Exodus 2:22
She gave birth to a son, and he called his name Gershom, for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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{ "author": "Traditionally Moses, though modern scholarship sometimes questions this for parts of the Pentateuch.", "location": "Written from the wilderness of Sinai, likely during the Israelites' wandering period.", "dateTime": "Likely between 1446 and 1406 BC, during the Exodus and wilderness wanderings.", "literaryStyle": "Narrative prose, featuring dialogue and divine revelation, with a focus on God's unfolding plan." }
After fleeing Egypt, Moses finds refuge in Midian, where he marries the daughter of a priest and settles into life as a shepherd. This period of exile, far from his people and the place of his greatest sorrow, is also a divinely appointed time of preparation for his future leadership. It's within this context of unexpected refuge and a life seemingly far removed from his destiny that their first son is born, his name a constant reminder of Moses' own displaced identity.
Moses names his son Gershom, meaning 'a stranger there.' Was this a sad reflection on his exile, or something more?
The name Gershom isn't just a label; it's a declaration of faith. While it acknowledges Moses' reality as a 'stranger in a foreign land,' it's not born of bitterness.
A Reflection of Faith
Think about it: Moses was an Israelite, meant to inherit the land of Canaan. Midian, though a place of refuge and even a new family, was not his homeland. His father-in-law, Jethro, a priest, likely worshipped the true God, but Midian was still not the Promised Land.
The name Gershom served as a constant reminder to Moses, his wife, and even Jethro, that Moses' true identity and ultimate destiny lay elsewhere. It kept alive the hope of redemption and the promise of a homeland given by God.
Moses’ life in Midian wasn't just a detour; it was a divine setup. How did God use this 'foreign land' to prepare His servant?
God's hand is not absent during our exiles or times of waiting. Moses' experience in Midian, tending sheep for Jethro, was more than just finding shelter; it was crucial preparation.
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School of the Shepherd
While Egypt honed his intellect and skills, the quiet life of a shepherd in Midian taught him patience, resilience, and deep communion with God. This solitude was essential for the man who would eventually converse with God on Mount Horeb and lead a nation.
This period allowed Moses to develop a spiritual depth that the Egyptian court could never offer. It was a time of learning to rely solely on God's revelation, a stark contrast to the political maneuvering he might have learned in Egypt.
Understand the original words
ger · Hebrew Noun
A descriptive term for one who lives temporarily in a place that is not their home, often implying a state of vulnerability or lack of inheritance in that location. In Scripture, it emphasizes the believer's status as a stranger in the world, whose true home is with God.
The naming of Gershom highlights Moses's displacement and his hope for a future homeland, shaping his identity as a leader between two worlds.
c. 1525 BC
Moses Flees Egypt
After killing an Egyptian overseer, Moses flees Pharaoh's court and the land of Egypt, seeking refuge in the land of Midian.
c. 1525-1485 BC— this verse
Moses Settles in Midian
Moses finds work as a shepherd for Jethro, the priest of Midian, and marries his daughter Zipporah.
c. 1524 BC
Birth of Gershom
Moses and Zipporah have their first son, Gershom. The name signifies Moses's feeling of being a stranger in a foreign land.
c. 1485 BC
The Burning Bush
God appears to Moses in a burning bush and commissions him to return to Egypt and lead the Israelites out of slavery.
This verse directly echoes the sentiment of Exodus 2:22, reminding believers that they are 'sojourners and pilgrims' in this world, not permanent residents, which resonates with Moses' naming of his son.
Hebrews 11:13This passage in the 'Hall of Faith' explicitly connects the patriarchs' lives to a similar sense of being strangers on earth, highlighting their focus on a heavenly homeland, mirroring Moses' awareness of his own temporary status.
Genesis 17:8God's promise to Abraham includes giving him 'the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession,' providing the ultimate context for why a Hebrew like Moses, even in Midian, would feel like a stranger, looking towards that promised inheritance.
Psalm 39:12This psalm mirrors Moses' declaration by praying, 'Hear my prayer, O LORD... For I am a sojourner with you, as all my fathers were,' showing this feeling of being a temporary resident was a common spiritual outlook.
bensonExodus 2:22: "And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land."
Exodus 2:22 . Gershom — That is, A stranger there. Now this settlement of Moses in Midian was designed by Providence to shelter him for the present; God will find hiding-places for his people in the day of their distress. It was also designed to prepare him for the services he was to be called to. His manner of life in Midian, where he kept the flock of his father-in-law…
calvinExodus 2:16-22: "Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock."
- Now the priest of Midian. The profane would attribute this meeting to good fortune, whereas God affords us in it a striking picture of his providence, in thus with an outstretched hand directing the steps of his servant. Those damsels were in the habit of coming daily to the well; and Moses sat down to ask for hospitality at the waterside, whith…
{ "author": "Traditionally Moses, though modern scholarship sometimes questions this for parts of the Pentateuch.", "location": "Written from the wilderness of Sinai, likely during the Israelites' wandering period.", "dateTime": "Likely between 1446 and 1406 BC, during the Exodus and wilderness wanderings.", "literaryStyle": "Narrative prose, featuring dialogue and divine revelation, with a focus on God's unfolding plan." }
After fleeing Egypt, Moses finds refuge in Midian, where he marries the daughter of a priest and settles into life as a shepherd. This period of exile, far from his people and the place of his greatest sorrow, is also a divinely appointed time of preparation for his future leadership. It's within this context of unexpected refuge and a life seemingly far removed from his destiny that their first son is born, his name a constant reminder of Moses' own displaced identity.
After fleeing Egypt, Moses finds refuge in Midian, where he marries the daughter of a priest and settles into life as a shepherd. This period of exile, far from his people and the place of his greatest sorrow, is also a divinely appointed time of preparation for his future leadership. It's within this context of unexpected refuge and a life seemingly far removed from his destiny that their first son is born, his name a constant reminder of Moses' own displaced identity.
"She gave birth to a son, and he called his name Gershom, for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.”" — { "author": "Traditionally Moses, though modern scholarship sometimes questions this for parts of the Pentateuch.", "location": "Written from the wilderness of Sinai, likely during the Israelites…
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