“The name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt. And she bore to Amram Aaron and Moses and Miriam their sister.” (Numbers 26:59, ESV)
If you were asked to name as many women of the Bible as possible, how many could you name? Ruth and Esther are easy. After all, they have Old Testament books named after them. Then there’s Eve, Sarah, Mary (the mother of Jesus), Martha of Bethany and her sister Mary. Would Jochebed have been on your list? Or did you just silently ask, “Who’s Jochebed?”
Jochebed is only mentioned by name twice, first in Exodus and then Numbers. This brave woman was the mother of Aaron, Moses, and Miriam.
A TERRIFYING DECREE
When we first meet Jochebed, the Israelites have been in Egypt for over 400 years. Any favored status they may have once enjoyed because of Joseph’s position and power had long since disappeared. They were now slaves and badly treated by their taskmasters. Exodus 1:13 says they “served with rigor.” Life was hard.
Then conditions grew even worse. To control the expanding Israelite population, the king of Egypt commanded the midwives to kill all male children at birth. The midwives quietly disobeyed the order, but the situation was terrifying. Jochebed and her husband Amram possessed a strong faith and defied the king’s command. They hid their newborn son as long as they could. When this became impossible, she placed her baby boy in a little ark she had made of bulrushes and hid him by the river.
“By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.” (Hebrews 11:23, ESV)
Then, through a God-orchestrated turn of events, Jochebed became her own child’s nurse. Pharaoh’s daughter discovered the child in the bulrush basket (Exodus 2) and decided to keep the baby. She named him Moses.
TIMELY LESSONS
When Jochebed determined to hide her baby, did she realize he was destined to lead the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage? The Bible doesn’t tell us, but probably not. However, I do believe she took advantage of every moment she had with her son to teach him who he was and who his God was. This was evident as he reached adulthood and chose his godly heritage over the benefits of life in the palace.
“By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.” (Hebrews 11:24-26, ESV)
The training during those early years with his mother gave Moses the foundation he needed to fulfill God’s plan and purpose in his life.
Perhaps Jochebed was not what some might call a prominent person in the Bible, but her faith-filled and godly influence helped shape Moses into one of the greatest leaders ever. She demonstrated faith over fear, and God rewarded her courage.
We must never underestimate what God will do through one dedicated life.
Devotion by Mary Loudermilk
