In Practically All Hollywood Movies By Hollywood IT is Assumed That Moses Did not know he was an Israelite until he was grown up
“By faith,Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharoah’s daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.”
Although Moses was pulled from the Nile by Batya, the daughter of Pharaoh, she unwittingly placed him in the care of his real mother, Jochebed. (This was orchestrated by Moses’ sister, Miriam.) There, he was secretly mentored by his father, Amram, who was the son of Itzhar, who was the son of Kohath, who was the son of Levi, who was the son of Israel (Jacob).
When Moses’ mother decided to put her baby son in a small basket and set it along the current of the Nile River, she would not have done so if she didn’t know someone would find him. Her purpose was to keep him safe.
When she was no longer able to conceal him, she took a papyrus basket and coated it with bitumen and pitch and put the child in it and placed it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile River. (Ex 2:3)
It was Moses’ sister Miriam that was assigned to follow the basket downstream and make sure that he was safe.
But his sister [Miriam] stood at a distance to see what would happen to him. (Ex 2:4)
When Pharaoh’s daughter found Moses she immediately knew that he was a Hebrew child. Most likely because of the way he was dressed. His features and skin tone may have also been a factor.
When she [Pharaoh’s daughter] opened it, she saw the child, and the boy was crying. She felt compassion for him, but she said: “This is one of the children of the Hebrews.” (Ex 2:6)
Miriam approach Pharaoh’s daughter and offered to find a Hebrew woman that could nurse the child.
Then his sister [Miriam] said to Pharʹaoh’s daughter: “Shall I go and call a nursing woman from the Hebrews to nurse the child for you?” Pharʹaoh’s daughter said to her: “Go!” At once the girl went and called the child’s mother. (Ex 2:7, 8)
We don’t know if this was Moses’ mother’s plan from the start, if it was an idea Miriam thought of, or if it was Jehovah working out his divine will. In any case, Moses’ mother was brought to Pharaoh’s daughter and offered a position to care for Moses under the parentage of Pharaoh’s daughter.
Pharʹaoh’s daughter then said to her: “Take this child with you and nurse him for me, and I will pay you.” So the woman took the child and nursed him. (Ex 2:9)
In ancient Egypt, this position as a royal wet nurse came with status and influence.
Royal wet-nurses came to enjoy considerable status and influence at court; some were accorded near-divine honors when they died.[1]
The passage suggests that Moses’ mother may have taken Moses back home to nurse him and care for him full time. This was also the custom of ancient Egypt.
When the child grew older, she brought him to Pharʹaoh’s daughter, and he became a son to her. She named him Moses and said: “It is because I have drawn him out of the water.” (Ex 2:10)
If this was the case then Moses most likely remained at his mother’s home up to the first 3 years and brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter at assigned intervals.
If such a woman was asked to feed a child of similar background she would take it into her own home and bring it to its parents at stipulated intervals so that they could see how it was faring. In the case of wealthy clients, however, the wet-nurse would move into the house of the child’s father.[2]
Then when wet nursing was no longer needed she probably continued to work for Pharaoh’s daughter as a nanny for the child.
It was taken for granted that, because of the physical contact, a special relationship would develop between child and wet-nurse. The nurse’s name or portrait sometimes features in the mural decor of her formal charge’s tomb alongside those of parents, wives and offspring.[3]
This time spent with Moses allowed his mother to teach him about Jehovah and the meaning behind their Hebrew laws and customs. However, he was also taught the ways of Egypt as well.
So Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. In fact, he was powerful in his words and deeds. (Act 7:22)
At some point Moses had to make a choice between the “knowledge of Jehovah” (Isa 11:2) instilled in him by his mother or that of the worldly “wisdom” of Egypt. Moses because of his faith in the things him mother taught him chose Jehovah over the Egyptian gods he was raised to believe in.
By faith Moses, when grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharʹaoh’s daughter, choosing to be mistreated with the people of God rather than to have the temporary enjoyment of sin (Heb 11:24, 25)
How did Moses know he was an Israelite?
1) In those days, Israelite custom was to nurse babies for up to four years. Since it was his own mother who nursed him (Exodus 2:8-9), his family had plenty of time to teach him before he was returned to Pharaoh’s daughter (Exodus 2:10) to live in the palace.
2) Moses was not a prisoner in the royal palace. He came and went as he pleased (Exodus 2:11 and 2:13) and sought out his people (ibid).
3) Israelite tradition states that the daughter of Pharaoh became sympathetic to the Israelites and their belief in One God (Rashi commentary, Exodus 2). Guess who her learning-partner ?
Exo 2:6 – Paraphrased: The daughter of Pharaoh knew he was a Hebrew.
Exo 2:8-9 – Paraphrased: Pharaoh’s daughter gave the boy back to his mother! She asked the mother to nurse the boy for her, and she even paid her for it.
Exo 2:10 – And the child grew, and she [the mother] brought him unto Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. And she [Pharaoh’s daughter] called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.
There was apparently no secret about his origin. When the child was big enough, and could probably already talk, he was transferred to Pharaoh’s daughter, who named him Moses (Heb. Mosheh). From this moment, Moses (as his name was no secret to himself) must have known that he was Hebrew, growing up in Pharaoh’s house from that day.
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Visual Verse of the Day
“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.” 2 Corin 4:8-9"
