In brief
Zipporah is the daughter of the priest of Midian, whom Moses marries after fleeing Egypt. She gives him two sons, Gershom and Eliezer, and travels with him when he returns to Egypt at God's command. One night on the road, when the LORD threatens Moses, she acts quickly and circumcises their son, and Moses is spared. Later, her father Jethro brings her and her sons to Moses in the wilderness. Her story reminds us that God takes the covenant seriously and that the faith of a household is also lived out in concrete actions.
What does the name Zipporah mean?
The name Zipporah is generally linked to a Hebrew word for a bird, but the biblical text gives no explanation of the name. The Bible does say who she is: Moses was content to dwell with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah (Exodus 2:21). She is the daughter of the priest of Midian.
The story of Zipporah
A wife found in Midian
Exodus 2:15-22Moses flees from Pharaoh and settles in the land of Midian, near a well. There he defends the priest's seven daughters against some shepherds. Their father invites him to eat, Moses agrees to stay with him, and he receives Zipporah as his wife. She gives birth to a son whom Moses names Gershom, because he is living in a foreign land.
On the road to Egypt
Exodus 4:18-20God commands Moses to go back to Egypt. With the permission of his father-in-law Jethro, Moses takes his wife and sons, sets them on donkeys and starts out again, the staff of God in his hand. Zipporah thus leaves her homeland to follow her husband in the mission God has given him.
The circumcision of their son
Exodus 4:24-26During the journey, at night, the LORD meets Moses and seeks to put him to death. Zipporah takes a sharp stone, circumcises her son and throws the foreskin at Moses' feet. The LORD then lets him alone. The text is brief and does not explain everything; above all it shows that God's covenant is not to be taken lightly.
The reunion in the wilderness
Exodus 18:1-7After the exodus from Egypt, Jethro hears what God has done for Israel. He brings Moses' wife Zipporah and her two sons, Gershom and Eliezer, to him in the wilderness. Moses goes out to meet his father-in-law, they greet each other, then go into the tent. Moses' family is together again.
What Zipporah teaches us
- God sometimes leads people to a foreign land who will become a precious support for his servant.
- Obedience to God concerns the whole household, not only the one who carries the mission.
- God's covenant is serious: what he asks must be done without delay.
- A decisive act, taken at the right moment, can preserve a life and a calling.
Key verses
Moses settles with the priest of Midian and receives Zipporah as his wife. This verse marks the beginning of their home, far from Egypt, in a place God prepared.
Zipporah takes a sharp stone, cuts off her son's foreskin and throws it at Moses' feet. This difficult passage stresses the importance of circumcision, the sign of the covenant.
Jethro comes to the wilderness with Moses' sons and wife. Moses' family joins him at the mountain of God, after Israel's deliverance.
Sermons about Zipporah
Frequently asked questions
Who was Zipporah in the Bible?
Zipporah is one of the seven daughters of the priest of Midian. Moses marries her after fleeing Egypt (Exodus 2:21). She gives him two sons, Gershom and Eliezer, follows him on the return to Egypt and circumcises their son when the LORD threatens Moses (Exodus 4:24-26).
What does the name Zipporah mean?
Her name is generally linked to a Hebrew word that suggests a bird. The Bible gives no explanation of this name, unlike those of her sons, Gershom and Eliezer, whose meaning is explained (Exodus 2:22 and 18:3-4). It is better to stay cautious.
Where can I find the story of Zipporah in the Bible?
Her story is found in the book of Exodus: her marriage to Moses in Exodus 2:15-22, the circumcision of her son in Exodus 4:24-26, then her reunion with Moses in the wilderness, with her father Jethro, in Exodus 18:1-7.