The birth of Moses

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The birth of Moses was an event of historical significance, capable of changing the fate of the Jews and of all monotheists forever. From the noble family to the noble adoption, the history of this immense prophet has been fascinating since its origins

Of noble lineage

Like the vast majority of the prophets, Moses was born into a family of noble lineage, which however had fallen under the Egyptian yoke for years. According to the monotheistic tradition, in fact, the future prophet was the son of Imran (known in the Bible as Amran) who in turn belonged to the tribe of Levi; the latter is still considered to be the one most closely linked to religion and the priesthood. This detail is not marginal, so much so that after the Exodus it will be the Levites who distinguish themselves as “the most faithful”, confirming their social position within Israel.

childhood moses

Returning to us, Moses was born on an unspecified date, but it is certain that he lived after Joseph, a prophet who, thanks to his success, had led to the residence of many Jews in the area (probably) between Pi-Ramses and Tanis. Here the Jewish community thrived for a long time, due to a pharaoh’s dream, however, everything changed.

The beginning of the myth

The Egyptian sovereign dreamed that an enormous fire was leaving Jerusalem, burning every region that stood before him except Palestine itself. Other sources say that the monarch dreamed of a child who grabbed and destroyed the crown, the fact is that, after this vision, the relationship between the two peoples changed drastically, showing the pharaoh’s madness in all its power.

childhood moses
Jochebed, the mother of Moses while abandoning his son

The latter, in fact, immediately gave orders to kill all the male children of the Jews, but, given that the males of this lineage served as labor, he decided to have them killed only in alternate years: in the year of “peace” Harun was born, the brother of Moses, in those of “war” the same prophet.

Moses, taken from the waters

There is a further very interesting concerning the protagonist of our story and the two women who saw him grow up: according to tradition, Moses would have been entrusted by his mother Jochebed to the course of the Nile, who would have brought the infant to Asiya, his wife of the pharaoh.

childhood moses
Surah at-Taḥrīm, vv. 11

The latter, unlike her consort, is indicated as one of the most blessed women in all of human history, like Maria and Khadija, wife of the prophet Muhammad herself. So much is the glory that the Koran reserves for this woman, who is even mentioned in the Book with the name of Asiya and, always in the latter, it is said that she is different from her husband and that secretly she is even monotheistic. Allah / God, however, placed Moses in his custody, but not under his care, which were entrusted to a nurse who, miraculously, is precisely the same Jochebed who will thus find herself growing up (unaware) her son at the court of ‘Egypt.

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