Keraia
Exodus 4

Exodus 4:25

Moses Leaves for Egypt · Exodus 4:18–26
Read Exodus 4

Translations

Modern
But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin, and touched it to Moses’ feet. “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me,” she said.
Traditional
Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me.
Literal
And Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son, and she touched it to his feet and said, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me.”
Latin
Tulit idcirco Sephora acutissimam petram, et circumcidit præputium filii sui, tetigitque pedes ejus, et ait: Sponsus sanguinum tu mihi es.

Original

Hebrew
English
But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin, and touched it to Moses’ feet. “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me,” she said.

Notes

Exodus 4:25

a bridegroom of blood: The context suggests that this statement was part of a circumcision ceremony.

Circumcision was the cutting of the foreskin of a male child. It may reflect an older custom among some Semitic peoples (ancient groups from the Middle East who spoke related languages).

Among some groups, including certain African communities today, circumcision is performed at puberty rather than in infancy. If that were the case here, the phrase may connect circumcision with marriage or adulthood.

Exodus 4:24–26

This incident is mysterious. Zipporah immediately circumcising her son suggests she and Moses had previously discussed it and decided it was unnecessary. Why would having an uncircumcised son make God want to kill the rescuer he had prepared and called?

It would seem strange for Moses to arrive in Egypt claiming to represent the God of the Israelites' ancestors, but would not do what God commanded them (Genesis 17:10). This might cause the people to be less willing to follow God exclusively.

Exodus 3:1–4:28

This section describes the mission God gave Moses to rescue the Israelites from Egyptian slavery. It is divided into two parts, 3:1–4:17 and 4:18–28.

The first part describes God's call. The second part describes the full consequences of accepting that call. Moses not only experienced a career change, but he also had to completely change his life.

People

Zipporah: Wife of Moses, daughter of Jethro

Glossary

Aaron Book of Exodus Bronze Snake, Bronze Serpent Circumcision Deuteronomy, Book of History of Israel Medicine and Medical Practice Moses Zipporah

Topics

Circumcision was Performed by the Heads of Families Circumcision was Performed with Knives of Flint Circumcision: Described Circumcision: Moses Family: Infelicity in Moses and Zipporah Moses: His Controversy with his Wife on Account of Circumcision Wife: Contentious, Zipporah Women: Zipporah, in Her Persecution of Moses on Account of his Religious Obligations Zipporah: Reproaches Moses