teaching us that the key to real spiritual greatness is humility. This was a risky journey, which Zipporah courageously joined. Charlton Heston as Egyptian General Moses, also by Arnold Friberg. Towards the end of this week’s Torah portion, Beha’alotcha, we read that “Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman.” (Numbers 12:1) This verse brings up many big questions, and the Sages grapple with its meaning. This is why Jethro gave his daughter Tzipporah to Moses, thus rectifying his past sin by “returning” the wife that he had stolen. Why the superfluous phrasing of mentioning twice that he married the Cushite woman? They chose Moses, presumably because he had fought alongside the Cushites and had a reputation as a great warrior. 1 Timothy 3:2 ESV / 8 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful. In the Book of Chronicles, two of her grandsons are mentioned: Shebuel, son of Gershom, and Rehabiah, son of Eliezer (1 Chronicles 23:16-17). Cushites were descendants from the line of Ham through his son Cush. The Arizal cites the above Midrash in a number of places (see Sefer Likutei Torah and Sha’ar HaPesukim on this week’s parasha, as well as Sha’ar HaMitzvot on parashat Shoftim). ‘The Fight at Jethro’s Well’ – where Moses first meets Tzipporah – scene from ‘The Ten Commandments’ (1953) painted by Arnold Friberg. In Num 12:1 Miriam and Aaron speak against Moses because of the “Cushite woman” whom he married, but they do not mention her name. After all, he had fled as a young man, and returned to Egypt nearing his 80th year. Therefore, the Arizal explains that Cain reincarnated in Jethro, and Abel in Moses. This is because Moses was a reincarnation of Abel, who had two wives according to one tradition. Zipporah was Moses’ first wife and she was most likely a Midianite. Moses's wife, Zipporah, was from Midian in Arabia. The natural supposition undoubtedly is that Moses (whether after the death of Zipporah, or during her lifetime, we cannot tell) had taken to himself a second wife of Hamite origin. a slightly different version of the story, with Moses leading an Egyptian army against the Cushites. Midian was a son of Abraham and his 3rd wife Keturah (Genesis 25:1-2). There is also a possibility Zipporah was a Kenite (Judges 1:16; 4:11). One night, while they were staying in an inn, an angel of G‑d came to kill Moses. Therefore, the Arizal explains that Cain reincarnated in Jethro, and Abel in Moses. “Every man in whom there is haughtiness of spirit, the Holy One, blessed be He, declares: ‘I and he cannot both dwell in the world.’”. Zipporah was Moses’ first wife and she was most likely a Midianite. Moses' second wife. If the issue was about Moses separating from his wife, it isn’t clear why Miriam would be punished with tzara’at (loosely translated as “leprosy”). It was more saying that the relationship should be permanent. At the same time, it gives no reasonable reason for my Aaron and Miriam would have been upset with Moses for marrying "the Cushite" and why it would become an issue later in the Exodus. Why don't libraries smell like bookstores? Zipporah May be Obscure, but the Wife of Moses Mattered The woman who stood up to god. There is no biblical evidence that Moses was ever married to more than one woman. He lived a long, full life during an exciting and eventful period of history. Cain ultimately killed Abel over that second wife. Philo (c. 25 BCE – 50 CE), the Jewish philosopher from Alexandria, offers a unique explanation of this passage, in line with his allegorical reading of the Torah’s laws and stories in line with a Greek philosophical framework. With that introduction, I will present some of the explanations given of Moses’s Cushite wife. Abraham had two, and two concubines. They follow this up, with a challenge to his leadership. 79 Bible Verses about Second Wife. | Mayim Achronim, The Perplexing History of the “Ten Lost Tribes”. Is this a reference to Zipporah, his only recorded wife, or does it refer to a new wife? Given that ibn Kaspi does not think the verse means Moses separated from his wife, how does he explain the nature of Miriam and Aaron’s complaint? God makes it clear to Miriam and Aaron that although they are also prophets, they are nowhere near the level of Moses. How do you what a fish looks like if come a cross one? This would make the wife of Moses a black woman. This is why the Torah goes on to state that “They said, ‘Has God spoken only to Moses? CNJRTOM. Inspiring celeb weight loss transformations. Moses is such an interesting subject that his life demands at least one more essay! As an exegete committed to the plain meaning of Scripture, Ibn Kaspi writes that Num 12:1 means that Moses married a second wife, a Cushite woman, in addition to his first wife, Zipporah. At Numbers 12:1 she is referred to as a … These two views are attempts at saying that Moses had two wives. (Numbers 12:1) Now Mir′i‧am and Aaron began to speak against Moses on account of the Cush′ite wife whom he had taken, because it was a Cush′ite wife he had taken. For Moses remembered how Abraham made his servant Eliezar swear, saying unto him, Thou shalt not take a woman from the daughters of Canaan for my son Isaac. Perhaps God wanted to remind her that she is not so white herself. This means he was no longer intimate with his wife Tzipporah. The term “Cushite” generally refers to the people of Cush, or Ethiopia, and more broadly refers to all black people or Africans.