There was a time, before Joseph died, when life had been good in Egypt. There had been plenty of food. The fields had been fertile in the Nile Delta and crops had thrived. The shouts of children could be heard in the streets of Goshen; happy, little children running around playing this game or that, running errands for parents, or helping Dad with the work.
But things were not like that anymore. Days were long and life was hard for the Israelites who lived in Egypt now. After Joseph and the Pharaoh he'd served died, things got bad. Real bad. The fields were still fertile in the delta and crops still thrived. But now, the Israelites had to work. They had to work for the Egyptians. They had been made slaves.
The new Pharaoh had become fearful. The Israelites were growing in number. God was blessing them with children and there were more now than there had been when they had first come to Egypt so many years ago.
Pharaoh was afraid that they would one day be greater than the Egyptions themselves. To Pharaoh, these Israelites had strange customs. Strange beliefs and traditions. For instance: they believed in One God. They didn't serve lots of gods like the Egyptions did. They had strange laws and ate strange food...or rather, they didn't eat certain things common to the Egyptian way of life. They had lived in Egypt long enough, but they still behaved as if they were their own people. For the most part they didn't take on any of Egypt's culture or religious beliefs. They didn't respect the gods of Egypt. This had made Pharoah nervous. So, they had been forced to be slaves. The fields that they had once farmed and eaten of, they still farmed, but most of the crops were given to the Egyptians. The Israelites were forced to work the fields, make bricks and palaces, temples and pyramids.
Even through all of this, God blessed His people and they multiplied. They grew larger in number and in spirit. They were God's people and He was taking good care of them. Pharaoh was amazed and disheartened at the same time! How could this be? How could a people that were slaves multiply and thrive under such conditions? Something had to be done.
Pharaoh called the Hebrew midwives to him. "When babies are born, you will allow the little girls to live, but the boys must be killed." The midwives were shocked and horrified at the command, but they answered respectfully and returned to their homes.
These midwives loved God. They knew they could not kill a baby. Not for any reason! And so, when baby boys were born, they were allowed to live. After a while, Pharaoh, realized that his command had not been followed. He called the midwives to him. "Why have you not obeyed me?" He demanded. Very calmly they assured him that the Hebrew ladies didn't always need help delivering their babies.
Pharaoh realized that his plan had not worked. Another edict was issued. All Hebrew boys were commanded to be thrown into the Nile River!!
It was into this turmoil that Jochabed delivered her third child. He was a good baby. Jochabed could not let him be thrown into the Nile. She decided to hide him. For 3 months she hid her sweet baby boy. She prayed that he wouldn't make any noises. She prayed that God would keep him safe and spare his life. She prayed that God would bless him and use him. She prayed all the prayers mothers of our day pray for their children. She knew her baby was special and she had faith that God would protect her baby.
Finally, the day came when she could hide him no longer. He was growing to quickly and learning how to make too many noises. She had to come up with another plan.
Jochabed went to work making a tiny little basket. She worked carefully. This basket was going to be a hiding place for her most treasured possession. She loved that tiny, little baby with all of her heart.
The basket was made out of bulrushes and pitch. She made certain that the basket would float and then she lined it with a blanket. When that was done, she kissed her precious baby boy and she put him inside the basket.
"Come with me". She called to her daughter, Miriam.
Together they walked to the edge of the Nile River. Imagine! The same river that was supposed to bring death to her son was now going to be his place of shelter! Ever so carefully, they walked along. They wanted to be sure no one saw them or their precious cargo - and yet they wanted to saver every last moment they had with him. Can you imagine the thoughts and fears, the memories and emotions that must have been in the heart and mind of Jochebed that day?
But things were not like that anymore. Days were long and life was hard for the Israelites who lived in Egypt now. After Joseph and the Pharaoh he'd served died, things got bad. Real bad. The fields were still fertile in the delta and crops still thrived. But now, the Israelites had to work. They had to work for the Egyptians. They had been made slaves.
The new Pharaoh had become fearful. The Israelites were growing in number. God was blessing them with children and there were more now than there had been when they had first come to Egypt so many years ago.
Pharaoh was afraid that they would one day be greater than the Egyptions themselves. To Pharaoh, these Israelites had strange customs. Strange beliefs and traditions. For instance: they believed in One God. They didn't serve lots of gods like the Egyptions did. They had strange laws and ate strange food...or rather, they didn't eat certain things common to the Egyptian way of life. They had lived in Egypt long enough, but they still behaved as if they were their own people. For the most part they didn't take on any of Egypt's culture or religious beliefs. They didn't respect the gods of Egypt. This had made Pharoah nervous. So, they had been forced to be slaves. The fields that they had once farmed and eaten of, they still farmed, but most of the crops were given to the Egyptians. The Israelites were forced to work the fields, make bricks and palaces, temples and pyramids.
Even through all of this, God blessed His people and they multiplied. They grew larger in number and in spirit. They were God's people and He was taking good care of them. Pharaoh was amazed and disheartened at the same time! How could this be? How could a people that were slaves multiply and thrive under such conditions? Something had to be done.
Pharaoh called the Hebrew midwives to him. "When babies are born, you will allow the little girls to live, but the boys must be killed." The midwives were shocked and horrified at the command, but they answered respectfully and returned to their homes.
These midwives loved God. They knew they could not kill a baby. Not for any reason! And so, when baby boys were born, they were allowed to live. After a while, Pharaoh, realized that his command had not been followed. He called the midwives to him. "Why have you not obeyed me?" He demanded. Very calmly they assured him that the Hebrew ladies didn't always need help delivering their babies.
Pharaoh realized that his plan had not worked. Another edict was issued. All Hebrew boys were commanded to be thrown into the Nile River!!
It was into this turmoil that Jochabed delivered her third child. He was a good baby. Jochabed could not let him be thrown into the Nile. She decided to hide him. For 3 months she hid her sweet baby boy. She prayed that he wouldn't make any noises. She prayed that God would keep him safe and spare his life. She prayed that God would bless him and use him. She prayed all the prayers mothers of our day pray for their children. She knew her baby was special and she had faith that God would protect her baby.
Finally, the day came when she could hide him no longer. He was growing to quickly and learning how to make too many noises. She had to come up with another plan.
Jochabed went to work making a tiny little basket. She worked carefully. This basket was going to be a hiding place for her most treasured possession. She loved that tiny, little baby with all of her heart.
The basket was made out of bulrushes and pitch. She made certain that the basket would float and then she lined it with a blanket. When that was done, she kissed her precious baby boy and she put him inside the basket.
"Come with me". She called to her daughter, Miriam.
Together they walked to the edge of the Nile River. Imagine! The same river that was supposed to bring death to her son was now going to be his place of shelter! Ever so carefully, they walked along. They wanted to be sure no one saw them or their precious cargo - and yet they wanted to saver every last moment they had with him. Can you imagine the thoughts and fears, the memories and emotions that must have been in the heart and mind of Jochebed that day?
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When they got to the river bank, Jochabed peeked inside the little basket one last time. It was so hard for her to close the lid on her baby, but close it she must. She lowered the basket to the water and left it there to float among the reeds.
"Miriam, I need you to stay here and watch the basket. Let me know what happens to him." She instructed her daughter. Then, with eyes full of tears and heart full of love for her son, she left the river and went back home to do her work and pray for her son.
Mirriam watched the basket that held her brother. What would happen to it? What story would she have to tell her mom when she got home that night?
Soon, she heard voices. The princess of Egypt had come to the river to take a bath. She had her servants there to help her. When she saw the basket she asked one of her servants to go get it for her.
Mirriam watched as the princess opened the basket. When the basket opened the baby inside began to cry. The princess felt sorry for the baby and took him out of his basket. Mirriam watched her hold the baby and speak soothingly to him.
At just the right moment she walked up to the princess and asked her if she needed a nurse for the baby. The princess eagerly agreed that she did need someone to help her take care of the baby. Mirriam quickly volunteered to go get a Hebrew lady to care for the baby. The princess was delighted.
Mirriam ran home to get her mother. "Mother! Mother!" She cried. "The princess found the baby and she wants to keep him, but she needs someone to nurse him and care for him. She wants to pay someone to take care of him! I told her I knew someone!"
Jochabed must have run to the river as fast as she could. Her baby was going to live! And SHE was going to get to nurse him and love him. She was going to get to raise her baby and tell him about her God and their people. God had saved his life. God was good to Jochabed and her family that day!
The princess named the baby "Moses". Jochabed and Miriam returned home with their baby in his momma's arms. What a joyous night that must have been! Amram, Moses' daddy, must have been overjoyed and amazed as he listened to the events of the day later that night. God is good to all who trust in Him. God always makes a way and only God could make it possible for the very thing that was supposed to end this baby's tiny life to protect him. The daughter of the person who was commanding his death was saving his life. The mother who had surrendered her infant son to a God she knew she could trust was returning home with him and it was no longer a secret! She didn't have to hide him any longer. He was hers to raise until the time he would go to the palace! God was very good to Jochabed and her family that night!
Fun Facts:
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- Many scholars believe Ramses II was Pharaoh during the Exodus. If this is true, Seti I would have been the Pharaoh that commanded all the baby boys to be drowned in the Nile. His daughter (who is unnamed in the Bible) would have been the one who took Moses out of the water and kept him for her son.
- Many also believe that this princess was married to a man many years her senior. The probability of her ever having children was slim and so finding a baby in a basket just might have appealed to her motherly instincts.
- "Moses" means "to draw or lift out" and it could come from the Hebrew word "masha". There is also a chance that it could come the Egyptiona word "mesu" which "child" and is also found in other Egyptian names such as "Thut-moses" or Ra"mses".
- Not only was there danger of the babies drowning in the river, but there were also Nile Crocodiles to worry about. The Nile Crocodile can live up to 45 years and has grown to around 20 feet long. It is the longest crocodile in Africa and has been known to eat men and animals as large as giraffes. Several of these Nile Crocodiles have been found mummified in Egyptian pyramids.
- Why would the Pharaoh order only the male children to be killed? Some believe it was because he hoped the girls would grow up to marry Egyptian men, and then become a part of the Egyptian culture. If this was his plan and had it worked, the culture, customs and traditions of the Hebrew people would have been forever forgotten.
Food for Thought:
- What would have happened if Mirriam had not been obedient or responsible during all of this? What if she had not been willing to help her mom or though she'd had better things to do? What if she had been to fearful to approach the princess and ask her if she needed a nurse maid? The way children behave is of the utmost importance!!
- Do you ever wonder if Aaron, Moses' older brother, had been born during the era when the Midwives were commanded to kill all the baby boys? Perhaps Jochebed had been one of the ladies that had delivered her baby without the help of the midwifes? Or perhaps the midwives had lied a bit to save the lives of the children - and their own lives from the wrath of the Pharaoh?
Memory Verse:
Hebrews 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.
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Beautiful story Angela! I loved it and was excited to keep reading. This would make a wonderful children's or teen bible study guide! Just a thought! Keep writing, I can't wait to read more! :)
ReplyDeleteSarah
I love the story of Moses & never get tired of reading it! I thoroughly enjoyed your re-telling & the thoughts posted after. Thnak you! :)
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