Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me.
Parallel translations
- WEB Then Zipporah took a flint, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet; and she said, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me.”
- BSB But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin, and touched it to Moses’ feet. “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me,” she said.
- NKJV Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son and cast it at Moses’ feet, and said, “Surely you are a husband of blood to me!”
- NASB So Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin and threw it at Moses’ feet; and she said, “You are indeed a groom of blood to me!”
- NLT But Moses’ wife, Zipporah, took a flint knife and circumcised her son. She touched his feet with the foreskin and said, “Now you are a bridegroom of blood to me.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Zipporah circumcises her son with a flint and touches Moses' feet, calling him a bridegroom of blood. Her swift obedience to the covenant sign turns away the threat.
Overview
Zipporah acts decisively to apply the covenant sign of circumcision that had been neglected, averting the danger to Moses. The phrase 'bridegroom of blood' is obscure and variously understood, but the act itself restores covenant faithfulness in Moses' household. The episode highlights that blood and the covenant sign stand between God's servant and judgment, anticipating the blood of the Passover and ultimately of Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 3
- Josh 5:2–3At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.
- Gen 17:14And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.
- 2 Sam 16:7And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial:
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Christ at the center
The Passover lamb whose blood turns away death, the exodus through the sea, the manna, the rock, and the tabernacle where God dwells with his people all foreshadow Jesus — our Passover, our redemption, the bread from heaven, and God-with-us in the flesh.
How Exodus 4:25 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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