It’s hard to think about what the story of the Exodus would look like without some strong women in the first few chapters.
In Exodus 1, we read about Puah and Shiphrah – two Hebrew midwives who defied a direct order from Pharaoh to kill all the boy babies of Israel.
In Exodus 2, we meet Jochebed, the mother of Moses, Aaron, and Miriam (Exodus 6:20). Like the midwives, Jochebed refuses to kill her son, if for no other reason than that he was so “beautiful.”
If any of these women had bowed to their own fears from the Egyptians, Moses might not have been in the picture. I know that someone else would have delivered the Israelites from Egypt (that was prophesied, after all), but Moses could have suffered the same fate as others.
Most of the modern interpretations of Moses on the Nile have Jochebed putting him in out of desperation. She fears for his life due to the Egyptian persecution, and the only way to save his life is to send him down the river. Ever the dutiful sister, Miriam trails behind to see where he ends up.
This has never added up in my mind. First of all, Moses was placed “among the reeds” in the Nile, which is not where you would place a child if you wanted to send them down the river. Second, Moses’ basket is covered and tar and pitch, which are both waterproofing materials to ensure it wouldn’t sink.
Then, you have the note at the beginning of Exodus 2:3 that Jochebed realizes she can no longer hide him in her house. That’s most likely because Moses, like other three-month-olds, is making a significant amount of noise, and the Egyptian neighbors might find out about his existence.
In my mind, that all changes the story from Jochebed giving up her son to the Nile, to hiding him among the reeds so that he would stay out of sight. I’m not sure what her plans were for after Moses was old enough to walk and talk, but I’m sure she would think of something. To ensure Moses was safe, Miriam stayed nearby “to see what would come of him.”
Moses’ placement in the Nile River is a stroke of genius. Since Pharaoh had instructed all the Hebrew mothers to throw their sons in the Nile (Exodus 1:22), Jochebed technically obeyed that order. Nothing was said about putting him in a wicker basket and hiding him among the reeds, however.
Providentially, it also places him in right in the eyesight of the perfect individual to keep him safe: Pharaoh’s daughter. With her adoption of Moses and Jochebed’s new position as nurse, Moses is well-positioned to both inherit the understanding of his family, but the confidence that only comes from being a royal.
