Holy Bible Online 
Jochebed, the mother of Moses, was a courageous woman who showed creativity and cleverness in the face of the threat of losing her newborn son, Moses. The Israelites were slaves in Egypt, as we read in Exodus. Pharaoh had ordered that all male babies born to Hebrew women be killed, but Jochebed chose to keep her baby and protect him.
Jochebed was the wife of Amram and had two other children, Aaron and Miriam. She showed great bravery by hiding her newborn son, Moses, for three months, defying Pharaoh’s command to kill all the male children born to Israelite women.
As the months passed, it became increasingly difficult to hide the baby. When Moses was three months old, Jochebed demonstrating her creativity and cleverness, took a basket made of papyrus reeds and coated it with tar and pitch. She placed the child in it and set it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile (Exodus 2:3).
To ensure the baby’s safety, Jochebed sent her daughter to watch what would happen to the basket. It was Pharaoh’s daughter who found the little basket with the baby inside. Immediately, Jochebed’s daughter approached her and offered her own mother as a nurse to breastfeed and care for the baby. In this way, Jochebed was able to remain close to Moses and take care of him during his early childhood.
Main Characteristics of Jochebed
| Creativity | She devised an uncommon plan to save her son: she prepared a basket of reeds, waterproofed it, and placed it strategically among the reeds of the Nile, in a spot where it could be found but not swept away by the current. |
| Faith | She trusted that God could protect and guide Moses’ destiny even when she could not. Placing the baby in the river was an act of total surrender into God’s hands. |
| Courage | She directly defied Pharaoh’s order by hiding her son for three months. This act put her own life and her family’s lives at risk. |
| Cleverness | She instructed Miriam to watch the basket and act at the right moment. Thanks to this, Pharaoh’s daughter chose Jochebed herself to be Moses’ nurse, allowing her to remain close to her son and raise him during his early years. |
But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile.
- Exodus 2:3
Main Lessons from Her Story
Jochebed’s story leaves us with important lessons that we can apply in our daily lives. Like her, we can allow faith to triumph over our fears and guide us so that we act with courage when faced with life’s challenges.
- Faith as a guide when making difficult decisions:Jochebed acted motivated by a deep trust in God, even when the circumstances were adverse. Her example teaches us that faith is not passivity but a force that drives us to make courageous decisions under God’s guidance.
- Sacrificial love seeks what is best for others: Her willingness to give up Moses to save him reveals a love that places the well-being of another above one’s own. This shows us that true love is capable of deep sacrifices when necessary.
- Creativity can open doors in times of crisis: When there seemed to be no visible solution, Jochebed sought an ingenious alternative. She placed the baby in the river with enough protection to give him a chance to survive. Her story teaches us that with creativity, unexpected answers can emerge even under pressure or danger.
- Trust in God and obedience to His commands can lead us to challenge unjust orders: Jochebed chose to trust God and obey His command to love and care for her child. She trusted God’s protection over the life of her baby, even though that meant going against human authority. Her behavior reminds us that divine principles stand above unjust orders.
- Small and strategic actions have great impact: Sending her daughter to watch the basket, speaking to Pharaoh’s daughter, and offering herself as a nurse may seem like simple actions, but they were decisive in God’s plan. This teaches us that details and prudence have great value when aligned with a greater purpose.
- A mother’s early influence can shape a destiny: Moses grew up under Jochebed’s spiritual influence in his early years, and that upbringing shaped his character and faith. Her example reminds us of the importance of the formative role of parents in the lives of their children.
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