The Circumcision of Moses' Son Gershom (Exodus 4:24-26)

by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson

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An incident occurs on Moses trip back to Egypt that is difficult to understand.

"²⁴At a lodging place on the way, the LORD met [Moses] and was about to kill him. ²⁵But 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. ²⁶So the LORD let him alone. (At that time she said 'bridegroom of blood,' referring to circumcision.)" (Exodus 4:24-26)

There are dozens of theories about the meaning of the passage. What makes the most sense to me is that Moses had neglected circumcision (of Gershom and perhaps of himself), in accordance with the ancient rite revealed to Abraham as a sign of the Covenant (Genesis 17:9-14), and this neglect arouses God's anger. At any rate, God stops him while they are at an overnight desert camp. Zipporah intervenes, takes a flint knife, circumcises Gershom, and then apparently touches Moses' genitals with it. "Feet" (regel) here is likely a euphemism for male genitalia, as in Isaiah 7:20 (with reference to pubic hair) and in Judges 3:24 and 1 Samuel 24:3 (with reference to relieving oneself).¹After this rite has been performed, God backs off from his threat to Moses.

Of course, this doesn't answer all our questions. Why does Zipporah touch Moses' genitals with Gershom's foreskin? It's possible that Moses himself hasn't been circumcised as a baby, or fully circumcised as an adult. Egyptian circumcision, performed on adults, was only a partial circumcision. Perhaps Gershom's circumcision is being vicariously transferred to Moses by touching his penis.²And what do Zipporah's words mean: "Bridegroom of blood"? Scholars have speculated that in Midian culture, circumcision was performed at puberty as a premarital rite, and that Zipporah's words echo this.³But it is merely speculation. We don't really know.

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The point seems to be that only those who have been circumcised will escape God's judgment -- especially God's judgment upon the Egyptians in Egypt (Exodus 12:44-49; Joshua 5:5). When Zipporah's rite has been completed, God allows Moses and his family to continue to Egypt.

Fortunately this obscure event isn't important to the primary story of Moses' character and ministry.

References

Abbreviations

1. William White, regel, TWOT #2113a. See Durham, Exodus, p. 58.

2. Durham, Exodus, p. 58, citing J.M. Sasson, "Circumcision in the Ancient Near East," Journal of Biblical Literature [1966] 473-474. So also Paul R. Williamson, "Circumcision," DOTP, p. 124.

3. Durham, Exodus, p. 58. Durham speculates that Zipporah circumcises not Moses, "who would have been temporarily incapacitated by the surgery" (Genesis 34:18-31), but Gershom, and then vicariously transfers the effect of the rite to Moses.

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