Exodus 6:20-22
Amram took as his wife Jochebed his father’s sister, and she bore him Aaron and Moses, the years of the life of Amram being 137 years. The sons of Izhar: Korah, Nepheg, and Zichri. The sons of Uzziel: Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse, while seeming like a simple genealogical note, highlights Amram's marriage to his father's sister. This detail, though potentially surprising by modern standards, underscores that such unions were not yet forbidden by divine law, revealing how God's people lived within evolving ethical boundaries until specific commandments were given. The unusually long lifespans of these early patriarchs also point to a special blessing and divine oversight on the lineage leading to Moses and Aaron.
This passage continues the genealogy of Levi's descendants, tracing the line through Kohath to Amram. Amram's marriage to Jochebed, who is identified as his father's sister, produced Aaron and Moses, the central figures who will soon confront Pharaoh. The text also notes Amram's lifespan, placing these key individuals within the lineage of a family blessed with longevity, even as they lived during a time of immense oppression in Egypt.
This verse mentions a marriage that seems unusual by today's standards. Was it even more complex than it first appears?
The text states Amram married Jochebed, "his father's sister." This sounds like a marriage between an aunt and nephew.
Navigating Ancient Language
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The verse gives us a precise lifespan for Amram. Why include this detail in a genealogy?
The text tells us Amram lived 137 years. This isn't just a dry historical fact; it highlights a significant aspect of this family line.
The Blessing of Years
Two of the most pivotal figures in Israel's history appear here. What's the significance of their naming?
This short verse names Aaron and Moses as the children of Amram and Jochebed. It’s easy to skim over, but these names are foundational to our faith.
More Than Just Names
Understand the original words
ishshah · Hebrew Noun
A legally recognized partner in marriage. In biblical theology, this relationship serves as a foundational covenantal union, mirroring the relationship between God and His people.
ben · Hebrew Noun
A term referring to male descendants or children, often used in genealogical lists to establish lineage, inheritance rights, and tribal identity. It frequently denotes the next generation of a particular patriarch or family line.
Qorach · Hebrew Noun
A common Hebrew name meaning "bald" or "ice," used here as a proper noun identifying a descendant of Levi in the priestly lineage.
The verse anchors the lineage of Israel's great leaders, Moses and Aaron, within the context of their family and the specific historical period of Israel's enslavement and eventual deliverance from Egypt. It highlights that even within oppressive circumstances, God was working through ordinary (and sometimes unconventional) family lines to bring about His purposes.
c. 1800-1600 BC
Israelites Settle in Egypt
Following a famine, the descendants of Abraham, including Amram's ancestors, were invited by Joseph (who had risen to power) to settle in the fertile land of Goshen in Egypt.
c. 1500-1450 BC
Growth and Oppression of Israelites
The Israelite population grew significantly in Egypt, leading to a new Pharaoh who feared their numbers and began to oppress them with forced labor.
c. 1450 BC— this verse
Birth of Moses and Aaron
Amram, a descendant of Levi, married his father's sister, Jochebed. She bore him Aaron and Moses during this period of intense Egyptian oppression.
c. 1450-1400 BC
Moses' Early Life and Flight
Moses was born and miraculously saved from Pharaoh's decree to kill Israelite baby boys. He was raised in Pharaoh's household but later fled to Midian after killing an Egyptian.
c. 1400 BC
The Exodus from Egypt
After 40 years in Midian, Moses was called by God to return and lead the Israelites out of Egypt through a series of plagues and God's mighty acts.
This passage explicitly forbids marrying an aunt, highlighting that Amram's marriage to Jochebed, while apparently accepted and recorded in Scripture, was later deemed unlawful by divine command, showing a progression in God's revealed law.
Numbers 26:59This verse confirms Jochebed as a daughter of Levi, reinforcing the family lineage directly tied to the key figures of the Exodus and aligning with the genealogical focus of Exodus 6.
Psalm 77:20This Psalm speaks of God leading His people 'like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron,' underscoring the pivotal roles of the children born to Amram and Jochebed in God's redemptive plan.
Hebrews 11:23This New Testament passage mentions Moses being hidden by his parents for three months, directly referencing the act of faith by Amram and Jochebed in protecting their son, thus connecting their family life to the broader narrative of faith.
gillExodus 6:20: "And Amram took him Jochebed his father's sister to wife; and she bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were an hundred and thirty and seven years."
And Amram took him Jochebed his father's sister to wife,.... This Amram was the first son of Kohath, and the father of Moses, as after related, and so must be the same with the man of the house of Levi, and his wife the daughter of Levi, as in Exodus 2:1 and though such a marriage was afterwards prohibited, Moses…
bensonExodus 6:20: "And Amram took him Jochebed his father's sister to wife; and she bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were an hundred and thirty and seven years."
Exodus 6:20-23 . His father’s sister — That is, kinswoman, as the Hebrew word frequently means. Amminadab — A prince of the tribe of Judah. The Levites might marry into any tribe, there being no danger of confusion or loss of inheritance thereby.
This verse, while seeming like a simple genealogical note, highlights Amram's marriage to his father's sister. This detail, though potentially surprising by modern standards, underscores that such unions were not yet forbidden by divine law, revealing how God's people lived within evolving ethical boundaries until specific commandments were given. The unusually long lifespans of these early patriarchs also point to a special blessing and divine oversight on the lineage leading to Moses and Aaron.
This passage continues the genealogy of Levi's descendants, tracing the line through Kohath to Amram. Amram's marriage to Jochebed, who is identified as his father's sister, produced Aaron and Moses, the central figures who will soon confront Pharaoh. The text also notes Amram's lifespan, placing these key individuals within the lineage of a family blessed with longevity, even as they lived during a time of immense oppression in Egypt.
This passage continues the genealogy of Levi's descendants, tracing the line through Kohath to Amram. Amram's marriage to Jochebed, who is identified as his father's sister, produced Aaron and Moses, the central figures who will soon confront Pharaoh. The text also notes Amram's lifespan, placing these key individuals within the lineage of a family blessed with longevity, even as they lived during a time of immense oppression in Egypt.
"Amram took as his wife Jochebed his father’s sister, and she bore him Aaron and Moses, the years of the life of Amram being 137 years. The sons of Izhar: Korah, Nepheg, and Zichri. The sons of Uzziel: Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri." — This verse, while seeming like a simple genealogical note, highlights Amram's marriage to his father's sister. This detail, though potentially surprising by modern standards, underscores that such un…
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