In brief
Amram is a Levite who lives in Egypt in the days of Israel’s slavery. Son of Kohath and grandson of Levi, he marries Jochebed, who bears him Aaron, Moses and Miriam. Exodus 2 presents him simply as a man of the house of Levi. With his wife, he hides Moses for three months despite Pharaoh’s order. He dies at the age of one hundred thirty-seven. We remember a father whose quiet faith prepared Israel’s deliverance.
What does the name Amram mean?
The name Amram is generally linked to a Hebrew expression evoking an exalted people, but this meaning remains uncertain. The Bible does not explain it (Exodus 6:18-20).
The story of Amram
A Son of Kohath
Exodus 6:16-18Amram belongs to the tribe of Levi. He is one of the four sons of Kohath, with Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel, and therefore a grandson of Levi. His family lives in Egypt, where the descendants of Jacob have multiplied to the point of worrying those in power.
A Time of Oppression
Exodus 1:8-22A new king, who did not know Joseph, reduces Israel to slavery. As the people keep growing, Pharaoh gives a terrible order: “You shall cast every son who is born into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive.” It is in this setting that Amram’s youngest child is born.
A Man of the House of Levi
Exodus 2:1-4“A man of the house of Levi went and took a daughter of Levi as his wife.” Without naming him, the text tells of the birth of a son who is hidden for three months. Then the child is placed in a papyrus basket on the riverbank, while his sister watches from a distance to see what will happen to him.
Moses Returned to His Family
Exodus 2:5-10Pharaoh’s daughter finds the child and has compassion on him. At the sister’s suggestion, she entrusts him to a Hebrew nurse, who is none other than his own mother. Moses thus grows up first in his own family, before being brought to Pharaoh’s daughter, who gives him his name.
The Name Given in the Genealogy
Exodus 6:20The genealogy of Moses and Aaron finally names their father: “Amram took Jochebed his father’s sister to himself as wife; and she bore him Aaron and Moses.” The same verse says he lived one hundred thirty-seven years. This list recalls that Israel’s deliverers come from a specific family of the tribe of Levi.
Three Children in God’s Service
Numbers 26:58-59In the census on the plains of Moab, the Bible recalls that Kohath became the father of Amram, and that Jochebed bore him Aaron, Moses and Miriam. His three children led the people: Moses as deliverer, Aaron as high priest, Miriam as prophetess.
What Amram teaches us
- Parents’ faith can prepare great works of God, even when their names stay in the background.
- Fearing God rather than people gives the courage to protect life, even against an unjust order.
- God often prepares his servants within the ordinary setting of a faithful family.
- Biblical genealogies remind us that God works through real people, generation after generation.
Key verses
The New Testament counts Moses’ parents among the witnesses of faith. Amram and Jochebed did not fear the king’s order and hid their son for three months.
This verse names Amram, his wife Jochebed and their sons Aaron and Moses, and says he lived one hundred thirty-seven years. It roots Moses’ calling in a family of Levites.
Stephen recalls that Moses was nursed for three months in his father’s house. Amram protected his son at the very time the king of Egypt wanted to wipe out the Hebrew boys.
Bible verses to meditate on
Frequently asked questions
Who was Moses’ father?
Moses’ father is named Amram. He is a Levite, son of Kohath and grandson of Levi. He married Jochebed, who bore him Aaron, Moses and Miriam. Exodus 2 mentions him without naming him, as a man of the house of Levi; his name appears in the genealogies of Exodus 6:20 and Numbers 26:59.
Why did Amram marry his aunt?
Exodus 6:20 states that Jochebed was Amram’s aunt. This marriage took place before the giving of the law at Sinai, which would later forbid marrying one’s father’s sister (Leviticus 18:12). The Bible reports the fact without comment, as it does for other practices of the patriarchal age.
Where can I find Amram in the Bible?
Amram is named in Exodus 6:18-20, in Numbers 3:19 and 26:58-59, and in 1 Chronicles 6:2-3 and 23:12-13. His story, without his name, is read in Exodus 2:1-10, and the New Testament recalls the faith of Moses’ parents in Acts 7:20 and Hebrews 11:23.