Bible Discussion Thread

Did Moses always know he was Hebrew?

When did he find out?

Moses knew Aaron and Miriam were his brother and sister.

Now, if they are Hebrew (which they are), and if Moses knows this (which he does), then the math adds up, doesn't it?!

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Hello Carol. I believe that Moses learned that he was a Hebrew, being born from among the Israelites. As you know, he was only a babe, found in the bulrushes by Pharaoh's daughter, but was then, by the guidance of God, loaned back to his (Moses') mother to care for him. Then in Exodus 2:10 we read, "And the child grew, and she (Moses' Mother) brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water."

So the babe Moses was weaned by his natural Mother, who, like her husband, were from the tribe of Levi. As Moses came to an age when he was old enough for solid food (approx 6 months of age, or his Mother might have kept him for as long as she could, as a Mother would with her precious son), she might have whispered to him in simple terms of who he was & to whom he belonged. And as he grew in Pharoah's household, he would have learned further of his background & events leading to his position in the Egyptian royal family. But when Moses saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew man, he automatically took the Hebrew's side. This shows how Moses still held onto his strong connection to God's people & resisted his Egyptian ties & religion.

Hello Chris,

In the time of Moses a mother would nurse a child for 2-4 years of age. So, I think that Moses was closer to 4 or 5 (maybe older) before he went to live with the Egyptian princess. He may have continued to have contact with his family as he grew. WE do not know, but we can see that the princess had a kind and open heart.

Thank you GiGi. It did cross my mind as I gave my answer to Carol, that because folk lived for a longer period of time (though certainly not as long as those in the pre-Flood era), that Moses might have been nursed till the ages you've given & remained with his Mother for that extra time. Since I wasn't sure of that, I just used our present-day data. And if Moses was of that age, then of course, he would have been able to grasp much better about his heritage & family line/connections. So, thanks for the clarification & I hope Carol will take your response as the more probable outcome."

Hi Chris,

This is true of many non-westernized cultures where formula, bottles, baby food are not used. Often a new baby will be



born about the time the child is weaned at the ages mentioned. Many times a mother will continue to nurse the older child until

he/she weans. This was common practice. Babies were spaced about 2 years apart if the mother had normal fertility and would

not have long periods of months of menstruating between pregnancies. This is healthier than how we do things today. God's

design is better than what we have "progressed to today. Babies and toddlers get the best food/nutrients from momma's milk

and other foods gradually become a part of the child's normal meals. With scarcity of food or variety not guaranteed, the longer

the child consumes mother's milk the more nutrition he/she receives and thus the child is more healthy. Also, mothers would

end up having far fewer cycles of fertility than women do now and thus their bodies would not have as much flux of hormone

changes across time, which is healthier for the mother, especially for the prevention of breast cancer.

I acquired this information when I was planning our first child as I studied the subject so I could make the best choices for my

kiddos and avoid some of the common issues that inhibit breastfeeding success in our culture. We are lucky to live in a culture

where food is readily available to both mom and babies, but in other cultures in our world, food scarcity and reliance on formula

often lead to malnutrition for both mom and baby as mom does not get enough nutrients to sustain her during pregnancy and

babies do not get enough nutrition because formula is often watered down with unsanitary water to make it last longer.

Thanks again GiGi for that extra valuable information. And particularly useful for any young person or soon-to-be Mother reading this thread, to know 'natural is truly the best for Momma & Bubba'.

Chris,

Thanks. But I realize that not every Mom breastfeeds their babies. So, I want to make it clear that I am not judging anyone for

choices in this area. That said, I do think that "natural' (as to cooperating with the nature God gave us) is usually better that

substituting something artificial or man-made in something as important as feeding our new babies. I just think that, as I look

at the bodies of women, some things are easy to discern as to what was God's intent in shaping us the way we are. I am just

one who wish to honor the way God made me and respect the process of childbirth and baby care as using my uterus and

breasts the way God has designed. Because I thought this way, I studied up on it before I even became pregnant with my first

baby. Funny, I even was a support person for my friend who had her first baby before me by a few years. We have been friends

for over 40 years.

Yet, each couple need to choose what God is leading them to do in this area. For me, the benefits to baby and to mom in

breastfeeding are so worth having. But most of all, we need to honor God with our bodies, respecting the way He designed our

bodies to work and endeavoring to live our lives in such a way to bring him glory. For many women, it is in breastfeeding. For

others it is not because their circumstances were very different than mine. I will always speak out for the value of breastfeeding,

but I will always be respectful towards each person's decision in this situation.

But the information of how Mom's fed their babies in ancient times and in many cultures untouched by modern society is

reliable. The sending of formula to third world countries for brand new moms have contributed to malnutrition in so many

babies and mom's. It would be better to send nutritious food for women throughout their pregnancies and the years they

breastfeed as it would reduce malnutrition in such communities in a much bigger way.

Fully agree. Well expressed dear Sister.