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| Zipporah: The Unnamed Courage of Moses |
The story of Zipporah is brief, tucked between the monumental calling of Moses and his journey back to Egypt, yet it pulses with tension, mystery, and divine purpose. As Moses’ Midianite wife, Zipporah appears at a critical juncture in redemptive history—not as a background character, but as a decisive force whose actions ultimately preserve the life of her husband and the unfolding mission of God.
Meeting Zipporah: A Providential Union
Zipporah first enters the biblical narrative in Exodus 2. After fleeing Egypt for killing an Egyptian, Moses arrives in Midian where he rescues the daughters of Jethro (also called Reuel) from hostile shepherds. Among these women is Zipporah. Her father rewards Moses’ bravery by offering her in marriage.
This union is more than circumstantial. In Midian, Moses finds refuge, family, and time to grow into his calling. Zipporah becomes not only his wife but also the mother of his sons—Gershom and later Eliezer. Though the Bible does not record her words at this stage, her presence anchors Moses in a season of preparation.
A Woman Between Two Worlds:
Zipporah was not an Israelite. As a Midianite, she came from a lineage descended from Abraham through Keturah. The Midianites believed in God, but their religious practices and cultural customs differed from the Israelites. This intermarriage, while not condemned in Zipporah’s case, foreshadows tension Moses would later face with his family and the Hebrew community.
Still, God does not oppose this marriage. In fact, Zipporah is with Moses when God calls him from the burning bush. Her presence shows that she was not a passive bystander but a companion in the divine calling placed upon Moses.
A Life-Saving Intervention:
One of the most enigmatic and rarely discussed passages in Scripture involves Zipporah in Exodus 4:24–26.
"At a lodging place on the way, the Lord met Moses and was about to kill him. But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it. 'Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me,' she said. So the Lord let him alone. (At that time she said ‘bridegroom of blood,’ referring to circumcision.)"
The meaning is layered, but the core message is this: God was about to execute judgment on Moses for failing to circumcise his son—a direct violation of the covenant God made with Abraham. Moses, the chosen deliverer of Israel, had not upheld the very sign of the covenant he was called to restore.
And it is Zipporah who steps in.
Her swift, decisive action is not just courageous—it is obedient. Despite being from a different culture, she understood the gravity of the situation. With urgency, she performs the circumcision herself. Her cryptic words, "bridegroom of blood," reflect either cultural discomfort or a moment of spiritual recognition. Either way, she became the instrument of divine mercy.
A Woman of Decisive Faith:
Zipporah’s intervention makes her one of the few women in Scripture whose actions directly spared the life of a prophet. In that critical moment, her understanding of God’s covenant took precedence over fear, hesitation, or cultural convention.
Her story is a powerful reminder that spiritual discernment and courageous obedience are not confined to titles or traditions. Zipporah didn’t wait for further instruction. She acted decisively, and her intervention preserved both her family and God’s redemptive plan.
In doing so, she reflects the spirit of other courageous women in the Bible: Deborah, who led in wisdom and war; Jael, who subdued the enemy with resolve; Esther, who stood in the gap for her people; and Mary, who submitted to God’s plan with quiet strength. Each woman responded to God’s prompting not with passivity but with bold, faithful action.
After the Incident: Zipporah's Return
The next time Zipporah is mentioned is in Exodus 18, when Jethro brings her and her sons to reunite with Moses in the wilderness. This suggests that after the circumcision event, Moses may have sent her back to Midian for safety or perhaps out of tension following the ordeal.
When Jethro brings her back, it is at a time of spiritual breakthrough. Moses has led Israel out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, and into the desert. Her return signals a rejoining of family and calling. Though we are not told her response, her very presence supports Moses’ leadership during this critical stage.
What We Learn from Zipporah:
Zipporah teaches us that faithfulness isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s swift, bloody, and in the shadows. She reminds us that God works through unexpected people in unexpected ways.
Here are key takeaways from her life:
God values obedience over heritage. Zipporah was not an Israelite, but her faith and courage placed her within the story of redemption.
Spiritual discernment can come from outside traditional boundaries. Sometimes those we least expect are the ones God uses to confront, correct, and protect.
Wives are spiritual partners, not spectators. Zipporah did not stand by as Moses faced divine judgment. She intervened and preserved his mission.
Actions in hidden places shape destinies. Her brave act was unseen by crowds, yet it saved a prophet and kept God's covenant in motion.
Closing Reflection:
Zipporah’s story is not neat. It’s messy, mysterious, and brief. Yet within its folds lies the fierce grace of a woman who stepped between death and destiny. She reminds us that moments of holy intervention often happen in private places—lodging houses, tents, desert roads—where few witness them, but heaven takes notice.
In a world that still struggles to value the voice and action of women in ministry and faith leadership, Zipporah's story whispers, "God sees. God honors. And God uses those who are willing to act, even when no one else will."
She may not have spoken many words in Scripture, but her obedience still speaks volumes today.
Discover More:
Visit our Women of the Bible page to read powerful accounts of courage, grace, and unwavering faith. Let their lives encourage and uplift you on your own walk with God.
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